LETTER XXIX. 321 



he was a strict preserver of foxes, and I will say no man 

 was more generally respected throughout the whole 

 country. He not only patronized the hounds, but one 

 of our fixtures, and the most popular of all, was on the 

 lawn in front of his house. To this place of meeting 

 men from other hunts would flock with alacrity, in well- 

 founded expectation of a good fox and a good day's sport. 

 His house was open on these occasions to all of our 

 illiberal cloth, and a glass of jumping powder freely 

 offered to those who liked to avail themselves of his 

 hospitality. Were we fox-hunters insensible to such 

 acts of kindness and liberality, or did they not call forth 

 corresponding feelings on our part ? I will venture to 

 say there was not one true-hearted fox-hunter among us 

 all, including the whining farmers as well, who would not 

 have gone through fire and water to serve this gentleman 

 or any of his family. 



There were no large woodlands here to draw; the 

 coverts were all small — in fact, mere spinies. Upon the 

 lawn might be seen from two to three hundred pheasants 

 called together in the morning by the keeper to be fed, 

 and upon that lawn, with all these pheasants and hares 

 almost innumerable, have T found a litter of cubs, and 

 hunted them on foot among the laurels. In one season 

 I found eight foxes in this gentleman's preserves, and 

 killed seven of them, all with good runs. I state these 

 facts to prove that foxes and game can exist together, 

 and that we fox-hunters are not illiberal or foolish enough 

 to abuse all game-preserver's in a mass, many of whom 

 we acknowledge to be not only our best, but most dis- 

 interested friends. 



Let all lovers of the trigger imitate the worthy ex- 



Y 



