1 4 The Pytchley Hitnt^ Past and Present, [chap. i. 



March 2nrl, 1808. Dear Fatlier,— Jolin Warde has put the 

 hounds entirely into my management, and never comes 

 out himself ; so that at present I am answerable for all 

 the merit and the reverse of the pack that comes out. 

 My luck has as yet been extreme. Monday was the 

 first day I took them out in the open. It was a bad 

 scent, but the old pack hunted quite perfectly, and we 

 ran from Sywell Wood to Drayton Park, but did not 

 kill. I took the young hounds out yesterday, who are 

 as bad a pack as anybody ever saw ; but fortunately we 

 had a good scent, and got a tolerable run. We found a 

 second fox in Harrington Dales and went away with him 

 at best pace to Shortwood. We then hunted at a 

 forward hunting-scent over Lamport earths to Maidwell, 

 where we again set to very hard running over Harring- 

 ton and Rothwell fields, through Thorpe Underwood 

 over the brook by Gaultney Wood; got a view of him 

 near Dob Hall, and killed him near Gaultney Wood, in 

 an hour and twenty minutes. From Maidwell to killing 

 was a decided burst without a check ; and every horse 

 was tired except my ' Poacher ^ and Felton Hervey's 

 horse. I do not often give you an account of a run, but 

 I think you will be pleased to hear of my beginning so 

 well, as it will make people sanguine about my system 

 (though it has nothing to do with it), and will keep up 

 the subscriptions." Then follows a postscript, not with- 

 out its interest: "I have gained some credit for not 

 hunting on Ash Wednesday, when every pack in the 

 neighbourhood did." 



We have now, John, Viscount Althorp, afterwards 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer, one of the most distinguished 

 statesmen of the day, established as Master of the Pytchley 



