BIOGRAPHIES IN A NUTSHELL 103 



poem, dated 1807, called "The Epwell Hunt," was 

 justified in writing — 



" The blood of old Trojan is all I desire, 

 So give me the hounds of the Warwickshire Squire." 



If these runs were not recorded by unimpeachable 

 authorities, the modern hunting man would regard 

 them as exaggerations. That they must have been 

 slow-hunting runs admits of no doubt ; but to us, 

 who have been educated to consider twenty minutes 

 on the grass without a check as a red-letter day, 

 these runs of over four hours seem marvellous. Still, 

 these are the records recorded in the history of the 

 Warwickshire hounds. 



I have already alluded to the moral character of 

 Mr. John Corbet. Not only was his private life 

 beyond reproach, but his public life gained him dis- 

 tinction. He succeeded Lord Clive as M.P. for 

 Stratford, and took an active part in agricultural 

 politics until ill-health compelled him to desist from 

 taking any active part in the discussion of the lead- 

 ing questions of the day. During his life he was 

 honoured, and after his death he was lamented. 



I have given the pride of place to Mr. Corbet on 

 account of his seniority, but probably the perform- 

 ances of no Master of Hounds have been more 

 discussed than have been those of Mr. Thomas 

 Assheton-Smith. This hero of the horn and pigskin 

 was born in Queen Anne Street, Cavendish Square, 

 on the 2nd of August, 1776, His grandfather, 



