Great Huntsman," as the title-page tells us ; yet, so
capricious and so transitory is fame, it is possible that some of our readers do not know what country he hunted. His reputation, then, was chiefly made in the Tedworth country with Mr. Asheton Smith. He retired, not very willingly, from his post of huntsman at the age of seventy-three, and survived for nearly twenty years more, living in the little village of Milton, not far from Marlborough. This memoir is written by one who knew him well in his later days ; in fact, by the clergyman of the parish, if we may penetrate the slight disguise of the initials. "J. H. G." has been willing to play the part of Boswell to this philosopher of humble life, and has given us the picture of a shrewd and kindly old man. One little story we must transfer from "J. H. G.'s" pages. The old man was very fond of his parson's children, especially of a little girl, at the time about eighteen months old. Coming home late from hunting one day, he found him playing with the child. The story goes on :—" I heard from the sitting-room,—' Oh, yes, ma'am, a very nice child ; oh, a beautiful little child. Yes, my dear, you are a very beautiful little child. Well, good night, ma'am. Good night, my dear.' As he came out of the room into the hall, I just caught a smile on his face, as be muttered to himself,—' nice pup ; pity she weren't a hound."
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