HUNTING TOURS. 315 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE WARWICKSHIRE COUNTRY AND HOUNDS. 



The first master of foxhounds in Warwick- 

 shire, of whom there is any authentic infor- 

 mation, was the ever-celebrated Mr. John 

 Warde, who undertooli the arduous responsi- 

 bilities at a very early period of life. This 

 gentleman was removed from the cares of this 

 world in 1838, at the patriarchal age of 86, 

 having disposed of his last pack to Mr. Wil- 

 liam Horlock, in 1826, for the large sum of 

 2,000 guineas, and it is reported that he kept 

 hounds, hunting divers countries, the unpre- 

 cedented term of .56 years. His hounds were 

 of gigantic stature, much celebrated for their 

 hunting properties, and their blood is dis- 

 persed through several kennels of the present 

 day, where it may be pretty generally dis- 

 tinguished by certain indications of coarseness, 

 requiring many generations to intervene ere 



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