FOX-HUNTING AND ITS FUTURE 



popular throughout the county — he hunted in those days 

 the whole of Warwickshire — and his memory is still 

 kept green in the hearts of the gentry, yeomen, and 

 farmers of that sporting shire. An excellent print of 

 this famous sportsman, mounted on his favourite white 

 horse, cap in hand, cheering on his hounds by the 

 covert-side, is still to be seen in many a Warwickshire 

 home. Mr. Corbet hunted the country with great 

 liberality. He maintained 70 couples of hounds. This 

 is a large number even for modern times. At the 

 present time the largest pack of hounds in England 

 is the Duke of Beaufort's, which numbers 75 couples. 

 The average number of hounds at the present day, for 

 a first-rate pack, ranges between 50 and 55 couples ; 

 the late Lord Willoughby de Broke hunted the present 

 Warwickshire country with 52^ couples, which were 

 generally conceded to be the best hounds in modern 

 England. The North Warwickshire, which now hunts 

 another portion of the great district hunted at the 

 beginning of the nineteenth century by Mr. Corbet, 

 maintains 52 couples. The Pytchley and Quorn put 

 into the field respectively 55 couples and 70 couples. 



Mr. Corbet took upon his own shoulders the cost of 

 hunting the Warwickshire country. He established a 

 hunt club at Stratford-on-Avon, but demanded no sub- 

 scription beyond a contribution of ;^5 apiece from each 

 member towards earth-stopping. The hunt club met 

 once a fortnight for dinner at the White Lion Hotel, 

 Stratford-on-Avon. Its members wore red coats, with gilt 

 buttons and black velvet collars, together with black 

 stockings, breeches, and waistcoats. At these gatherings, 

 after the toast of " the King," that of " the blood of the 

 Trojans " was solemnly drunk. Trojan was a famous 

 old hound of Mr. Corbet's, from whence the Warwick- 

 shire pack largely sprang. Mr. Corbet showed wonder- 

 K 129 



