72 THE HUNTING FIELD 



fault with the guard about something perhaps having 

 been too long over his changing drop when the 

 guard repudiated his interference, desiring him to "go 

 on and make up lost time for that the coachman 

 was his servant." "Your servant /" exclaimed Jehu, 

 pulling his horses up into a walk ; " whose servant am 

 I now, think you ? " added he, grinning over his 

 shoulder. So they went on for a mile or more, the 

 coachman pulling up as often as the guard gave his 

 "his servant" orders to go on. Much such a scene 

 occurs in the hunting field, when Whips and Hunts- 

 men have not settled that point any better than our 

 coachman and guard had. 



Beckford lays down the law on the point very ably : 

 "The Whip," writes he, "must always be contented 

 to act an under-part, except when circumstances may 

 require that he should act otherwise ; and the moment 

 they cease, he must not fail to resume his former 

 station ; you have heard me say, that when there is 

 much riot, I prefer an excellent Whipper-in to an 

 excellent Huntsman. The opinion, I believe, is new ; 

 I must therefore endeavour to explain it. My mean- 

 ing is this that I think I should have better sport, 

 and kill more foxes with a moderate Huntsman, and 

 an excellent Whipper-in, than with the best of Hunts- 

 men without such an assistant. You will say, perhaps, 

 that a good Huntsman will make a good Whipper-in ; 

 not such, however, as I mean; his talent must be 

 born with him. My reasons are, that good hounds 

 (and bad ones I would not keep) oftener need the 

 one than the other ; and genius, which if in a Whipper- 

 in, is attended by obedience, his first requisite, can do 

 no hurt; in a Huntsman is a dangerous, though a 

 desirable, quality ; and if not accompanied by a large 

 share of prudence, and I may say humility, will often- 

 times spoil your sport, and hurt your hounds." 



Mr. Beckford, it should be remembered, was 

 speaking of the requirements of his own country, 



