THE SPORTING WORLD. 37 



down every man mixing in such as indis- 

 criminately a savage and a blackguard. Some, 

 nay most, of the pursuits I condemn may be 

 low ; but the man mixing in them may not be 

 to be despised. For instance, the Cabman 

 caimot of course keep his hunters or hunt, but 

 having the germ of Sporting strongly in him, 

 he does keep his rat killing Terrier, and 

 perhaps glories as much in his achievements 

 at Jemmy Shaw's in Windmill Street, as Martin 

 Hawke did in those of Bright Phoebus, Captain 

 Ross in those of Chnker, or Lord Howth when 

 steering the Sea ; and between ourselves, there 

 is nothing more reprehensible or cruel in killing 

 rats than foxes. Fox hunting mos* probably 

 has ever been so totally beyond any probable 

 means of the owner of the rat terrier that he 

 has never given it a thought, but his favourite 

 " Wonder " he can manage to keep, and it would 

 be hard to deprive him of his pursuit because 

 he cannot enjoy better. 



