l6 ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 



milar fentiments with the jovial Archdeacon of 

 Oxford, in ancient days, old Walter de Mapes, 



Mihi fit propofjtum in taberna mori, 

 Vinum fit appofitum morientis ori, 

 Ut dicant, cum venerint angelorum chori, 

 Deus fit propitius huic potatori. 



Now goes round the fong of triumph in 

 full chorus, " the traitor is feized on and dies" 

 — until the hofpitable, and almoft refponfive 

 walls refound. The happy domeftics, thofe 

 humble friends of generous opulence, recovered 

 from their fatigues, become infpired by the 

 general joy, and inflinftively join in the cho- 

 rus. The fong is relieved by pleafmg rela- 

 tions of hair-breadth fcapes; of the ftaunchnefs 

 and fpeed of the hounds, and the blood and 

 game of the horfes ; nor is love and beauty, 

 the delight and reward of true fportfmen, ever 

 forgotten — old friendfhips are cemented, new 

 ones cordially formed. Happy, if no afts of 

 unmanly cruelty have paffed, to cloud the 

 funftiine of mirth in the bofom of fenfibility. 

 Happy again, if heedlefs excefs, the parent of 

 gout, ftone, premature debility, and inaptitude 

 for every enjoyment of life, do not lay in a 

 ftore of repentance for the morrow. Here is 

 a field of reflexion for the philofophic epi- 

 cure ! Say, is there no mean in voluptuouf- 

 nefs ? Is there no ftriking upon that precife 

 line, which divides pleafure from repentance? 



Is 



