250 RECORDS OF THE CHASE 



opinions which, after all, may be erroneous. If a hunts- 

 man misconducts himself he is clearly open to censure ; 

 but a remark made touching a man's ability to show 

 sport is quite another affair; there may be reasons 

 which superficial observers cannot be acquainted with : 

 at the same time there is no reason why a hiuitsman 

 or any other person should forget propriety of conduct. 

 This, however, very rarely applies ; in fact I know of 

 only one man of the present day to whom such blame 

 can be attached, and of him all I know is from report ; 

 yet if the reports be true — which, however, I do not 

 doubt — he certainly ought not to be brought into the 

 field. Uncourteous behaviour is reprehensible in all 

 classes, in none more than in a huntsman. Taking 

 them as a body they are entitled to our best considera- 

 tion ; they work hard in their calling ; they are exposed 

 to many risks and to the vicissitudes of the weather 

 to afford sport for those who can choose to encounter 

 similar inconveniences. 



It appears to be a matter of surprise that a fund or 

 club has never been instituted for the assistance or 

 support of well-conducted, deserving huntsmen and 

 whippers-in, upon a similar principle with the Bentinck 

 Testimonial Fund. It is true that when a servant has 

 been any length of time in the employment of a noble- 

 man or gentleman of wealth he sometimes receives a 

 pension from his master when age and infirmities 

 render him incapable of continuing the performance of 

 his duties ; but there are many very deserving men who 

 are not so well provided for. It might be urged, 

 further, that the establishment of such a fund would 

 operate in deterring noblemen and gentlemen, masters 

 of hounds, from exercising their liberality in behalf of 

 their own servants ; but if such an argument were held 

 good it would apply more especially with regard to 

 jockeys. There are very few of respectability or 

 eminence who have not served wealthy patrons, for 

 whom they have won large sums of money, and yet in 



