THE FOX AS OUTLAW 155 



and fewer foxes, it was not worth while to incur the 

 odium of vulpecide. The influence of the landlord 

 was therefore, on the whole, on the side of their 

 preservation. Even the shooting landowners favoured 

 hunting. It was the well-to-do farmer's natural 

 recreation. Hunting comes at a time of year when 

 the farmer can spare the time, if he has the money, 

 and in those days it was his own fault if he had not. 

 On the other hand, the shooting farmer was regarded 

 with disfavour on many estates. He was often on 

 terms which were hardly cordial with the gamekeeper, 

 and at odds with the agent or landlord about the 

 damage done by the game. Therefore he and his 

 sons hunted, and sometimes kept hounds. 



There have been many notable farmers Masters 

 of Foxhounds or Harriers. Indeed, many historic 

 hunts owe their existence to the combination of the 

 farmers. The West Somerset Hunt, now for over 

 fifty years governed and supported by the Luttrell 

 family, began by the farmers helping a man named 

 Read, said to have been a retired butler, to keep a 

 few hounds after the fashion so vividly described by 

 Surtees in the account of Michael Hardy and his 

 hounds in the opening chapters of ' Handley Cross.' 

 But now many shootings are let, and if, as often 

 happens, the tenant is a kindly and liberal man, his 



