YIELDING PLACE TO NEW 



the Belvoir, this subscription was still being given, and was 

 managed by the secretary of the hunt, Mr. Charles Parker, of 

 Grantham. 



There was no reason to fear any change in the spirit of the 

 management. The new head of the Manners family was 

 known to share the pleasure his predecessors had always felt 

 in ministering to the enjoyment of others. He it was who 

 had been the first statesman to advocate national holidays, 

 and Saint Lubbock might well have been Saint Manners had 

 public opinion been ripe to follow the lead of Lord John 

 Manners. Duke John was, moreover, well able to measure 

 the social value of hunting, even under its new conditions, 

 for no man had thought more on social problems. He would 

 agree with an acute observer that nugcz in seria ducimt, and 

 that the amusements of any class of the nation are matters of 

 importance. For the true test of a man's character is not 

 what he says, or what he does under the compulsion of circum- 

 stances, but what he chooses to do when free. Our tastes are 

 the key to our characters, and what is true of the individual 

 applies equally to the nation. Duke John was a fox-hunter 

 by predilection. He loved the chase and cared but little for 

 the gun, and he had been in his younger days a hard rider. 

 The first change made under the new rule was to appoint a 

 field master, and thus relieve Gillard, the veteran huntsman, 

 from the somewhat false position in which he had been 

 placed, and one which a less judicious man would have found 

 impossible. But the Duke was already an old man when he 

 succeeded, and though he went out with hounds whenever 

 he could, he was not able to take the active part necessary in 

 restraining the field. A deputy, however, was not far to seek, 

 and for three seasons Lord Edward Manners ruled over the 

 hunt with the title of field master. Every one was pleased, 

 except perhaps a few too ardent spirits from Melton, who 

 were kept in better order than had been possible before, and 

 the farmers were delighted to see a Manners again guiding 

 the hunt. The very name was a guarantee that their wishes 

 and interests would be considered and consulted. Lord 

 Edward was a keen rider, always beautifully turned out, and 



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