240 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



convert such parts of territory into debateable ground ; 

 those which are dejure, will not be found de facto the 

 possessors ; — the memory of the oldest sportsman, who 

 remembers perfectly that such coverts were drawn by 

 such a pack (without any knowledge on his part of the 

 contingencies), is cited as authority ; and they are 

 compelled either to abandon their claim, or, at best, 

 compound for a neutrality. All this might easily be 

 obviated, by a proper understanding of the rights of 

 country upon its first establishment, and by the pre- 

 servation of written testimony to this effect, amidst the 

 archives of the Hunt. 



I have said, that the master of hounds should be 

 held deeply responsible for the preservation of the rights 

 committed to him ; but more than that it is unfair to ex- 

 pect. It is too generally the case, that in addition to 

 all the materiel for hunting a coantry, he has also to 

 find the country to be hunted. The whole management 

 and keeping up of the country is suffered to devolve 

 upon him. 



" Horses sound, hounds healthy, 

 Earths well stopped, and foxes plenty," 



are indispensable requisites, " ivhich nobody can deny ;" 

 but after finding effective horses, and hounds, &c., the 

 master has also, literally, to find every fox, in the most 

 comprehensive sense of the word ; and why is tliis ? 

 Why, because, simply because, " what is everybody's 

 business, is nobody's ;" because every one likes to know 

 that the country is kept uj), and no one cares how this 



