THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 253 



whole system is regulated. If a man's devotion to 

 everything connected directly, or indirectly, with the 

 office, proceed originally from a sense of duty to the 

 particular country to which he has dedicated his ser- 

 vices, it will soon resolve itself into a matter of choice 

 and preference. It must be, indeed, a very bad coun- 

 try with which a man is not more than satisfied, if his 

 general success in affording satisfaction to others, and 

 the average of the sport, have been such as to exceed his 

 expectations. If things go well — if he have had runs 

 from all quarters — if the retrospect of the past, the 

 aspect of the present, and the prospect of the future, 

 are encouraging — if, in short, where all cannot, in the 

 nature of things, wear one perpetual tint of couleur de 

 rose, the blue devils have been effectually scared by the 

 squadron of scarlet; — instead of envying the supposi- 

 titious advantages of other countries, he may be well 

 inclined to run his race, if not with the complacency, 

 with the contentment of the happy pastor, who 



" Ne'er had changed, nor wished to change his place." 



It behoves every master of hounds to regard, with 

 a jealous eye, everything approaching to an infraction 

 upon the rights of his country — rights which he is 

 bound to hand down, inviolate, to his successor. It 

 would be well, were there in existence some code of 

 laws, in which the rights of country, and all apper- 



