BEAUFORT HUNT: PAST AND PRESENT. 57 



for the trouble he took about it, and I thank you ladies and gentlemen 

 all for very kindly coming here to-da}'^ to meet me, and I hope you 

 may live long to enjoy not only sport of the field, but licalth and 

 happiness." 



Accompanying the picture was a handsomely bound volume of 

 names, containing the signatures of all the subscribers. On the 

 fly-leaf of the volume was the following preface : "" At a general 

 meeting of the subscribers of the Badminton Hunt, held at Malmes- 

 bury, on the 11th of February, 1897, it was unanimously decided 

 to ask His Grace the Duke of Beaufort to accept some small gift 

 from those who have been identified with and have enjoyed the 

 sport which he has provided for them for many years, and during 

 which time they have received from him as their M.F.H. so many 

 proofs of kindness." 



His Grace the 8th Duke of Beaufort died in May of the following 

 year, to the great grief of everybody who had ever been associated 

 with him. 



Presentations to the 9th Duke of Beaufort. 



In 1891 the members of the Hunt presented Lord Worcester 

 with four pictures of the " Blue and Buff," as some acknowledgment 

 of their obligations to him during the twenty-two years he had then 

 hunted the hounds, and at the same time expressing their hearty 

 thanks for the excellent sport he had shown. The pictures contained 

 portraits of a number of friends whom His Lordship had been 

 accustomed to meet out hunting, and reminded him of many pleasant 

 years of sport. 



Li 189G, Lord Worcester was presented with a wedding present 

 by gentlemen hunting with the Beaufort Hounds. The presentation 

 took the form of a portrait of himself by Professor Herkomer, R.A., 

 and the following account of the event is taken from the Wilts and 

 Gloucestershire Standard of November 7th, 1896. 



" On Monday, at the White Hart Hotel, Tetbury ('previous to 

 the opening meet for the season of the Badminton Hounds at Xewnton 

 Lodge), the wedding present subscribed for by members ami followers 

 of the hunt was presented to the Mar(]uis of Worcester. The gift 

 took the form of a splendid portrait of the recipient, painted by 

 Profes.sor Herkomer, R.A., the cost being 500 guineas. The portrait 

 is of three-(juarter length, and represents the noble marquis in luuiting 

 costume as Master of the Badminton Hounds. The likeness in 

 admirable, the expression of the marquis being very happily caught, 

 and the work altogether is worthy of the fame of the great artist 

 from whose brush it comes. The ))ictur(^ bears the artist's signature, 

 and to the frame is affi.xed the following inscription : — ' Presented 



