HUNTING TOURS. 141 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE HONOURABLE GEORGE FITZWILLIAM'S 

 HOUNDS AND COUNTRY. 



A century's uninterrupted possession, de- 

 scending from father to son, may be accepted 

 as an indisputable title to all the rights and 

 privileges appertaining to a hunting country, 

 and how very few masters of foxhounds are 

 there who can rejoice in as proud and enviable 

 a distinction ! Such, however, is the case in 

 this instance. Frequent changes of manage- 

 ment are most prejudicial to perfection in a 

 pack of foxhounds, but throughout this ex- 

 tensive period there have only been three 

 masters and four huntsmen. At a period so 

 very remote it is extremely difficult to obtain 

 positive information respecting precise dates, 

 but it is known that the first pack of fox- 

 hounds introduced into the Milton Kennels 

 was during the lifetime of that Earl Fitzwilliam 

 who, on the authority of the Peerage, was 



