THE KATIONALE OF HUNTING 35 



wrote belong to a past generation of huntsmen, and are 

 as obsolete as a hunting establishment carried on upon 

 the principles of Mr Jorrock's hounds. Even during 

 the last twenty years the expenses of a hunting 

 establishment have considerably increased. On Nov- 

 ember 6th, 1875, a writer in the Fields discussing 

 the expenses of an M.F.H., laid it down as a rule 

 that £620 per annum for each day of the week was 

 the average cost of a pack of hounds. Thus a pack 

 that hunted three days a week would only cost 

 £1860 per annum. Such an estimate at the present 

 time is absurd. 



We have expressed ourselves thus strongly, because 

 experience has taught us to act on the maxim, " si vis 

 jpacem 'parcc helium^' and not because we have any fear 

 for the future of fox-hunting, which we believe will 

 exist so long as a green field remains between London 

 and York. But the pessimist who says that hunting 

 as it has been known in these islands for upwards of a 

 couple of centuries will cease to exist, is often a man 

 who has a shrewd idea of how things are tending. The 

 mistake he makes is that he takes a tendency for an 

 accomplished fact, and does his utmost to exaggerate the 

 dissensions between farmers and fox-hunters, ignoring 

 the fact that depredations are invariably followed by 

 compensation. Hunting is the image of war, without 

 its guilt, and the hunting-field is the training-ground 

 which has enabled Englishmen to hold their own against 

 all rivals, so 



" Let us drink ' Fox-hunting,' boys, 

 And pass the bottle round. 

 Here's to the horse, 

 And the fox of course, 

 And a bumper to the hound ! 



