68 Recollections of the Vine Hunt. 



the hunting field, from the almost total withdrawal of 

 the clergy from it. In Mr. Chute's field they chanced 

 to form almost a majority of the gentlemen who re- 

 gularly hunted with him, because there happened to 

 be several unbeneficed clergymen, of private fortune, 

 residing in the country, who were fond of hunting. 

 But in those days, any country clergyman was ex- 

 pected to hunt, if he liked it, just as much as he was 

 expected to dine out with his neighbours ; nor was he 

 supposed to derogate from his character, or to impair 

 his influence with his parishioners, by the one indul- 

 gence more than by the other. The withdrawal of 

 the clergy from the hunting field in these days has 

 doubtless been accompanied with a general elevation 

 of their character, and with a greater devotion to 

 their peculiar duties ; but to the society in the hunt- 

 ing field the loss of this class of men may perhaps 

 have rather a lowering tendency. 



