Fox-hvmting Past and Present 



a level money scale be decreed for hunting sub- 

 scriptions ? Now as to the superfluous wealth 

 said to be floating about the fashionable shires. 

 The original idea was that if you wish to limit 

 your field so as to prevent overcrowding the 

 scale of subscriptions should be raised. Caps 

 are an institution in several countries now. In 

 the Bicester country this year a stringent order 

 anent strangers has been promulgated. Young 

 Midas would perhaps pay ;£ioo for the privilege 

 of hunting in the shires, rather than he would ^^5 

 or £\Q to hunt in a provincial country, and in 

 the latter he would probably see more sport in a 

 day than he would during a whole season in the 

 shires. It is surely more pleasure to hunt where 

 your money will be useful and your society 

 appreciated, than to ride in a madding crowd as 

 an unknown unit. We do hear the axiom, ''A hunt- 

 ing crowd rejoices in itself," which, as Mr. Gilbert 

 might say, sounds very pretty, but I don't under- 

 stand the meaning of it. How can we offer advice 

 to fashion ? It is no joy (presumably) to the 

 genuine hunting-man to form one of a fashionable 

 gathering. 



The suggested remedies for overcrowding do 

 not hold out much hope. If an M.F.H. or 

 secretary refused the subscription of a new-comer 

 on the ground that there was not room for him, 



that master would be sure to become unpopular. 



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