ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORTS. 21 



death; who never (lops to expoftulate, and. 

 who ought, in this cafe, pecuharly, to be a 

 fharer in our joys, rather than the tortured vic- 

 tim of our barbarous madnefs. No one need 

 fuppofe me writing hke a novice, who have 

 been fo long, and often, accuftomed to drive . 

 thefe animals to the utmoft pitch of their 

 exertion, by the neceffary force of whip and 

 fpur. I am fpeaking of the abufes of igno- 

 rance, wantonnefs, and infenfibihty. Unex- 

 pefted and unavoidable accidents may happen 

 in the heat of the chace ; fuch have no con- 

 ne61ion with the prefent queftion. The Puri- 

 tan, who allows of no other recreation than the 

 pious one of pfalm-fmging, who even in the 

 chill of the morning, the heat of the day, and 

 during the unwholefome damps and fogs of 

 the night, is to be found in the gofpel-fhop 

 wearying out patient heaven with everlafting 

 impertinence, would argue againft the ufe of 

 all fports, from their abufe ; an argument never 

 le*ntimate but when the ufe itfelf can be 

 proved unfounded in juft principles. 



As the only means of obviating, in every 

 poifible degree, thofe heart-breaking accidents, 

 gentlemen muft be convinced how neceifary 

 it is to provide themfelves with hunters fully 

 equal to their weight ; fufficiently well-bred, 

 fpeedy, and in the highefl condition ; nor is 

 it at all lefs requifite for the interefts both of 



plea fu re 



