Considering how entirely he secluded himself, my father was, as many people
living remember, wonderfully popular in his county. He was neighbourly
in everything except in seeing company and mixing in society. He had
magnificent shooting, of which he was extremely liberal. He kept a pack of
hounds at Dollerton, with which all his side of the county hunted through
the season. He never refused any claim upon his purse which had the
slightest show of reason. He subscribed to every fund, social, charitable,
sporting, agricultural, no matter what, provided the honest people of
his county took an interest in it, and always with a princely hand; and
although he shut himself up, no one could say that he was inaccessible,
for he devoted hours daily to answering letters, and his checque-book
contributed largely in those replies. He had taken his turn long ago as
High Sheriff; so there was an end of that claim before his oddity and
shyness had quite secluded him. He refused the Lord-Lieutenancy of his
county; he declined every post of personal distinction connected with it.
He could write an able as well as a genial letter when he pleased; and his
appearances at public meetings, dinners, and so forth were made in
this epistolary fashion, and, when occasion presented, by magnificent
contributions from his purse.
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