jUDixc; ro iiorxns :i7i 



every man in Lciceslersliire tor a season would in time have a suug 

 berth amongst them. There was, however, says Cicero, rather too 

 close a resemblance between gods and men in those days to please 

 him ; and we will not dispute this point. Nevertheless, we may 

 venture to assert, that amongst us sportsmen, "the laurels that 

 CcBsar won " would be weeds compared with those which we should 

 wreath around his brow. 



In what way the sons of Adam were to have passed their lives had 

 not Paradise been too good for them, I leave others to decide ; but 

 to me a covert's side in a good country is an Elysium. Solomon 

 satiated himself with women, wine, and palaces, fine horses, gold and 

 silver, good eating, drinking, and music, and then grumbled at them 

 all ; but he never tiied fox-hunting, or I think he would have been in 

 better humour. It is among the scenes of natiu'e that generous 

 emotions are excited, and like the veteran Cochran, or the great 

 John Ward, if we live amongst them, we shall enjoy them to the 

 last, and leave to others to indulge in softness and effeminacy, which 

 not only deprive them of all fence against discord or age, Ijut 

 leave them ^vith shattered nerves and exhausted senses, and a 

 pampered appetite for what they cannot enjoy. Of such men as 

 these we may justly exclaim, " Non his juventis orta parentibus ! " — 

 " it is not from such sires that the race of English gentlemen is to 

 be propagated." 



In fair play, however, there is one reason why King Solomon 

 could not have tried fox-hunting, and that is, the company he must 

 have mixed with when riding to hounds ; for certainly the best 

 performer we have ever heard of has been one with whom this 

 Eo\al Israelite could not with propriety have entered the field, after 

 having preached so much against him ; and that is, the devil / 

 Eeader, be not surprised or alarmed ! but ask a Meltonian how such 

 a one, who has been distinguishing himself with hounds gets on, and it 

 is ten to one that he answers, " Oh, he rides like the devil ! " Now 

 as this simile is really become proverbial, it is only fair to conclude 

 that the devil has been a very good performer in his time. As to 

 the colour he rode in, it may be difdcult at this moment to determine, 

 but we have the best authority for believing he was never so black as 

 he is painted. I>i Jtis oicii countnj we should imagine he rode in red. 



