208 THE HUNTING FIELD 



Messrs. Sharp and Quirk of the neighbouring town, and he 

 is considered the worst friend the lawyers have, for he makes 

 up no end of quarrels that would otherwise bring grist to 

 their mills. 



Like all men whose names end in " ion,"' he traces his 

 pedigree back so far that none but a " Burke " could burrow 

 to his original ancestor. Suffice it for us to say, that the 

 family have lived so long at the Priory, that the country 

 people believe they have been there ever since the world 

 began; and as in London we have but one "Duke," so in 

 Mr. Trevanion's neighbourhood there is but one " Squire." 

 Not but that there are plenty of others, but he is the Squire 

 par excellence. 



The Priory is a comfortable old-fashioned Elizabethan 

 house, with its stables behind, the whole embosomed in 

 lofty oaks of stupendous growth, whose spreading branches 

 harbour myriads of rooks, that keep up a lively clamour 

 about the place. The house is neither too large nor too 

 small ; no state rooms " put away," but everything com- 

 fortable, commodious, and neat. The estate shows the best 

 of farming, and everything about bears the impress of care 

 and attention. 



As a sportsman, in which it is more our province to regard 

 him, he is one of the " never-do-mischief sort," and though a 

 fair rider for a man past the grand climacteric, will always 

 turn out of his line to avoid damage. Living in the country, 

 and observing the effects of seasons and of circumstances, he 

 knows what really is harm and what is not, and never makes 

 unnecessary clamour about trifles ; neither does he sacrifice 

 one sport for the sake of another, or make a business of one to 

 the neglect of the other. He has a fair show of pheasants 

 about the house, and hares, partridges, and pheasants scattered 

 over the estate in sufficient abundance to show ample sport to 

 a man blessed with the use of his legs ; but as to drawing them 



