CHAPTER XIII 



THE HUNTING-FIELD : ITS MANNERS, 

 AND DISCIPLINE 



" Up rouse ye, then, my merry, merry men ; 

 For 'tis our opening day ! " 



— The Chough and Crow. 



Hunting-men may be divided into two classes — 

 those who hunt to ride, and those who ride to 

 hunt. Nearly every one belongs to one or the 

 other ; there may, however, be a third section, 

 viz., those who hunt because '^fashion says it 

 is the right thing to do." " Hounds, gentlemen, 

 please," to which may be added, " Don't motor 

 too close to the meet." This season two eminent 

 M.F.H.'s nearly came by bad accidents owing to 

 motors, and the Craven hounds were motored 

 into. This by the way. If a man has a true 

 knowledge of and passion for the sport, it will 

 force its way out and be understood and admired 

 by his fellows. So it is the real sportsman who is 

 valued and esteemed. Most men enter the hunt- 

 ing-field from a love of riding or a love of hunting 

 — sport pure and simple : a love of that exercise, 

 riding, which used to have such a singular charm 



for the average English boy, and which never 



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