PEEFACE 



My design and object in writing this work was not merely to depict 

 the life of a SporUman, in the general — perhaps with some persons, 

 unfavourable — acceptation of that term, but, taking higher ground, to 

 portray the character of an English gentleman attached to the sports 

 and pastimes of his country ; and, likewise, to give a sketch of a 

 country gentleman's family, in as close imitation as possible of those 

 of the best description, with which it has been my good fortune to 

 become acquainted. In fact, in many instances, the imitation or 

 resemblance is so close, as not to be doubtful to many as to who are 

 the original parties ; and they themselves cannot be displeased with 

 my selection, when they are intended to be displayed as exemplars 

 worthy of being followed by others. 



The plan, or outline, of this half-true, half-fictitious story, is soon 

 told. It is, as has already been observed, descriptive of a country 

 gentleman, of large fortune and highly connected, having two sons 

 and two daughters. He himself is a sportsman, but only to a certain 

 extent ; that is to say, he does not aspire to fox-hunting, but keeps a 

 first-rate pack of harriers, and is also a good shot. His eldest son 

 has nothing sporting in his constitution, but has all the good qualities 

 that adorn and exalt our nature, and for which, of course, full credit 

 is given him. The hero of my tale is the younger son, who, differing 

 in tastes from his brother, enters into the sports of the field at a very 

 early age, and becomes a thorough sportsman, in the legitimate sense 

 of that, often wrongly applied, term. How far I have succeeded in 

 portraying him as such, my readers must be my judges ; I can only 

 say, I have made him follow, as nearly as I was able, in the footsteps 

 of those who, within my time and knowledge, have become the most 

 eminent sportsmen of their day, both by ' flood and field.' 



It would be unfaithful to nature, and, therefore, unworthy of my 

 pen, were I to represent my young hero as totally guiltless of those 

 common failings to which inexperienced youth is, for the most part, 

 liable ; but I have taken especial care to keep him clear of all vicious 

 propensities which disgrace the gentleman and the Christian. In 

 furtherance of this purpose, then, I occasionally place him in a 

 dangerous position, the result of overweening confidence in others, so 

 natural to ingenuous youth ; but rescue him, in due time, partly by 



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