PETERBOROUGH AND THE FITZWILLIAM HUNT 13 



same system of breeding, and to-day the occupants 

 of the benches at Milton possess the same strains 

 of blood which did so much to establish the original 

 pack first hunting the country. Even the names 

 of those following the hounds are links with those 

 who rode and occupied the broad acres, when the 

 dawn of the chase established country life and 

 moulded the character of the English gentleman. 

 Well may it be said " Happy is the community 

 which has no history," for so it is with the Milton 

 kennel presided over by Mr George Fitzwilliam. 



In the 'sixties, a friend of my father, the late 

 Anthony Trollope, hunted with the Fitzwilliam 

 from Stilton, the guest of Sir Mordant Wells, many 

 years a follower of the hunt. A very hard worker, 

 the famous novelist would hunt all day, writing 

 during the early hours of the morning, and it was 

 during these visits Anthony Trollope modelled 

 his Rector of Clavering, who was episcopally for- 

 bidden to follow the hounds. 



A good hunter and a bold rider are a sine qua 

 non to get to hounds in a country like the Fitz- 

 william. which is strongly fenced, and in a wet 

 season rides on the deep side. From its earliest 

 history it has always been considered a school for 

 riding and hound-work, and there are many famous 

 names in hunting annals who have enjoyed their 

 best and longest spell of sport with the Fitzwilliam ; 

 to mention two of the best who ever rode a run, 

 Mr Frank Gordon and Mr Alec Goodman. 



Here is a pen sketch by one who knew these two 

 fine horsemen at their best ^ : 



" To praise Frank Gordon's riding is scarcely need- 

 ful, for wherever hunting men congregate, there 

 his name is known, the opinion being that he could 



^ Laud and Water, March 1S74. 



