JOHN OF THE HILL 



" So, with the throttling hands of death at strife, 

 Ground he at grammar ; 

 Still, through the rattle, parts of speech were rife, 

 While he could stammer. 



***** 



Leave him — still loftier than the world suspects. 

 Living and dying." '■ 



With the disappearance of Maittaire from the scene, the 

 history of the pack is left to conjecture, and becomes merged 

 in the interesting and exciting period of Lord Granby's career. 

 We know that after the death of Lady Granby and the 

 Duchess, the father and son, with the Thorotons, Hved a 

 good deal at Belvoir, and carried on the hunt from there, 

 while the mention of Lord Granby's Dexter, as a hound of 

 some note, shows that the pack was already gaining fame. 

 No doubt the example of Mr. Meynell and the elder Musters, 

 and the success of the Pytchley under Lord Spencer, stimu- 

 lated all sport-loving men to improve the breeding of their 

 hounds at this time. We know that, in this matter, the 

 Quorn and the Cottesmore were in advance of the Belvoir. 



The third Duke died in 1779, having lived long enough to 

 see the opening promise of his grandson and successor, and 

 to be present at his marriage with the Lady Mary Isabella 

 Somerset, which took place in 1754. He left a name among 

 sportsmen as the first master of the Belvoir Hunt as we 

 know it in the present day. 



^ " The Grammarian's Funeral." R. Browning. 



35 



