1830] THE FIRST WILL SMITH. 83 



The picture strikes me as a taller man. I think it is like his attitude, 

 l)ut not his countenance. Lord Yarborough was so good as to give me 

 a copy of this painting, drawn by George Newmarsh, of Grimsby, for 

 which he gave him twenty guineas. This was also the last present I 

 ever received from the good old Lord, and he lived but a few months 

 afterwards. Of course the subject is to me what of all others I could 

 have wished for, but had it been any other subject I should have most 

 highly valued it as coming from so excellent a master, and being the 

 last I received from him. The original painting by Stubbs is at this 

 time in the present Lord Yarborough's sitting-room. Wonder, the 

 hound introduced, I believe was a very good one, and the old horse my 

 grandfather was on, also very good — his name, Gigg. Brilliant, the 

 cream-coloured horse, I believe never was a very good hunter, though a 

 thoroughbred horse. He was bought of the Duke of Grafton for a 

 lady's horse for Mrs. Pelham. He was a quick, pleasant hunter, but not 

 stout for a hard day ; a perfect snaffle-bridle horse, as he appears in the 

 painting. He ran, when in the possession of the Duke of Grafton, at 

 Newmarket ; came fourth (my father's account). My uncle, John Smith, 

 has often said he thinks it a most striking likeness of his father, and 

 his very attitude on horseback. They used to go to and from covert at 

 foot's pace at that time of day, though ever so cold ; this was the old 

 man's attitude, one hand in his pocket and resting on his thigh. A 

 quicker pace to and from covert must be an improvement to the system 

 of these sportsmen ; better for hounds, horses and men. I have often 

 heard the late Lord say what fools they were to continue so long as they 

 did in that foolish plan. 



I cannot close these observations without making a few remarks on 

 my uncle John Smith, who whipped-in to these hounds a great many 

 years. He was, I dare say, and from what I have seen, though ii, 

 declining man when I first began to whip-in to these hounds, a 

 remarkably good and quick hand, and certainly ought to have been 

 a huntsman. He was many years younger than my father, and began 

 under him, consequently never had a chance of preferment here. He 

 went whcii very young to hunt one of the Lord Scarborough's hounds — I 

 should suppose father to the preseut Lord Scarborough — where he only 

 lived one year, and then returned here. He was a very good horseman, 

 strong and determined, but held his horses fast by their heads — a hard 

 puller to horses, but a very good fast seat. I have heard the late Lord 

 Yarborough say of him, that he was a devilish good horseman, and 

 could carry a horse longer than most men, but he never liked riding a 

 horse after him, as he caused them to pull and made their mouths hard. 

 But still in his way he considered him a capital horseman. He had a 

 good strong voice, and made hounds fear him, I believe rather too much 

 so. He was a man of very good sense and a deal of cunning. His 

 Lordship has told me many times that he possessed quicker ideas of 

 what a fox or a skirting hound would do than any other whipper-in he 



