136 SHOOTING. 



danger neither man nor dog. With regard to present- 

 ing a gun, the hand, when near the guard, is in the 

 safest, and when grasping the stock in the firmest 

 position. Here let the shooter please himself. 



Avoid squaring your elbows when you present a gun ; 

 it gives you an unsteady position, and has the same 

 outlandish appearance as the squared elbows of our 

 half-strangled exquisites who drive about the streets. 

 Nothing can be neatly or gracefully done that is not 

 done with ease ; and a man may as well say that he can 

 sit with the same comfort in the stocks as on a sofa, as 

 that he can, in reality or appearance, be as easy with 

 his elbows forced outwards, as when in their natural 

 position. 



If we consider for a moment, then, we shall perceive, 

 that in doing most things, squared elbows have not only 

 an unskilful, but an ungraceful appearance. 



When a man is no further versed in shooting than 

 just to have become quite expert at bringing down his 

 bird, I conceive that he has only learnt about one-third 

 of his art as a shooting sportsman. Knowing where to 

 place himself for shots ; how to spring his game to 

 advantage ; what days and weather to choose for the 

 different kinds of sport, constitute at least the other 

 two-thirds, till he is master of which he may often get 

 beat in filling the bag by a very inferior marksman to 

 himself. Again, admit him to have learnt every thing 

 in the -ordinary way, then cornes wildfowl shooting ; the 

 requisites for understanding which are so totally dif- 

 ferent, that there are many of the greatest field sports- 

 men in the kingdom, who know no more about it than 

 children. 



