THE HUMANITABIAN ASPECT. 109 



Objection has been taken to certain terms used in hunting, 

 such as " pulled her down," '' ran into her," " rolled her over," 

 <'dead beat," "breaking her up," "blooding the hounds." 

 The first three, critics may not know, simply imply catching the 

 hare. " Dead beat " — this feeling is also experienced by any 

 Eton boy in the School Steeplechase when he reaches the School 

 Jump. The last two taking place after the death of the hare 

 can scarcely be urged as cruel. 



Do these humanitarians inveigh against poisoning rats, 

 destroying wasps' nests, burning these insects alive, using fly- 

 papers, or mouse-traps ? Do they eat game, fish, meat, or have 

 they ever tasted foie gras or lobster ? 



The Humanitarian Society claim to have accomplished the 

 abolition of the Royal Buckhounds by appealing to Queen 

 Victoria's tender feelings. I think there were other and more 

 cogent reasons. 



The late Provost, the late Head Master, the late Vice- 

 Provost, the late Mr. R. S. de Havilland and others have been 

 accused of brutality and callousness. All who knew them and 

 who understand the subject resent such baseless attacks on men 

 of kindly disposition and balanced judgment. 



The Spectator says, " These Eton brutalities are condemned 

 by the modern spirit of humaneness," and quotes the rules of the 

 Founder as follows, " No scholar, fellow, chaplain, or other 

 minister, or servant of the College, shall keep or have hunting 

 dogs, nets for hunting, ferrets, falcons or hawks," urging that 

 the Founder's intention was humanitarian. There is no doubt, 

 however, that this was simply the reservation of sporting rights. 

 A similar clause is common in leases to this day. 



The arguments I have read or heard show a deplorable 

 ignorance of the subject. 



I have been asked to give my views on the date on which 

 hare hunting should stop, and on the killing of heavy does, a 

 subject made much of by an ephemeral called the Beagler Boy. 

 In 1906, in consequence of correspondence between Mr. Fitzroy 

 Stewart and the Head Master of Eton on the subject of the 

 School Beagles, and which mainly referred to the date on which 

 hare hunting should cease, the County Gentleman asked for the 

 opinion of some of the leading masters of harriers and beagles on 

 this point, three questions being asked, viz. : 



1 . Do you think it advisable to fix the date for the end 

 of the hare-hunting season, and if so what date would you 

 fix? 



