THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS, 



C H A P:T E R II. 



Mr. John Corbet. 



His character. 



His early days. 



The celebrated Mr. John Corbet— Trojan— His 

 LEAPING POWERS— The extent of the country — 

 A great run from Wolford— Mr. Corbet's 

 WAY across country — WiLL Barbow— HiS 

 horsemanship — His epitaph. 



When, in 1791, Mr. Warde deserted Warwickshire, 

 there came to the head of its fox-hunting affairs, one of 

 the most celebrated masters of the old school, in the 

 person of Mr. John Corbet, of Sundorne Castle, Shrop- 

 shire. He was the contemporary of the equally cele- 

 brated Mr. Meynell, of the Quorn, and under him 

 Warwickshire rose into a front rank position and 

 flourished as a hunting county. His name will ever be 

 associated with Warwickshire and indeed the county 

 owes him much. He was the pattern of masters. 

 Liberal-handed in his management of afifairs, he was at 

 the same time noted for his kindness of heart and 

 gentlemanly conduct, which was displayed both in and 

 out of the field. He wa=, in fact, a thorough English 

 gentleman, and there can be little doubt that it is 

 largely to his courteous and kindly treatment of all 

 who appeared at his meets, that the loyalty Warwick- 

 shire yeomen have invariably shown to the chase is 

 due. 



He commenced his career as a sportsman in his native 

 county by keeping a pack of foxhounds, but there being 

 two other packs there he changed to harriers. He, 

 however, afterwards returned to foxhounds and hunted 



