A KING AMONG ANGLERS. 139 



soon loses the stampeders round a bend of the 

 road. The bull was not unfrequently turned out 

 at midnight for a fifteen mile burst, and, it is 

 said, became quite used to the nightly visitation. 



At Oxford, where was a famous cockpit, 

 Wilson was one of the great "cockers" of his 

 time. At Elleray his game birds engrossed as 

 much time as his boats ; and in his walks abroad 

 he usually carried a game-cock under his arm, 

 to pit against those of his neighbours. It is 

 even reported upon trustworthy evidence, that 

 the Professor indulged in the pastime in his 

 drawing-room on Sunday afternoons, and we know 

 that he did so upon one memorable week-day. 

 In his diary are frequent reminders of the sport. 

 Thus : " Black Edinburgh hen set on Tuesday, 

 the 23rd of June, with twelve eggs middle of the 

 day. Sister to the above was set with five eggs 

 on Thursday, but they had been sat upon a day 

 or two before." And side by side with some 

 beautiful lines from the " Isle of Palms " is ranged 

 * ( a list of cocks for a main with W. and T.," and 

 then comes " Lord Derby," " Caradice," and the 

 rest of them. Wilson kept only the purest game- 

 fowl, and bred from the best fighting strains in the 

 country. Although this erstwhile moral philo- 

 sopher was a keen cock-fighter, he was eminently 

 kind and gentle to animals in general. There 



