20 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



George Templer was the eldest son of James 

 Templer, whose father, also James, built Stover 

 House, some two miles from Newton Abbot. James 

 was a lineal descendant of the Colonel Templer who 

 was in the service of the Prince of Orange and took 

 part in the memorable expedition of 1688 and also in 

 the war of 1691. This Colonel Templer died, at 

 Exeter, so poor that liis son Thomas took to business 

 in that city. Thomas had a large family, the youngest 

 of whom, James, made a fortune and built Stover 

 House. 



George Templer was bom in or about the year 1781 

 and was educated at Westminster. Mr. Da\'ies speaks 

 of him as a gentleman of brilliant intellect and most 

 charming manner. ^ Poet and wit, scholar and sports- 

 man as he was, there is ever\^ justification for the 

 prefix accorded to him at the beginning of this 

 chapter and usually associated with his name. 



Listen to the words of a chronicler- who knew 

 him well. He introduces him as " the favoured and 

 favourite sportsman — everywhere and anywhere — 

 the accomplished George Templer of Stover." He 

 says : 



" To enlarge upon his several excellencies, his 

 amiability, the sincerity of his friendship and bene- 

 volence of disposition, adorned by a graceful erudi- 

 tion, and enhvened by a playful wit that made him 

 the charm of society, is but to repeat an oft-told tale. 

 . . . Those with whom he was wont to associate in 

 jocund famiharity little judged that they were in 

 contact with an intellect imbued with natural powers 

 of the highest excellence. . . . Amongst sportsmen the 

 name of Templer is as a household word, and never 



1 Z/t/e 0/ the Rev. J. RixsseU. By the Rev. E. W. L. Davies. 

 * Christopher Arthur Harris. 



