26 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



I know not whether I shall get m bad 

 odour with my brother sportsmen from what I 

 am going to say, but truth and candour impel 

 me to confess, that supposing I had a son who 

 depended on place or profession for his income, 

 the utmost extent of knowledge in horse matters 

 I would wish him to possess, would be the being 

 able to ride a horse, if he had occasion to do 

 so, well enough not to make himself ridiculous 

 or conspicuous ; any further knowledge would be 

 of no use to him. I am on the other hand 

 one quite disposed, with a son born to an 

 inheritance that would enable him in after life 

 to follow and enjoy Field Sports, to put the 

 boy on horseback as soon, or perhaps before he 

 could walk ; to introduce him into the hunting 

 field as soon as I found he could sit a horse 

 or pony, and should be proud to see him 

 " blooded " with the first fox he had seen killed, 

 as I was when only seven years old ; would 

 initiate him, to the best of my abilities, in all the 



