344 CHANGES IN FOX-HUNTING 



amount realised, I believe, usually suffices for so 

 doing. 



But it is where hunting is not so fashionable, and 

 the number of subscribers smaller, that the matter 

 is difficult to deal with. Expenses increase yearly, but 

 the old big subscribers, who very likely hunt less 

 than the others, cannot be expected to increase their 

 donations, and difficulties very soon begin to arise — 

 begin to arise because certain good folk cannot pay 

 more for the amusement of others who want to play 

 at their expense. Surely it is not a very pleasant thing 

 for Smith to feel that he is allowing Brown, Jones, and 

 Robinson, for neither of whom has he any particular 

 regard, to pay the lion's share of Smith's hunting 

 expenses. It has been suggested, indeed, that all two- 

 days-a-week hunts should fix £25 as the lowest 

 sum for their Hunt subscription. Were the custom 

 established, it is said that no one would miss the 

 money, that the mean man would be " caught," and 

 the generous non-hunting supporter often relieved of 

 a burden. 



In those countries where most of the hunting folk 

 have for many years had their hunting practically for 

 nothing, thanks to the liberality of some nobleman 

 or a few territorial magnates, it is reported that the 

 change that has now come to pass is met in a spirit 

 of great despondency, and anything more than a £5 

 note is with extreme difficulty extracted. Now, to pay 

 but £5 for about fifty days' hunting, which is the 

 magnificent contribution of several acquaintances of 

 mine, appears such a singularly parsimonious contribu- 

 tion to the war-chest that I am in hopes they may 



