HUNTING TOURS. 367 



whether in the drawino^-room or in the hunt- 

 ing- field he was equally at home. He was 

 particularly prepossessed in favour of hounds 

 of large stature, after the model of Mr. John 

 Warde; on his resignation in 1846, he sold 

 them to Mr. Davenport to augment his forces 

 in North Staffordshire. The country then fell 

 into the hands of a committee, with the Hon. 

 Dudley Ward in the ostensible position of 

 prime minister, and Tom Matthews as hunts- 

 man, engaged in the arduous task of forming 

 a pack of hounds from drafts — and crude 

 materials they had to commence with. New 

 kennels were built at Rankswood, but this 

 dynasty continued only one season, when the 

 command was resigned by Mr. Ward in 

 favour of Mr. John Cookes. About this time 

 William Stansby, who had been for many 

 years first whip at Badminton, was appointed 

 huntsman, and continued in that office several 

 seasons, when Sam Taylor, who whipped in 

 to him, was promoted. But, although a man 

 may distinguish himself as a whipper-in as he 

 had done, it is not invariably the case that he 

 is equally proficient as a huntsman. So it 

 was VA M Taylor, and, after a season's proba- 

 tion, he resumed his former position. Mr. 



