THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 237 



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- 

 trdning to their tenure (taking the ''mospro lege'), were 

 more clearly defined, considering that, notwithstand- 

 ing the apparent simplicity of their adjustment, more 

 disputes have arisen, and more occasion for discord has 

 been allowed to exist, than is altogether consonant with 



