118 Memoir of Tom Smith. 



from London to Bulstrode witli a clieque for 

 150 guineas to buy the horse; but his offer 

 was refused. 



One Sunday, when returning from church, 

 ]!ilr. Smith was surprised to see a carriage and 

 four drive up to the door. It contained Lord 

 Suffiekl and his brother-in-law Lord Gardner, 

 who, after apologising for coming on that day, 

 stated their object. It was to request him to 

 give his opinion on a plan furnished by a 

 London architect for a keiuiel for 100 couples 

 of hounds, and stabling for forty or fifty 

 horses, with lodging for men. The estimate 

 was 5,600/.; and they wished the work to be 

 begun as soon as possible, as Lord Suffiekl 

 had engaged to hunt the Quorndon country 

 the next season, and it was then the middle 

 of summer. On looking at the plan, Mr. 

 Smith at once saw that the architect was alto- 

 gether wrong in his ideas, and also that the 

 whole thing could be done properly for one- 

 half of his estimate. This he explained to his 



