THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 255 



in cub-hunting, &c. Where a great end is to be gained, 

 the trouble attending the means of accomphshment must 

 not be considered ; the stopping of a whole country is 

 proved to be practicable beyond a question, Mr. Smith 

 being himself evidence of the fact, and as I have before 

 said, it is an example, doubtless, worthy of imitation. I 

 must, however, take leave to differ from him once more, 

 when he says, '' that if every earth in the country was 

 done away with, it would be a benefit to fox-hunting, 

 even as respects the breeding of foxes ; for the vixens 

 would breed above ground in furze, or would find drains 

 which no one knows of," &c. Admitting the possibility, 

 which I am much disposed to question, that the whole 

 vulpine race would so far forego their nature as to 

 breed entirely above ground, instead of drawing out 

 every rabbit-burrow, or hole of any kind, or setting 

 themselves again to the work of excavation on their 

 own account ; the alternative of ''finding drains which 

 no one Jcnoivs of," would be ten times more prejudicial to 

 sport, than all the evils which could possibly result from 

 the regular earths. Foxes would constantly lie there ; 

 the drains to which I have before alluded, as requiring 

 gratings, or stakes, to oppose the ingress of foxes, are 

 objectionable enough, when they are known, and "a 

 drain ichich no one knows of,'' &c., must prove an incon- 

 ceivable nuisance. It is certainly to be regretted that, 

 where earths are known, every vulpecide may know, to 

 a certainty, when to trap a fox ; but it is no less true, 

 that the main earths are the salvation of the many who 



