130 FINISHING LESSONS 



ceive, that in doing most things, squared elbows 

 have not only an unskilful, but an ungraceful ap- 

 pearance. 



When a man is no further versed in shooting than 

 just to have become quite expert at bringing down 

 his bird, I conceive that he has only learnt about one- 

 third of his art as a shooting sportsman. Knowing 

 where to place himself for shots ; how to spring his 

 game to advantage ; what days and weather to choose 

 for the different kinds of sport, constitute at leagt the 

 other two-thirds, till he is master of which he may 

 often get beat in filling the bag by a very inferior 

 marksman to himself. Again, admit him to have 

 learnt every thing in the ordinary way, then comes 

 wildfowl shooting ; the requisites for understanding 

 which are so totally different, that there are many of 

 the greatest field sportsmen in the kingdom, who 

 know no more about it than children. 



FINISHING LESSONS IN SHOOTING. 



I SHALL now add a few little hints, that may 

 possibly be of service to many of my readers who 

 have had some practice in shooting, but who, I trust, 

 will not be offended at my offering a few finishing 

 lessons, under an idea that something, in general, 

 may be learnt even from the most inferior person, 

 and because that, after I had shot for more than 

 twenty years, not a season, no, not even a month or 

 a week elapsed without my discovering that I had 



