THE HISTORY OF THE BELVOIR HUNT 



(i^ 1 0,000) in hunting, how he lived in the best society at 

 Melton, and was a good heavy-weight even in that day 

 of distinguished Welters. How he often pounded the field 

 on horses not always of the best, for he was not a good 

 judge of horseflesh. How, like other people, he had his 

 turn of luck when he bought that wonderful mare from the 

 gipsies, on which he finished the day alone with hounds, 

 when all, even Goodall, were beaten ; and how he sold the 

 mare for a large sum one Croxton Park Wednesday. We 

 know, too, that when the patrimony was expended Sir 

 Francis made a handsome income by painting portraits ; and 

 many of us can remember the time when no Academy Ex- 

 hibition was complete without one or more of the President's 

 exceedingly well-groomed looking portraits of men and 

 horses. The Melton Breakfast is probably his very best 

 work. The scene was familiar, and he threw himself into 

 and touched oiif to the life the likenesses and characters of 

 the various men portrayed. All of them were more or less 

 well-known figures in the Belvoir field, and most of them 

 were among the familiar guests at the Castle. There was 

 Lord Wilton, the finest of horsemen and the very pink of 

 aristocracy, who ruled for many years the society of Melton 

 and was the mainstay of the Quorn Hunt. He was one of 

 the most beautiful horsemen who ever rode over Leicester- 

 shire, riding with the same tact and judgment that marked 

 his whole character. He was never in a hurry, and yet 

 always with hounds. No doubt he was well mounted, for, 

 except for very few men, that is absolutely necessary for any 

 who would cross Leicestershire with credit. He was fastidi- 

 ous as to the country he rode over, as he was careful in his 

 choice of society, to which not even the masters of the Quorn 

 were admitted without a certain probation, this extending, it 

 is said, in one instance, to two seasons. He had a very fine 

 stud of horses, and with his groom, Jem Goodwin, was the 

 terror of the horse-dealers, who could get nothing out of his 

 Lordship but the right value of their horses. 



Another portrait is that of Mr. Little Gilmour, who was 

 probably the very best heavy-weight that ever crossed 



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