72 THE HUNTING FIELD 



fault with the guard about something — perhaps having 

 been too long over his changing drop — when the 

 guard repudiated his interference, desiring him to "go 

 on and make up lost time — for that the coachman 

 was his servant." "Your servant!" exclaimed Jehu, 

 pulling his horses up into a walk ; " whose servant am 

 I now, think you ? " added he, grinning over his 

 shoulder. So they went on for a mile or more, the 

 coachman pulling up as often as the guard gave his 

 "his servant" orders to go on. Much such a scene 

 occurs in the hunting field, when Whips and Hunts- 

 men have not settled that point any better than our 

 coachman and guard had. 



Beckford lays down the law on the point very ably : — 

 "The Whip," writes he, "must always be contented 

 to act an under-part, except when circumstances may 

 require that he should act otherwise ; and the moment 

 they cease, he must not fail to resume his former 

 station ; you have heard me say, that when there is 

 much riot, I prefer an excellent Whipper-in to an 

 excellent Huntsman. The opinion, I believe, is new ; 

 I must therefore endeavour to explain it. My mean- 

 ing is this — that I think I should have better sport, 

 and kill more foxes with a moderate Huntsman, and 

 an excellent Whipper-in, than with the best of Hunts- 

 men without such an assistant. You will say, perhaps, 

 that a good Huntsman will make a good Whipper-in ; 

 not such, however, as I mean; his talent must be 

 born with him. My reasons are, that good hounds 

 (and bad ones I would not keep) oftener need the 

 one than the other ; and genius, which if in a Whipper- 

 in, is attended by obedience, his first requisite, can do 

 no hurt; in a Huntsman is a dangerous, though a 

 desirable, quality ; and if not accompanied by a large 

 share of prudence, and I may say humility, will often- 

 times spoil your sport, and hurt your hounds." 



Mr. Beckford, it should be remembered, was 

 speaking of the requirements of his own country, 



