THE SEASON OF THE YEAE. 79 



and these perhaps the most honest of the three classes, 

 simply say the hounds shall not come to them at all. 

 Every man has (at present,, for it is hard to say what we 

 are coming to) an indisputable right to do what he likes 

 with his own ; and^ as foxhunting is a sport which exists 

 only on sufferance^ and pheasant shooting is one which 

 is protected by law^ it is easy to see which amusement 

 would go to the wall if there were a question of either 

 doing so. But this is not the question at issue, and it is 

 only alluded to in explanation of the altered character of 

 bold Eeynard. 



The excessive preservation of game leads to the unfair 

 destruction of foxes — of good foxes — and to the re- 

 placing of them by bad ones. There are, no doubt, 

 more good foxes about than it is generally supposed that 

 there are. If a fox be lost after a pursuit of fifteen 

 minutes, it is impossible to speak decidedly of his qualities. 

 It is obvious that any remarks upon a fox^s ^^ goodness ^' 

 must be pure speculation, if made before the animal is 

 accounted for. If he be killed in ten minutes, it is clear 

 that he is a "bad^' one^ or that circumstances were 

 against him at all events ; if he be marked to ground ten 

 miles ofi* the place where he was found, it is equally 

 plain that he is a good one. But, though there are 

 probably some good foxes left, and, as I have said, more 

 of them perhaps than most people think, there are, beyond 

 all doubt, a great many bad ones ; and it would be next 

 door to a miracle if there were not, as long as the plan of 

 turning down foxes is followed to the extent that in 

 many countries it is. It is a custom that causes many 

 evils — not the least, perhaps, being the probability of a 

 litter turned down in one country having been stolen 

 from a neighbouring one. Nay, more^ such a thing has 



