THE HISTORY OF THE BEL VOIR HUNT 



Monkton Milnes, who, in politics, had a sentimental rather 

 than a very serious attachment to the young England party, 

 of which Lord John Manners, the Duke's brother, was one of 

 the leaders. 



" Fryston Hall, 



''July i6th, 1 86 1. 

 " Cooper, — 



" I shall be very glad to hear that you have gone to see 

 Lord Middleton's hounds, and I hope you will find a hound 

 to suit. I go to-morrow to Sandbeck, and return to London 

 on Friday. 



" I am glad to hear of three more litters of foxes. 

 " I am told Mr. George Norman complains of losing a 

 hundred fowls. I hope, therefore, that we shall find plenty of 

 foxes at Goadby ; the loss must be owing to the want of 

 rabbits. 



" I remain, yours, etc., 



" Rutland." 



Cooper's visit to Lord Middleton's kennels, to which the 

 Duke alludes, was not without results, for I find among the 

 Belvoir entry of 1863 Harpy and Heroine, by Lord Middle- 

 ton's Corporal. 



The next letter is of interest as showing that Lord Forester 

 still took a considerable part in the management of the pack. 

 He was, in fact, constantly referred to in kennel matters, as 

 the Duke was not, nor did he profess to be, a great judge of 

 hounds, though his interest in the pack was great. As a sub- 

 sequent letter will show. Lord Forester occasionally acted as 

 master during the Duke's absence. This letter refers to the 

 question of Holwell Mouth, which had always been a bone of 

 contention between the Quorn and the Belvoir. 



Mr. Frederick Sloane Stanley, who conducted the corre- 

 spondence with Lord Stamford, tells me that the matter was 

 eventually settled by the Quorn resigning their claim to 

 draw Holwell Mouth, and the Belvoir giving up Grimston 

 Gorse. 



254 



