TENCH V. TROTJT. 91 



acquaintance, by whom he was most highly es- 

 teemed for generosity of disposition and other 

 estimable qualities. 



At Benham Park, with Lord Ducie, Tommy 

 Moreland, and other sporting friends, I have spent 

 many most cheerful, pleasant evenings ; and I 

 remember, after having, in the company of the two 

 former, paid a visit of inspection to Sir John 

 Cope's kennel at Bramshill — sitting down one 

 summer evening to dinner, with one of the finest 

 trout on the table I ever saw, taken out of the 

 Kennet, weighing over eight pounds. 



" Well, Wildboy " (as he used to call him), ex- 

 claimed Lord Ducie, " that is a splendid fish 

 indeed, I cannot beat you at that game — but if 

 you will come and dine with me next week, I 

 think I can produce a tench which shall equal, if 

 not surpass, your trout in weight." 



The invitation including all present, we dined 

 at Woodchester Park accordingly ; and a brace of 

 tench were placed on the table, one over, and the 

 other a few ounces short of the same weight. 



One of our party, on that occasion, was Sir 

 Wieeler CufFe, a very staunch old fox-hunter, who 

 had been entered at Melton under the father of 

 the chase, Mr. Meynel, and had hunted there also 

 with Lord Sefton and Tom Smith, Sir Wheeler^ 



