168 ANECDOTE OF MR. CORBET. 



Nor would I forget the wives and daughters of the 

 farmers, who are occasionally, though not frequently 

 I hope, fellow-sufferers in the cause with their hus- 

 bands, from the rapacity of reynard, invariably through 

 the idleness and neglect of their servants in not pro- 

 perly securing the feathered inhabitants of the farm- 

 yard before the night closes upon them. The money 

 arising from the produce of the poultry-yard is almost 

 invariably appropriated as pocket-money to the female 

 branches of the family ; and in more instances than 

 one, I regret to state, that the disappointment of not 

 having new bonnets and dresses, in which to attend 

 the neighbouring races, has been caused by the total 

 destruction of a flock of turkeys in one night. 



When Mr. Corbet hunted the Merriden country, he 

 was always particularly attentive in remunerating 

 those who might be losers; and on one occasion when 

 ridmg out to visit his puppies which were at their 

 walks in that neighbourhood, was informed by the 

 daughters of a farmer, who was a well-wisher to fox- 

 hunting, that they had lost all their turkeys and fowls 

 by the foxes, which were strictly preserved in those 

 days in the Packington-woods. This kind-hearted man 

 truly sympathised with their disappointment, and 

 observed that it would be highly proper for them to 

 go into mourning upon the occasion, and that he would 

 send them some ribbons to wear for the sake of their 

 poor turkeys. But how great was their astonishment 

 upon receiving, on the next day, some very handsome 

 bonnets and dresses, but not of quite so sombre a 

 colour as they had expected. 



Mr. Corbet's benevolence in word as well as deed 



