HIS CARE IN SELECTING HOUNDS. 51 



Park races, aud made him an offer of £200 for him, which 

 his owner declined, unless Mr. Smith would make it 

 guineas. On this the latter jocularly remarked, that he 

 was the most independent horse-dealer he had ever met with; 

 and was told, in rejoinder, that had he been independent, he 

 would not have taken 2,000 guineas for the horse, as he 

 was sure that no man could expect to have more than one 

 such in his life. He was very much blemished at the 

 time, so much so, in fact, that Mr. Smith could hardly 

 credit the assurance that he was sound, after having been 

 'repaired so often.' At this juncture Lord Chesterfield 

 rode up, and Mr. Smith, on hearing his lordship indorse 

 Mr. Denham's statement, that he had never in his life 

 seen a horse that could go better, if so well, to hounds, 

 closed the bargain for guineas. At first they had rather 

 a weary time with him at Tedworth. Mr. Smith sent 

 him home on hunting days seven or eight times before 

 he could ride him with confidence ; and there is a legend, 

 that he not only ran clean away four miles with George 

 Carter, but that the latter assured his master, when he 

 proposed another mount, that he would rather run on foot 

 than get on him. His master, however, cliarmed the 

 chestnut into a softer mood at last. On loth December 

 in the following year (1841), he wrote to Mr. Denham, to 

 say that he had got him to go ' as quiet as any horse in his 

 stable !' adding, 'I have hunted a great number of years, 

 I have kept hounds and hunted them for thirty-eight years, 

 and I am quite sure I never had sucli a horse as he is 

 before, and fully believe I never saw such a one.' " " 



Nor was Mr. Smith in any way sparing of expense in 

 securing the very best blood for his pack. In addition to 

 Sir R. Sutton's hounds, he bought those belonging to Sir 

 Thomas Boughey, and, later, the pack of the Duke of 

 Grafton. In particular he prized most highly the stock of 



* "The Post and the Paddock," pp. 260, 261- 

 . e2 



