fi^ 



Chapter V 



THE LONG MINORITY 



1787-1799 



WHEN Charles, fourth Duke of Rutland, passed away 

 in 1787, his eldest son was but nine years old, and 

 the estates, which the recklessness of Lord Granby and the 

 magnificence of his son the Viceroy had somewhat impaired, 

 had the benefit of a long minority. The interests of the late 

 Lord of Belvoir had been in politics and literature, and his 

 pleasures were those of the table. During his short reign it 

 is evident the Belvoir hounds had not kept pace with some 

 other packs, for in spite of liberal expenditure and the 

 appointment of " managers " or temporary masters they were 

 not equal either in the quality of the sport they showed or in 

 breeding to some other celebrated packs of the day. 



The hounds of Lord Monson, Lord Fitzwilliam, and the 

 Brocklesby and Badminton had a greater reputation among 

 hunting men than the Belvoir. We shall be able to mark the 

 defects of the latter, and trace the means by which they were 

 remedied, when we consider the steps taken to improve 

 hounds during the administration of Mr. Perceval. The 

 time when Lord George Cavendish, son of the fourth 

 Duke of Devonshire, had control has left but little mark in 

 the annals of the hunt. This nobleman was probably not 

 too popular, for though he was an enthusiastic sportsman he 

 was of a somewhat phlegmatic disposition, and was distin- 

 guished by cold manners, which could scarcely have been 

 acceptable to the members of a field accustomed to the genial 

 greetings of Lord Granby and to the frank and cordial words 

 of his son. Lord George, who afterwards became Earl of 



70 



