138 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



every day, the beginner will not be noticed ; but where 

 there is no great crowd, a new face will raise inquiry as 

 to its identity, and all sorts of questions will be asked, 

 and comment probably passed on the new-comer. But 

 in an ordinary way the beginner will not be brought 

 much into contact with the master, unless that indi- 

 vidual happens to be a man who concerns himself as 

 much with his field as with his hounds. 



Where the fields are really large, and especially if the 

 master should happen to be a person of great import- 

 ance, a man may hunt for years without even becoming 

 acquainted with the man in office. On the other hand 

 there are masters who make a point of knowing all 

 their field personally, and a master who went out of 

 his way to speak to strangers has been heard of. What 

 the beginner must bear in mind is that loud talking 

 when hounds are drawing a covert, or when they check, 

 is not only bad form, but may at times cause a lot of 

 mischief. A babbler amongst the followers of a pack 

 of hounds is just as great an evil as a babbler in the 

 pack. 



The beginner should commence his hunting with his 

 mind properly subordinated to the importance of the 

 sport he is about to follow. He should understand 

 that although much fun is to be got out of foxhunting, 

 it has also a serious side. Not that it has to be ap- 

 proached with a long face, or that no one has to speak 

 above a whisper, but that there is a time for laughing 

 and talking, that plenty of opportunities will be 

 found during the day for working off any excess of 

 spirits he may have, and that if he cultivates an even 

 demeanour he will find that it helps him greatly in the 

 long run. 



It is never wise to expect too much of any particular 



