254 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



history during tlie same long period. One sometimes 

 wonders how much the ordinary rank and file of those 

 who hunt with any pack of foxhounds, and who see every- 

 thing going, as it seems, so smoothly and easily day after 

 day, know or think of the qualities required of the " man 

 at the helm," or of the manifold cares and troubles of any 

 one who is in the responsible position of M.F.H. "Uneasy 

 lies the head that wears a crown." The imaginary fox- 

 hunter we have pictured to ourselves may rest assured 

 that the position of M.F.H. is anything but a bed of roses. 

 Think of all the conflicting interests he has to contend 

 with, the pheasant-preserving and non-hunting landowner, 

 the occasional fox-killing gamekeeper, the numerous coverts 

 that must not be drawn until they have been shot, the 

 damage to fences and wheat, the poultry claims, sometimes 

 quite imaginary, often greatly exaggerated, the terrible 

 wire question, the enormous amount of correspondence 

 arising out of all this ; the continual cares of hound- 

 breeding and hound-management ; the supervision of the 

 kennels, the hunt stables, the large stud of horses, and the 

 little army of hunt servants and grooms. If you add to 

 all this the onerous duties of a Master in the field, it is 

 easy to see that the man has far from an easy berth of it 

 who discharges the duties of such a position for upwards 

 of a quarter of a century with general approval and 

 success. The fierce light that beats upon a throne turns 

 some of its lesser rays upon the rather less illustrious 

 position of a master of foxhounds, and neither the Duke 

 of Sutherland nor any other M.F.H. can hope to escape 

 a certain amount of wholesome criticism, but the present 

 writer, while disclaiming any intention to use the language 

 of flattery, ventures to say with confidence, partly from 

 his own personal knowledge, and partly from reliable 

 reports from hunting friends, that the Duke's Mastership 

 is by general consent considered to be a distinct success. 

 There are many reasons why this should be so, and many 

 points in his Grace's favour, some of which at least we 

 may be allowed to enumerate here. First and foremost. 



