Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man · Chapter
VII: Denis Milden as Master explained
George Sherston reflects on a fine summer spent playing cricket and attending garden parties, while the new Master of the Ringwell Hunt, Denis Milden, works tirelessly.
What happens
George Sherston reflects on a fine summer spent playing cricket and attending garden parties, while the new Master of the Ringwell Hunt, Denis Milden, works tirelessly. After visiting Milden's humble kennel-house and observing his patient, methodical approach to hunting and hound management, Sherston gains a deeper appreciation for the complexities of foxhunting. Milden's reforms—replacing the slow dog-pack with lighter bitches—eventually yield brilliant sport, silencing critics and earning the respect of seasoned hunters like Fred Buzzaway.
Themes in this chapter
Sport as a Way of Life
Foxhunting dominates George's ambitions and daily life; cricket, putting, and hunting are central to his identity and social world.
Friendship and Male Bonding
George's bond with Stephen Colwood is renewed through shared nostalgia for hunting; his growing respect for Denis Milden reflects male camaraderie built around sport.
The Tension Between Tradition and Change
Milden's reforms—replacing the traditional dog-pack with lighter bitches—meet initial resistance but ultimately improve sport, illustrating the conflict between old ways and innovation.
Characters to notice
- George Sherston
Narrator; spends summer playing cricket, visits Denis Milden, and learns about the realities of managing a hunt.
- Denis Milden
New Master of the Ringwell Hunt; a tireless worker who reforms the pack, pacifies farmers, and teaches his hounds to hunt with patience and skill.
- Stephen Colwood
George's friend; visits in July, shares nostalgia for hunting, and is training as a Special Reserve officer at Aldershot.
- Aunt Evelyn
George's aunt; accompanies him to garden parties and enjoys croquet.
- Fred Buzzaway
A blue-jowled, dog-faced bachelor and seasoned sportsman; known for his practical dress, habit of leading his horse, and love of beer.
- Tom Dixon
Brings the horses up from grass in mid-September.
Key passages
“Those long days of dry weather and white figures moving to and fro on green grounds now seem like an epitome of all that was peaceful in my past.”
The endless summer days of cricket, with players in white on green fields, now symbolize the peace of his earlier life.
George nostalgically reflects on the idyllic pre-war summer.
“Europe was nothing but a name to me. I couldn’t even bring myself to read about it in the daily paper.”
George was completely indifferent to European affairs and avoided reading about them in the news.
Highlights George's insular focus on hunting and sport before the war.
“Watching him open those letters was an important step in my sporting education. Until then I had not begun to realize how much there was to be done apart from the actual chivvying of the foxes.”
Observing Milden handle complaints from farmers taught George that successful hunting requires extensive off-field diplomacy and management.
George gains a deeper understanding of the Master's responsibilities.
“Denis Milden refused to lift his hounds unless he was obliged to do so, and in this way he taught them to hunt on a catchy scent without looking for help.”
Milden let his hounds work out difficult scents on their own, only intervening when absolutely necessary, which made them better hunters.
Describes Milden's patient and effective training method.
