THE OLD TIMES. 27 



great success for many years. From Mr. Dyke the pack 

 passed to his kinsman, the first Sir Thomas Acland, 

 who hunted the country, '* in princely style," down to 

 the year 1770, when he was succeeded by his son, the 

 second Sir Thomas, still remembered in the country as 

 *' Sir Thomas, his Honour." The name of the Aclands 

 has deservedly been held in high esteem through many 

 generations in Devon and Somerset, not only as large 

 landowners (it is said that at one time the reigning Sir 

 Thomas could ride from Killerton to Holnicote, over 

 thirty miles straight, on his own land), but as good 

 landlords, generous masters, and the friends of all, from 

 the highest to the lowest. Since those times Pixton 

 has passed away from the family, but Highercombe and 

 Holnicote, with a goodly portion of the land between 

 them, are still in the old hands, never, it is to be hoped, 

 to leave them. Of the sport shown by the two Sirs 

 Thomas there is no record down to the year 1780, save 

 the terse sentences of "found" and "killed" under 

 the antlers at Holnicote; but a curious letter was dis- 

 covered a few years ago in the commonplace book of 

 an Exeter lawyer, which throws some light on the his- 

 tory of those times. The writer of the letter was a 

 park-keeper and the recipient a barber, " well known 

 for his skill in the field as well as in the shop." The 



