COMFORTERS. 375 



life of it. Who would not then be a race-horse ? But 

 the race is comparatively the play part of his life : so 

 if the hunter had but to make his appearance once 

 in ten days, and then be moderately rode, his occupa- 

 tion would be pleasant enough also ; but he has had 

 plenty on his hands (perhaps 1 should say legs) to 

 do during the time. Some persons might think he 

 was enjoying himself; in short, a hunter to be right 

 is always at work. Rest, in fact, would be cruelty 

 to him, that is, if we want him to go again with 

 hounds. 



How far the present system of hunting is to be 

 advocated is not for me to say. I by no means 

 think it impossible that, like most things that have 

 come to their fastest, it will probably, in some 

 measure, " hark back " to the old plan of hunting a 

 fox ; but till it does, train hunters we must, or stay at 

 home. 



Cordials have been recommended, and are of very 

 frequent use in hunting stables, more so formerly I 

 believe than now; in fact, they were then more 

 wanted. Horses were out many more hours and chases 

 lasted longer, consequently the animal spirits more 

 frequently needed such stimulants ; now a very brief 

 space of time either brings the nag home or leaves 

 him a dead one, as the case may be. Broken backs, 

 broken limbs, and broken hearts are, I am sorry to 

 say, not very uncommon now ; and as in such 

 cases cordial balls are not particularly efficacious, 

 they are not in the request they were, when I am told 

 it was a common thing to see a gentleman under a 

 hedge popping one down his horse's throat. There 

 can be no doubt of their great utility, and knowing 

 this, I always adopted the plan of teaching every 



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