Fox-hunting Past and Present 



why that fox was lost, and wishes there had been 

 a potato in his huntsman's mouth when he viewed 

 him. Had the hounds been left alone, he knows 

 that fox's hours were numbered, whereas the 

 hounds are rather disgusted at the day's toil. 

 A general, however brave a man he maj^ be, if 

 he has no head, is useless in command of an 

 army ; and the brainless huntsman, gallant rider 

 though he may be, can never command hounds. 

 Riding propensities of hunt servants are over- 

 estimated, and knowledge of hunting science 

 is not taken into account by the field. Those 

 who hunt to ride merely estimate the huntsman 

 by the number of his falls and useless jumping 

 of fences. Then an ignorance of fox-hunting is 

 displayed." 



Summers pertinently goes on to say, ^^ Servants 

 are sent out hunting to assist the hounds, and 

 not ride to the gentlemen, but follow the pack 

 the nearest and quickest way, and not jump fences 

 because Captain 'Bellairs' does so; that gallant 

 man of war may stop his horse and break his 

 neck, too, but the huntsman and whips are required 

 for the day ; they should nurse their horses for 

 the afternoon run. They are no use lying in bed 

 with broken limbs ; but in the field is their place, 

 where they ought to be of use, and are paid to be 

 so, and assist in promoting the most liberal and 



noblest of sports." 



38 



