258 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



to Leicestershire, when, finding, from the scarcity of 

 foxes, that the country was almost worn out, Mr. 

 Meynell removed the whole of his establishment, jjro 

 tempore^ to the borders of Huntingdonshire and Bed- 

 fordshire — hunting the countries now in occupation of 

 Lord FitzwiUiam, and the Cambridgeshire — then might 

 such reformations be securely effected ; but under no 

 other than such circumstances, would it be prudent to 

 venture upon anything of the kind, or attempt to dis- 

 turb the existing stabiHty of things, wholly dependant 

 upon the sufferance of so many conflicting interests. 

 Though last of the requisites enumerated in the dog- 

 gerel distich I have quoted, — the " foxes plenty," is by 

 no means the least of the bargain. No one, who had 

 enjoyed that plenty, would like to brave any alterations 

 which might be calculated to affect (however tempora- 

 rily), the existence of such an essential. 



" 'Tis better far to bear the ills we have, 

 Than fly to others which we know not of;" 



and, perhaps, it is as immaterial to the master of the 

 hounds, as to any one of his constituents, that he 

 should " hold a candle to the devil ;" or, to use another 

 vulgarism, "pay through the nose" for everything. 

 These demands come within calculation of the expenses 

 of the country ; they are nothing new, nor can they be 

 matters with which any one can be unacquainted, on 



