210 THE HUNTING FIELD 



application, or otherwise, and require some tact in 

 their management. It is clearly a compliment for a 

 gentleman to invite a stranger into his house \ it is 

 a compliment to the man and a compliment to the 

 sport, inasmuch as it shows that he thinks none but 

 gentlemen partake of it. It is also a compliment to 

 invite a general acquaintance, with whom he may not 

 be in the habit of visiting, but whom he sees before 

 his house ; but we should almost question whether 

 it would be a compliment to say to such a man, a 

 day or two before, " The hounds meet at my house 

 on Monday, and I shall be glad to see you to break- 

 fast," because it would be almost tantamount to saying 

 he was "just worth a breakfast, and nothing more." 

 These, however, are points that depend upon the 

 peculiarity of each case. 



The sketch we have drawn of country visiting for 

 mere visiting sake, and country visiting for a specific 

 purpose, will show that hunting is not a question 

 affecting only its followers, but one in which all the 

 residents are more or less interested. All who like 

 society — society in its easiest, and therefore its most 

 agreeable footing — are interested in having a country 

 hunted. Any' one who has seen the change produced 

 by the introduction or withdrawal of a pack of fox- 

 hounds, will be satisfied of the truth of this observation. 

 With a well-conducted pack, and the interchange of 

 visiting it engenders, winter passes away almost as 

 pleasantly as summer ; and, even in the longest, 

 hottest, brightest day, we remember with pleasure 

 the red-curtained, sparkling fire-side comforts of the 

 previous winter. An Englishman, indeed, is nothing 

 without his domestic hearth. The open fields and 

 cloudless skies of France and Italy, bring joy to the 

 mind of the foreigner; but John Bull should be drawn 

 in the Turkey-carpeted, fire-side party, with the little 

 table and bright bottle of port just starting on its 

 circular voyage. 



