178 THE HUNTING FIELD 



think so, otherwise they would turn their cattle in to 

 their wheat fields. 



In some countries Farmers' cups are given, to be 

 contended for by the horses of Farmers in the limits 

 of the hunt, and certainly, as a mark of gratitude and 

 attention to this most praiseworthy class of men, it is 

 a tribute deserving of commendation, but we almost 

 doubt whether the prizes generally reach the objects 

 the givers would like to see them go to. In the 

 first place, hunting and racing are such totally differ- 

 ent amusements, that one seldom sees a taste for 

 both combined in the same person, added to which, 

 Farmers, least of all people, are likely to cultivate an 

 inclination for both, and if a man keeps a horse for 

 the cup, it is not very likely that he will keep him 

 for the legitimate purposes of hunting. Hence these 

 prizes too often fall into the hands of itinerant black- 

 legs and leather-platers, or men in league with some 

 skirting, nicking, road-riding, fox-heading fellow, who 

 is always getting among the hounds at the death, or 

 grinning in the Master's or Huntsman's face at a 

 check, to draw their attention to the fact of his being 

 up. 



If we could be certain of seeing these trophies go 

 into the hands of the real Foxhunting Farmers of the 

 hunt, if we could think that each succeeding year was 

 adding a fresh rivet to the chain of foxhunting, by 

 drawing the recipient in closer union with the members 

 of the hunt, nothing could be more desirable than the 

 encouragement of such prizes ; but when, instead of 

 their going to grace the sideboard of some true lovers 

 of the sport, to show by their inscription to their 

 descendants and friends that their zeal was appreciated 

 and rewarded, they fall into hands who merely value 

 them for their weight, and who are ready to sell their 

 unprized prizes for the next year's contest, it raises a 

 question whether some more suitable acknowledg- 

 ment could not be devised that should be exclusively 



