2i8 THE FOX. 



of his coat in the hawthorn hedge, and has just this moment come 

 to the ground, head over heels, from the neck of his plunging horse. 

 But, luckily, he is up again on his unorthodox legs, none the 

 worse for his tumble. The horse has galloped away ! No matter 

 some of the company will stop it, and restore it to the undaunted 

 lider. Oh, what noble sport ! 



" Nimrod's courage is a treasure, 

 Hunting is the Briton's pleasure ; 

 Rich the treasure, sweet the pleasure, 

 Sweet is pleasure after pain." 



The chase grows hotter ; nothing can exceed the excitement. 

 Farmers leave their ploughs and horses, shooters quit their stubble 

 fields, and every son of Ceres is on the move. All run helter- 

 skelter to enjoy a treat of fox-hunting. Push on, my boys, but at the 

 same time remember what the horse formerly said to its rider, 

 " Up the hill, push me not ; down the hill, spur me not ; on level 

 ground, spare me not." The hounds are in full cry ; what delicious 

 music in the ears of Nimrod ! But suddenly the cries are heard no 

 more. The sportsmen, as is often the case, have pressed too keenly 

 on the pack, and lo ! the dogs are at fault. No longer can the 

 scent be touched upon. Reynard, whose fate seemed sealed be- 

 yond all doubt, is saved at last from death. Sly little fellow! 

 taking advantage of the momentary pause, he has just had time to 

 squeeze himself into one of his friendly fastnesses hard by, too strait 

 for even terriers to enter, and too rocky to admit of the operations 

 of the spade and axe. There he sets both hounds and huntsmen at 

 defiance. Other covers are drawn, but no fox can be found. It is 

 now time to give up the chase and disperse ; for see, the wintry sun 

 is nearly at its setting, and the pack is far from its kennel. The 

 sportsmen retire from the field each individual having had a day 

 of rational amusement, with a bountiful stock of fresh air, and an in- 

 crease of spirits for their different callings; so that, in fact, the fox 

 has been to them the best of all physicians. 



But this manly and exhilarating sport is only suited to Great Britain. 

 Foreign nations have their pastimes of another sort, which we per- 

 naps may undervalue. I think that Englishmen showed bad taste 

 when they introduced fox-hunting into the Roman States. Nothing 



