The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-29
LEICESTERSHIRE.
THE LATE WHITE MISUNDERSTANDING IN


THE LATE WHITE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN
FROST.
Like black heavy cloud choking the breath ana
pressing the heart with cold damp weisht'
camethe news that spread from mouth to mouth at
the Quorn meet Rearsby FRIDAY last, December %.
what whyte Melville of all men?' the one first
uterance of the hundred who there learned the loss
of dear friend were there told of the sudden awful
death of the man who in himself almost the
life and voice foxhuntng. and there heard that the
chase had brought the end of the one that it least OF
all could spare. 1t is not much OF Whyte Melville
the writer the poet. am speaking. but OF Whyte
Melville the kindly friend. the genial fellow
sportsman the hearty companion, the courte-
Gus chvalrous gentleman. As writer he was
known everywhere; but it was so he was known
and valued in Leicestershire-as in Gloucester
Northampton. Dorset. Devon and Somerset. Where
ever he lived he endeared himself Wherever he rode
he rode for the love of neutrality-suspicious. selhshness
without jealousy, and that. while Others enjoyed
themselves. he too might do so according to his
bent. His was nature that. while finding leading
pleasure in the study Of others. cynical hit
ter or unkind Where smaller minds could make wit
and Jest out of failings in those round him. he was
ready with ten times the humor to make fun and
story of material that injured directly or IN
directly He busted himself. as have said, in the
study of those near him. But it was that he might
learn their special interests. and bring home to him
self their peculiar tastes. And thus 1t was that
scarce anyone exchanged morning greeting
with whyte Melville. but to go on his way delighted
that his life had something in it that met sympathy
from without-and. better still, the sympathy OF
man whose sympathy was worth having. For, out
of the natural kndheartedness OF clever man grew
the knack and habit, which ut all times prompted
~,l Y,ica IN 1vhn
soever he was thrown And he proved his
sincerity by speaking no differently behind his neigh
boris back than to his face. SO men loved him. Eng
shmen do not often speak thus Of their fellows;
but many man will say thus or think thus now
Whyte Melville is dead. mean to write no studied
panegyric; but must be allowed expression as one
who looked up to him with admiration not only but
with affection, and who knows something of the
feeling evident and evinced, of Others of q GER
tain section. In whyte Melville there was nothing
antagonistic. He never, with all his acknowledged
genius sought pit himself his opinions in COM
bat He never came roughly against the susceptible
ties of his comrades even to indulge ms vivid sense
ing CLEAN of sunshine. To ride home with him at
night was a CHEEKY sunset. He was not. generally.
deemed SURPRISING horseman. He went out to
amuse himself and did it thoroughly-seeing great
deal of hounds. and picking his own way where he
and his horse could best learn to adjust themselves
to each others taste. Nothing more pleasant to
him than to educate willing, wellbred pupil to
jump to his hand and gallop on the finger fancy
saddle, his head bent to watch "the
snort and strain the yielding rein" as he
.humored the too-willing mare, Ihis hands
down almost on the pommel, and all the while he
kept up pleasant flow of talk with whoever rode
beside him. II his end was sudden one, and to his
friends terrible stunning blow trust there Is
nothing impious in the thought that perhaps he
himself-who pleaded that mans most worthy death
was in harness. and that IL better that fruit
should be gathered when ripe rather than be let to
fall from the tree-would have chosen his farewell
thus. in the midst Of the glorious pursuit he had
IN 11v Ia NJ M 4
fruit yet ripe and he died in the zenith OF his
fame author. He has died when his own world
will lament him. wiring their hands bitterly over
their grievous loss and earnestly for Whyte
Melville Was there something prophetic. in that the
last lines he published were entitled FAREWELL
Surely, at any rate. there augnry in those
former words of his ringing now for nights past in
my ears):-
It's worth tho risk Of life and limb ana neck boys
To see them glance and stoop
Till they finish with whoop
Forty minutes n the grass without y check, boya
We hunted on Friday, though hearts were not
in it and the weather was against Hounds moved
off about twelve. the roads being at the time like
adsnant and the fallows capable OF carrying
wagon. Bleakmore had nothing in 1t, and then they
struck across the country mile or So by line OF
Unknown. II has been planted by Mr.. cheney OF
Caddesby and though but very recently built it
Least brace Of foxes MP 1t once and hounds were
ont after without noise or commotion. Tho
only way to get after them was to jump into the
spinneythence to emerge over very plausible ditch
and rail. And dozen sportsmen ut once proceeded
to avail themselves OF the route. But once inside
they became huddled together. terribly in each
others way One OF the most dressy OF them dropped
his exactly in the gangway and mplored piteously
that it might not be trodden on. 1t was quite new
and the only one he had!' Courtesy and fellow feel
ing could not Withstand the appeal; deadlock
sued and verify believe We should all have been
there now had not graceless II use the word only in
reference to his unfraternal behavior, younger
brother seized delight0dly upon the chance to ride
straight at the hat and drive y. siken ruin, into
heartess chuckle. The spell was broken; the beaver
dam burst. and the Hood OF horsemen
poured through to ride for Gaddesby. A frostbound
ROAD held them to hand canter; sharp turn took
hounds suddenly away from them; and for q quarter
OF an hour the pack had quite the best of them
daringy though they clattered over the intervening
fences ana hard glazed ridge and furrow in pursuit
Thus they were led between Gaddesby and Brooksby
till they had nearly passed Cream Gorse. Scent
then utterly dened while to hunt the afternoon fox
from Ashby Pastures proved equally iInpractcablc.
Saturday, December 7. was the last day on which
hunting could be carried on. The Cottesmore met
at Stapleford Bedehouses. and though some little
frost was apparent, on the roads and under the
hedges riding was far safer and pleasanter than
the previous day. From the Pond plantation in the
park the hounds threaded the railway cleverly
that they put pursuers' at once on the wrong side
then seizing ike advantage where the river winds
a second Web got them so entangled that they could
take no part in the chAse-whch the pack carried on
joined in. they ran sharply down the riverside
toward Melton; but the rest OF the goodly company
nothing till this bad quarter-hour was over.
In the afternoon, though, they had great deal OF
riding. and Of pleasant kind. From the Punchbowl
two wide rings were made, which 1ncluued Somerby
and touched Cold Overton, and which provided line
of grass and lot of fences. Fifty-fve minutes
only the first part of this though quite enough for
a horse. with the ground so deep and the pace
fair.
And since this last day of hunting we have, as you
all know. been weatherbound. II the interruption
be not welcome. IL will be less irksome now than at
another time. Hunt establishments and many pr-
vate stables have already suffered much from the
extraordinary deepgoing and rest, II not prolonged
will be accepted cheertully-not in all quarters. 1
maintain but at least in many.
BROOKSBY, in The Field.