NIMliOD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 25 



*' England's peculiar and appropriate sons, 

 Known iia no other land/' 



And afterwards in allusion to their patriotism, 



" As men who have their portion in its plentj^" 



Bat Sir Walter is here alluding to times long since gone by; and 

 although their patriotism remains, alas ! their " plenty" is gone, and 

 they appear likely to be swept from off the face of the earth. Mr. 

 Boag was swamped in the general wreck ; and with a praise-worthy 

 solicitude for independence of mind, which no ill-fortune can destroy, 

 is now obtaining an honest livelihood as huntsman to Sir Matthew White 

 Ridley. 



But let us turn away from the dark side of the picture, and remind 

 Mr. Boag that necessity made the Jirst sportsman, and will no doubt 

 make many more ; Mr. Boag, however, was bred a sportsman, as the 

 following anecdote will show. His father kept hounds before him; 

 and as some friends were dining with him one day after hunting, the 

 pedigree of one of the pack was discussed, but none of the party could 

 give it accurately. " Send your sister here (a girl of sixteen) said the 

 father to one of the sons ; " she'll tell us, I'll be bound;" which she 

 immediately did. As for myself, I often amuse myself with thinking 

 that the maxim of like begetting like, in animal economy, should be 

 more considered than it is, with human beings who wish their 

 descendants to excel in any particular calling ; for no doubt blood 

 tells here as well as in the brute race. Indeed it has been a matter 

 of surprise to me, that such uncommon anxiety and care should have 

 been bestowed in improving the breed of animals, and that a perfect 



E 



