MR. ASSHETON SMITH 



MR. ASSHETON SMITH 

 1806-1817 



FROM 1806, in which year Mr. Assheton Smith took 

 the Ouorn, down to 1827, when Mr. Osbaldeston 

 brought to a close his second period of mastership, the 

 Ouorn country was in the hands of the above-named 

 two masters, and also for a couple of seasons in those of 

 Sir Bellingham Graham, who came between Mr. Osbal- 

 deston's two reigns. The Life of Mr. Assheton Smith 

 havinof [rone through several editions (it takes in all that 

 "The Druid" wrote about him), it is assumed that every 

 one having an interest in, or knowledge of, the Ouorn 

 country is familiar with its pages, so it is not proposed to 

 reproduce more of what has been written than is neces- 

 sary to carry on the story of the Hunt, and there is 

 not very much to be said about this famous fox-hunter 

 beyond what has already appeared in print ; but a few 

 incidents and anecdotes which do not form part of the 

 book have been collected. The Life of Mr. Smith (all, or 

 nearly all, of it appeared in the columns of the Field 

 newspaper in 1855) includes, in addition to what Dick 

 Christian told "The Druid," copious extracts from "Nim- 

 rod's" " Hunting Tours" and " Hunting Reminiscences." 

 Although no biography of Mr. Osbaldeston has 

 appeared in book form, so much has been written about 

 him that his career as master of the Ouorn has here 

 been dealt with at less length than would otherwise have 

 been the case. With these preliminary remarks, the 

 thread of the story may be resumed. 



