THE "iron duke"' A FOX-HUNTER. 67 



the Duke himself, in choosing his aides-de-camp, always 

 preferred fox-hunters, because he said they knew how to 

 ride straight to a given point, generally had good horses, 

 and were equally willing to charge a big place or an 

 enemy. 



"We have spoken already of his Grace's fondness for fox- 

 hunting. He was no less liberal in supporting it. On one 

 occasion, when the subscription to a good pack fell off, and 

 some lukewarmness showed itself among the contributors, 

 being asked to give his assistance, he said laconically, " Get 

 what you can, and put my name down for the difference." 

 That difference was .£600 a year ! Yet, notwithstanding 

 the great Duke was a fox-hunter, no man presumed to 

 doubt his master mind, either as a general or as a states- 

 man. Mr. Smith's character has found its detractors 

 because of his devotion to the chase. But, as has been well 

 remarked, the very manner in which he was able to follow 

 the pursuit, by his position, his wealth, his influence, and his 

 superior talent as a master of hounds, had the effect of raising 

 the science of fox-hunting to that degree of perfection 

 which places it beyond the reach of imitation in other 

 countries, and serves to retain for it all its national charac- 

 teristics. 



Nevertheless, it will be seen, in the course of this memoir, 

 that the squire was not a fox-hunter and nothing else. It 

 was the man who did credit to the pursuit, rather than the 

 pursuit which did credit to the man. In the management 

 of his fine estates, both in Hants and Caernarvonshire, he 

 found full occupation for the discharge of his duties as a 

 country gentleman. His tenants vied with each other in 

 eUciting commendations from their landlord, for the good 

 order and skilful husbandry with which their lands were 

 farmed. They well knew that the acute and observing eye 

 of the squire would quickly discover any signs of careless- 

 ness and bad management ; while, at the same time, they 

 took care that when the hounds came their way, there 



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