CHAP. III.] Mr, Wilkins, Master, 97 



obscure part of London, associating only witli the stratum 

 of ^' hangers-on of the turf/^ lowered to their level day 

 by day; what was fine within him growing coarse to 

 sympathize with clay; and he died nnhonoured though 

 not unsung in 1866. On resigning the Mastership ol 

 the Pytchley country in 1834^ he sold his pack of hounds 

 to Mr. Harvey Coombe for 2000?.^ and never again 

 undertook the duties of an M.F.H. His retirement 

 was caused by a lack of support from the members of 

 the Hunt, the subscriptions to which at that time did 

 not reach 1600Z. per annum. The price ]ie obtained 

 for his hounds was somewhat in excess of that which 

 the famous Jack Mytton secured for a lot of his, 

 which selling for about the value of their skins elicited 

 from their Huntsman the remark that they " ought 

 to have made more, for they were a capital lot of 

 hounds and would hunt anythink, from a helephant to a 

 hearwig.'" 



When sold in lots at TattersalFs in 1840, Mr. Osbal- 

 deston's hounds fetched 6440Z. ; five couple being sold 

 to Mr. Barclay for 930?. 



On the country becoming vacant in 1834, it was taken 

 by Mr. Wilkins, M.P. for Radnorshire, a Welsh gentle- 

 man, who had hunted hounds in his own country, and 

 was at that time living at the Rectory at Pitsford. To 

 hounds of his own he added a quantity from the pack of 

 Mr. Grantley Berkeley, who was supposed to have some 

 share in the management, and who for some time took 

 up his quarters at Brixworth. Mr. Wilkins took *' Jack 

 Stevens^' for his Huntsman, and ''Jack Goddard " as 

 first Whip; but neither master, men, nor hounds could 

 be said to be a success ; and though the sport, consider- 



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