Some Great Runs with The Old Surrey 69 



the benefit of posterity. A certain educational, if not 

 moral, value is attached to that enterprise : hence our 

 gratification in promoting its success is the more 

 complete. 



As Tom Gilbert says, " We ought to forget nothing 

 about good hunting, and what we remember is worth 

 writing in letters of gold." 



Such truths, expressed with perfect sincerity, help to 

 make our task easier. Even labours of love in a sporting 

 cause are apt to pall a little sometimes, especially when 

 there is no reciprocity of sentiment. Of that, however, 

 we find plenty, having only to mention the Old Surrey, 

 and friends spring up on every side. It is very encourag- 

 ing to the modest historian. 



The Surrey Hunt had a really helping hand from its 

 first recorded honorary secretary, the late Mr. W. Hine 

 Haycock, who held that position with success from the 

 year 1852 to 1874. Until he was compelled to resign 

 his post for a new home in Devon, Mr. Haycock used to 

 figure well up always in the Surrey runs, and was, there- 

 fore, qualified to send to the press (which he regularly 

 did) accounts of the many " good things " he enjoyed 

 with his beloved hounds. He was, indeed, an able 

 descriptive writer on this subject, and the Surrey lost a 

 sprightly historian of their gallops when Mr. Haycock 

 left for Sidmouth. He was a keen wit, both in and out 

 of the saddle. Next to hunting, cricket was his chief 

 recreation. As to his irrepressible humour we may cite 

 the following : Once, missing his umbrella from the hall 



