SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 895 



of recreation and amusement by tliose liappy mortals 

 who liave literally nothing to do^ except, perhaps, 

 scribbling over two or three sheets of note paper to 

 very particular frieuds ; and were not foxhunting the 

 fashion, what would become of them ? On non- 

 hunting days time may be saved from ennui by a 

 lounge down to the stables after breakfast, smoking 

 a cigar whilst looking over the horses, and kicking 

 your heels against the corn-bin whilst watching the 

 operation called dressing, A battue day possibly 

 may sometimes intervene to drown dull care ; but 

 the most thickly stocked preserves cannot afford 

 sport — shooting we ought to have said — for three days 

 a week throughout the season, like a moderately 

 stocked foxhunting country. A battue day is a 

 grand meet for gods and goddesses ; but, like real 

 angels' visits, they are few' and far between. Battue- 

 ing would lose its chief, and we may add only, 

 attraction were less than a thousand head of game 

 slaughtered in one day ; and where are the preserves 

 which could afford such blood-sheddins; three davs 

 a week, from the 1st of October to the 1st day of 

 February ? More money would be required to 

 maintain the staff of keepers, w^atchers, &c., for such 

 an establishment than that for the support of six 

 packs of foxhounds on a moderate scale. Although 

 little can be said against foxhunters, they get pretty 

 well bespattered with foul language as well as with 

 mud in foul weather; yet selfishness and vain boast- 

 ing cannot very fairly be laid to their charge. A 

 master may feel rather pleased on seeing a good 

 run afforded by his pack noticed in sporting prints. 



