24 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



If the son of such a father shewed strong 

 and irresistible propensity to the sea; was 

 spending every leisure hour about shipping, and 

 chose his acquaintance among Nautical men ; 

 though the father might regret the propensity, 

 and fondly wish his son to stay at home, and 

 follow the business of his predecessors. If his 

 turn was otherwise, in following the bent of his 

 inclinations he might succeed and turn it to 

 profitable account. But we cannot disguise the fact. 

 Field Sports are either the amusement of the 

 more or less wealthy, or the employ of the 

 menial. There is unfortunately no medium in a 

 general way. I am quite ready to admit that 

 when coaches were going, a respectable coachman 

 was as respectable a man as many who earned 

 their bread in other ways, and by certain men 

 thought a great deal more of; huntsmen are 

 in the same position, so are jockies and trainers. 

 A certain part of the community, high and 

 low, will think Alfred Day the jockey in a very 



