68 SHORT MASTERSHIPS 



accepted, unless, of course, he expressed his intention 

 of "running the whole show"; when hunting men, 

 more than ever they did, seem anxious to get their 

 sport at other folks' expense. At all events, whether 

 the new-comer be tyro or old stager, let him have a 

 clear field and a free hand, and be in no hurry to 

 gauge his merits or demerits. Remember that there 

 are good things brought about by fox-hunting apart 

 from flying bursts, gruelling runs, or a constant suc- 

 cession of extraordinary sport ; that even a moderate 

 season's sport is productive of much pleasure, much 

 good-fellowship, and wholesome recreation. The good 

 days will come, and the good seasons, all the quicker 

 for kindly unanimity of feeling which, making things 

 easy for the new-comer and bearing lightly on mis- 

 takes, will do much to further the welfare of fox- 

 hunting. 



Doubtless in the present day there are surrounding 

 the M.F.H. difficulties that were quite unknown to 

 the great ones of old — difficulties which in many 

 countries are entirely beyond the unaided efforts of 

 the most zealous Master of Hounds, even if he be 

 born in the country over which he rules. Let these 

 numerous and increasing difficulties be acknowledged. 

 A great many of them must be well known to all, 

 while others not quite so often discussed are realised 

 by those who live the most of the year in the country. 



I think it must be allowed that acquaintance with 

 the details of the duties of a M.F.H. — as the best of 

 our Masters recognise those duties — is a more im- 

 portant qualification than wealth alone ; and I am 

 sure that frequently of late years ignorance must have 



