THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 283 



of our owii hands that occasions any mixture of gall 

 and wormwood with the milk and honey so bounteously 

 bestowed upon us. 



To the true votaries of the chase, there is much in 

 this chapter which may seem a work of supereroga- 

 tion, but they must remember that it is addressed to all 

 classes of readers, in the humble hope that its circula- 

 tion may not be entirely limited to the descendants of 

 Nimrod (Diana, it is supposed, left no progeny), and 

 that — 



" Those may hunt, who ne'er did hunt before, 

 And those who always hunted — hunt the more." 



There is nothing speculative in my statements, as to the 

 financial regulations, or general policy ; all are strictly 

 matters of fact. I shall never forget the con- 

 cluding advice of Lord Petre, to whom, some years 

 since, I applied for hints on these subjects ; he having, 

 for a very long period, maintained a pack of foxhounds 

 in an unvarying style of excellence in all departments. 

 Having, one morning, at Arthur's club, in St. James's- 

 street, kindly and patiently assisted me in committing to 

 paper the details of all evident and probable contingen- 

 cies, he wound up our conference by this remark: — 

 " Remember, however, that, after all this, you will never 

 have your hand out of your pocket, and must always 

 have a guinea in it." It is immaterial to the world, how 

 far I have found this memento borne out by my own 



