PREFACE. 



writing to the text of a previously arranged syllabus ; while 

 by an endeavour to publish before Christmas, sufficient 

 time has not been allowed for the revision of phrasing or 

 correction of grammatical errors, which, I admit, the reader 

 is entitled to expect, and for which I willingly shoulder all 

 blame. In mentioning a great number of persons' names, 

 inasmuch as I have studiously endeavoured to avoid giving 

 the slightest cause of offence, I trust I have so far succeeded. 



With reference to my notes upon * Sporting Parsons : 

 their Philosophy of the Chase,* I should like to add, that, 

 since going to press, they have received striking episcopal 

 support, inasmuch as, on the i6th of November, the Arch- 

 bishop of York, when dedicating a memorial window erected 

 by the members of the York and Ainsty Hunt, to com- 

 memorate the late Rev. Charles Slingsby, who was killed 

 last year whilst hunting, said : — 



Some people might find it difficult to understand how there 

 could be a close connection between hunting and the life of a 

 Christian clergyman. He would be a bold man who would 

 argue that hunting was so cruel that it was absolutely wrong. 

 Many people would quite sincerely say that out of the cost of 

 a short anxiety and strain, the fox won a protection which 

 otherwise he would not enjoy for his own form of racy and 

 characteristic country life. 



My very sincere and grateful thanks are due, in the first 

 place, to the three (successive) Masters : W. W. Tailby, 

 Esq., Sir Bache Cunard, Bart., and C. W. B. Fernie, Esq., 

 for so kindly giving me access to documents relating to the 

 Hunt, for the historic extracts from their Hunting Journals, 

 and for their permission to dedicate the * Annals ' to them. 



I desire to express my warmest thanks to Mr. H, S. 

 Davenport, the famous sporting correspondent, for his 

 kindness in readily consenting to look through several of 

 my ' proofs,' as well as for his own very interesting Remin- 

 iscences. Mr. H. Mostyn Pritchard has also a distinct 



