THE LAMB AND THE FOX. 171 



within his house by a fall. Lastly, it may truly be 

 asserted, that, in hunting, more accidents occur from over 

 caution in riders than from a combination of boldness and 

 judgment ; indeed, if hunters could but speak, they would 

 often whisper to their riders, ''If you keep talcing such 

 affectionate care of my head, you'll throw me down." 



The encouragement given to farmers to breed horses of 

 the best description, the high prices paid to them for hay, 

 oats, beans, and straw ; the sums of money expended for 

 the purchase or rent of hunting-boxes, lodgings, stables, 

 carriage-houses, &c., added to a variety of other incidental 

 expenses, large and' small, amount to a grand total which 

 it would be less easy to underrate than exaggerate. 



But besides the sums which hunting-men, by maintain- 

 ing from eight to fourteen hunters, with grooms and 

 strappers in proportion, distribute in their various locali- 

 ties, in almost every county men of rank and fortune step 

 forward to support, more or less at their own private cost, 

 a huntsman, one or two whips, hounds, and a stable full of 

 horses, for the recreation and amusement of the community. 



With this generous object in view, the late Sir Eichard 

 Sutton, for many years, spent about 10,000?. a-year in 

 maintaining two packs of hounds and a stud of about fifty 

 horses, for which he readily paid enormous prices. 



In any portion of the globe, except the United King- 

 dom, the price of dog-flesh in England would appear 



