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night — and travelling in those days was no joke. Upon one occasion, 

 after having had three good runs and wishing to go to a ball at 

 Cambridge, he first rode to Northampton, then back to Cambridge, 

 danced all night and rode back to Sulby Hall, a distance of sixty 

 miles ; he hunted the same day, killed a brace of foxes and rode 

 fourteen miles home in time for dinner. During those two days and 

 one night of incessant hard work he never once closed his eyes in sleep. 



After thirty-five seasons' hunting The Squire laid down his horn and 

 ceased to be M.F.H., when the followers of the Pytchley presented him 

 with a splendid snuffbox, on which was engraven, "To the best sports- 

 man of any age or country." 



Mr. Osbaldeston's was admittedly the best pack of foxhounds in 

 England. None other for breeding, work or stoutness equalled it, and 

 to the present day are to be found in our crack kennels some of the 

 best strains running in direct line back to his blood. 



Of course we have had a great many gentlemen huntsman who were 

 quite first-rate at the business, and for many years continued to show 

 the best of sport ; but most of them confined themselves to only one 

 or two countries, so that they acquired a thorough knowledge of the 

 entire area — the good scenting parts and the bad — as well as the run 

 of foxes. 



JSow, Osbaldeston hunted his hounds six days a week for more than 

 thirty-five years, and did so over the Burton country and the Spilsby 

 in Lincolnshire, Mr. Musters' in Nottinghamshire, Lord Vernon's in 

 Derbyshire, the Atherstone, the Holderness, the Suffolk, the Quorn, 

 the Pytchley, and Hampshire. Together, ten countries, representing 

 as they did all sorts — grass, plough, and woodland — with peculiarities 

 different in nearly every one. In them all, and during that long 

 tenure of office, he showed good sport to an extraordinary degree. 

 To say that he was favoured all the time with the attention of the 

 fickle goddess would be ridiculous, although no doubt he had his 

 share of good luck, and as he could not have had much knowledge of 

 the countries when he took them up, or have had time to acquire it 

 during his short stay in each, it is manifest that the result was 

 produced simply and solely by his own inordinate ability as a huntsman. 



It must therefore be accorded to George Osbaldeston the palm 

 for being the very best man who has ever handled a pack of fox- 

 hounds. I have many histories of him written by those well qualified 

 to form an opinion, and they are all consentient on the subject. 

 Whether the country was cramped or open, the field of horsemen in 

 hundreds or in tens, to handle his hounds was all alike to this grand 

 sportsman. He rode the nice weight of list. Tibs. 



From Mr. Vyner's able book, " Notitia Venatica," I learn, however, 

 with surprise that The Squire did not personally superintend the 

 feeding of his hounds, but left it entirely to his kennel huntsman, 

 William Gardner. This man must have had wonderful ability for his 

 calling, for without being able to see them in their work he was able 



