MR. CHARLES PHILIP DUFFIELD 223 



dote shows the real nature of the man in a 

 truer liofht. At the time of his second master- 

 ship there was at Abingdon a training estab- 

 lishment for gentlemen anxious to enter the 

 army through the militia. One of these young 

 gentlemen, presumably of a rather touchy dis- 

 position, thought he had been too roughly 

 called to order by the Master, and his com- 

 panions persuaded him to write and demand 

 an apology. By return of post he received 

 a reply in the following terms : — 



My Dear Sir, — I have not the slightest recollec- 

 tion of the incident you mention. I can only say 

 that I am sincerely sorry, if in the excitement of 

 hunting I said anything which gave you annoyance, 

 and can only hope that you will forget it as 

 thoroughly as I have already done. I hope to 

 have the pleasure of seeing you frequently out with 

 the hounds in future. 



Very truly yours, 



Charles Duffield. 



The Master's health was drunk in bumpers 

 that night by the aspirants for military 

 honours, and he was unanimously voted "a 

 real good sort." 



Mr. E. Martin-Atkins, the President of the 

 Hunt Club, died in 1859. At a meeting of 

 the members held at the Queen's Arms Inn, 

 Abingdon, on October the 17th, 1859, on 

 the proposition of Sir Robert Throckmorton, 



