LORD CLONMELL, 1854-1857 



To a friend who asked him for one of his hats 

 shortly after he had been evicted from his farm 

 he wrote: 



Dear Sir, 



I have to thank you for thinking there was such 

 a man alive. 



In truth I will send you the hat, a tall one, the 

 " Baron " by " Blood Royal " carried last spring 

 twenty one years, when he won the Kildare 

 Sportsmen at Boston; also the cap carried by 

 Emerald Isle alas in my juvenile and happy days. 



As I have no address, I must go hunt them up 

 among the neighbours, who have a big distri- 

 bution of bridles, saddles, children, tables, chairs, 

 old racing plates, etc., all mixed, and hoc genus 

 omne. 



For goodness' sake don't give any of your friends 

 my present address. 



Very truly yours, 



William Hanway. 



P.S. I enclose one of the curiosities of the past. 



Hanway was the last of a numerous group of 

 sporting farmers of his own generation; as he once 

 said nearly at the end of his life, " A lot of us used 

 to come out, but drink killed all but me." 



Apart from men of this class, sportsmen to the 

 core, who were naturally devoted to the sport and 

 Q2 227 



