CHAP. IV.] Mr. George Payne ^ Alaster. 1 1 j 



F. Goodricke^ a fine horseman, but at no time very popu- 

 lar as an individualj tbey fell into tlie hands of one, who 

 not only was the idol of his county and of his neighbour- 

 hood, but also of society itself. For more than half a 

 century " George Payne ^^ has been a name to conjure 

 with, not only in Northamptonshire, but in the Avide 

 sporting-world ; and now that he has passed away for 

 ever ! its magic seems to have lost but little of its power. 

 Other districts have had and still have their names to 

 swear by. The West Riding of Yorkshire has its 

 Georgre Lane Fox, and Gloucestershire its Duke of Beau- 

 fort, but there never has been and never will be but one 

 " George Payne.''' A stalwart form, handsome counte- 

 nance, winning smile, and a charm of manner never 

 equalled, took captive all who came within the circle of 

 their attraction. It w^ould scarcely be going too far to 

 say that no man ever possessed in the same degree a 

 similar gift of making himself acceptable to all sorts of 

 persons. It seemed as though he could at all times reach 

 the soft spot in any one^s heart, be they of either sex, or 

 in any condition of life. Heir to a fine place and a 

 splendid fortune, and endowed with abilities of no 

 common order, it is no wonder that he entered public life 

 as a sort of '^ Prince Camaralzaman."" 



Oxford was not more successful than Eton in causing 

 him to appreciate the beauties of Virgil or of Homer ; 

 and a Greek play was at no time ^* in it" with the 

 Racing Calendar or the Snorting Magazme. Differing from 

 the head of his college on matters touching its internal 

 discipline, he was recommended to seek a more congenial 

 sphere, and plunging forthwith into the ocean of tempta- 

 tion, he from that time commenced a career of unchecked 



