MR. GEORGE OSBALDESTON 115 



ever, Parson Empson, " the flying parson," as he was 

 called, had a horse called "Shaver" which was Asshe- 

 ton's master, as he was just as speedy, as stout, and was 

 as good a fencer, while in addition he had a much more 

 angelic temper. 



In bringing to a close these notes on Mr. Osbal- 

 deston's career as master of the Quorn, it must suffice to 

 note that he was a good all-round sportsman and athlete. 

 He was a good steeplechase rider, shot, pedestrian, 

 pugilist, and billiard player ; but an extended notice of 

 his excellence in these diversions would be outside the 

 purview of this book. His old friend Mr. Wheeler has 

 written about him and his exploits in Sportascrapia.ua, 

 and in another book ' the present writer has given sundry 

 particulars concerning "the Squire." He unfortunately 

 took to the turf ; lost much money at racing, and died in 

 somewhat straitened circumstances, at his house in St. 

 John's Wood, on the 1st August 1866. It was in the 

 year 1831, when Mr. Osbaldeston was in his forty-sixth 

 year, that he accomplished at Newmarket his famous 

 ride of two hundred miles in eight hours and forty 

 minutes, using twenty-eight horses. 



Harry Goodricke on Dr. Russell, and Mr. Holyoake on Crossbar, are jump- 

 ing the fence at each side. When Mr. Osbaldeston saw the picture he is 

 reported to have exclaimed that a cleverer hunter than Assheton was never 

 foaled. A portrait of Mr. Osbaldeston was also engraved by Roffe, from a 

 painting by Dr. Woodhouse, Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge, in 1835 

 or 1836. 



1 Notitia Venatica, new edition (Nimmo). 



