231 THE SPOUTING WORLD. 



his inactivity by mere amusement where no 

 reward tempts him to exertion. So, as Hamlet 

 says, **The play's the thing;" and I am 

 quite sure periodical foot races would be found 

 highly conducive to active habits in the coun- 

 tryman, for, though it is not a matter of 

 consequence his becoming a runner or walker, 

 seducing him into becoming more or less 

 either would get him into quicker habits in 

 everything he did. Pedestrianism might thus 

 be made the means of most beneficial improve- 

 ment in the habits of a class now only one 

 step in activity of person and mind beyond the 

 quadrupeds they labour with. 



THE PIGEON OR WAGER SHOT. 



I treated at such length on the nature and 

 character of this sport in a book I published 

 three years since, under the title of " Bipeds 

 and Quadrupeds," that it would be useless 

 tautology to make any lengthened remarks on 

 it here, independently of this volume confining 



