HUNTING ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED 7 



the famous Galen) who have united in recommending 

 it. I shall, however, remind you, that your beloved 

 hero, Henry the Fourth of France, made it his chief 

 amusement (his very love-letters, strange as it may 

 appear, being filled with little else) ; and that one 

 of the greatest ministers which our own country ever 

 produced, was so fond of this diversion, that the 

 first letter he opened, as I have been told, was 

 generally that of his huntsman. 1 In most countries, 

 from the earliest times, hunting has been a principal 

 occupation of the people, either for use or amuse- 

 ment ; and many princes have made it their chief 

 delight ; a circumstance which occasioned the follow- 

 ing bon mot : Louis the Fifteenth was so passionately 

 fond of this diversion, that it occupied him entirely. 

 The King of Prussia, who never hunts, gives up a 

 great deal of his time to music, and himself plays 

 on the flute. A German, last war, meeting a 

 Frenchman, asked him very impertinently, " Si son 

 maitre chassoit toujours ? " " Out, ozci," replied the 

 other — "U nc joue jamais de la flute." The reply 

 was excellent ; but it would have been as well for 

 mankind, perhaps, if that great man had never 

 been otherwise employed. Hunting is the soul of 

 a country life : it gives health to the body, and con- 

 tentment to the mind ; and is one of the few pleasures 

 that we can enjoy in society, without prejudice either 

 to ourselves or our friends. 



The Spectator has drawn with infinite humour 

 the character of a man who passes his whole life 



f 1 Probably Sir Robert Walpole.] 



