Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/112

 In 1780 the Head Master was the Rev. C. L'Oste; he was also Rector of Langton by Horncastle, and a good scholar. He published a translation, in verse, of Grotius on The Christian Religion. It was printed at the Cambridge University Press, dedicated to the Bishop of Lincoln, with a very distinguished list of subscribers. Differences arose between him and the Governors, and in Sept., 1782, he was served with a notice to quit, at the end of six months, for neglect of his duties. He refused to give up office, counsel's opinion was taken by the Governors, Mr. L'Oste pleaded in his own defence. The Governors gave notice of a trial at the assizes. No result, however, is recorded, and Mr. L'Oste retained office until his death in 1818.

The year 1854 marked the close of the career of the most remarkable Head Master who ever ruled the school. The Rev. John Bainbridge Smith, D.D.,



had entered on his duties April 10, 1818, succeeding Mr. L'Oste. Coming to the post as an entirely unknown man, of comparatively humble origin, but of great energy, he soon acquired a leading position in the town and neighbourhood; becoming Rector of Martin, Rector of Sotby, and Vicar of Baumber. He was the author of several standard works on Divinity. Under him the school achieved such a reputation that, besides the day scholars, he had a large number of boarders coming from Scotland, Ireland, Devonshire, London,