THE EARTH-STOPPER 105 



ence of opinion ; the law holds out a reward for the 

 death of the animal^ to be paid by the churchwardens 

 of every parish, whilst the foxhunters and their friends 

 use all possible exertions to protect the breed and 

 increase their numbers." He then gives the letter of 

 a nobleman to his agent in Leicestershire, desiring 

 the agent to show every accommodation to the tenants 

 who had been friendly to the hunts of " Lord Spencer, 

 the Duke of Rutland, Mr. Meynell, and Lord Stam- 

 ford." " On the other hand," writes the noble lord, 

 "you will take care and make very particular inquiries 

 into the conduct of those tenants who shall have 

 shown a contrary disposition, by destroying foxes or 

 encouraging others so to do, or otherwise interrupting 

 gentlemen's diversion, and will transmit me their 

 names and places of abode, as it is my absolute 

 determination that such persons shall not be treated 

 with in future by me upon any terms or consideration 

 whatever. I am convinced that landowners, as well 

 as farmers arid labourers of every description, if they 

 knew their own interest, would perceive that they 

 owe much of their prosperity to those popular hunts, 

 by the great influx of money that is annually brought 

 into the country ; I shall therefore use my utmost 

 endeavours to induce all persons of my acquaintance 

 to adopt similar measures ; and I am already happy 

 to find that three gentlemen of very extensive landed 

 property in Leicestershire, and on the borders of 

 Northamptonshire, have positively sent, within these 

 few days, similar directions to their stewards, which 

 their tenants will be apprised of before they re-take 

 their farms at next Lady-Day. My sole object is, 

 having the good of the community at heart, as you 

 and all my tenants know that my sporting days have 

 been over some time ago." 



That letter is as good now as it was the day it was 

 written. 



Having mentioned Mr. Smith's artificial earths or 



