230 THE RECTORY AND ITS BIRDS 



seem to get hold of a stock of uncommon dull ones." 

 The parson was, not uncommonly, a sportsman 

 first and a parson afterwards ; one who rode well 

 to hounds, and of the type of the famous " Billy 

 Butler " of Frampton, who, on hunting days, used, 

 so it is said, to go to daily service with his surplice 

 over his hunting dress, and who, when another 

 young clergyman just ordained, and, as I have the 

 best reason to know, of a very different type, was 

 introduced to him, said, " Pleased to know you, sir ; 

 your father and I have been in, together, at the death 

 of over a thousand foxes." When he died, he gave 

 directions that his body should be laid to rest in the 

 churchyard, in the little space which had been left 

 between those of " the greatest saint and the greatest 

 sinner he had ever known." Perhaps he was half con- 

 scious to himself that he was half way between the two, 

 like that famous hero of Sir Walter Scott, of whom it 

 was remarked that he was " o'er bad for blessing, and 

 o'er good for banning." But, for all that, the parsons 

 of that day were not a bad sort. " Other times, other 

 manners ; " and they had a knowledge of men and 

 manners and times too, which has not always been 

 equalled by their much more spiritually-minded suc- 

 cessors. They looked well after the temporal interests 

 of their flock, if they sometimes neglected their eternal. 



