108 REMINISCENCES, ETC. 



dition, quantum mutatus ah illo Hectare, once on hoi'se- 

 back be appeared to revive ; and tbe dexterity and ease 

 with which be managed, like a plaything, the spirited 

 aniraal under him, which had scarcely left its stable for 

 months, was most surprising. 



Before the conservatory, however, was built, in 1845, 

 on account of the health of Mrs. Smith, her husband him- 

 self, vigorous and hardy as he was, had been overtaken by 

 indisposition. He was occasionally subject to attacks of 

 asthma, for which he had tried homoeopathy, under Dr. 

 Quin. In 1834, " Dash wood," in the Sporting Magazine 

 (September, 1834), speaking of him "as the most extra- 

 ordinary huntsman perhaps whom England had ever pro- 

 duced," adds that he was at that time "in indiflferent health, 

 and not again expected to be able to take the field." 

 Nevertheless, in the following year, when the great run 

 took place from Amesbury to Salisbury Plain, he must have 

 been in a great measure restored. In 1843, the fame of the 

 founder of the water-cure, Vincent Preissnitz, had ^reached 

 England ; and Mr. Smith having read Captain Claridge's 

 account of the cures performed by hydropathy, consulted 

 Dr. Weiss, who had studied the treatment under Preissnitz, 

 at Grafenberg, and was now in England, conducting an 

 establishment for patients at Stansted Bury, in Herts. His 

 own account of the relief he derived from the water-cure 

 has somewhat of the fabulous about it. He used to relate, 

 that he went to bed labouring under a severe attack of 

 asthma, and having received directions from Weiss to wrap 

 round his chest the wet bandage, or umschlag (since so cele- 

 brated in assuaging pain and in healing sores), which he 

 accordingly did, he slept soundly, notwithstanding the chill 

 which the damp application first occasioned, and in the 

 morning he jumped up with the exclamation that his 

 asthma was gone, and that he was perfectly cured. From 

 this time Mr. Smith became an enthusiastic follower of 

 Preissnitz ; he not only carried out the treatment in his 



