258 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



man to see things at which his nature revolts, 

 and having made himself master of all he 

 wishes to see or know, he may then quit the 

 scene, determined never to revisit it. Let me 

 implore my reader to give me credit for having 

 done this at a very early period. 



I trust that in all I have written I have 

 shewn myself a strong advocate for humanity to 

 animals, and one who admits of no excuse for 

 causing them undue suffering in promoting 

 either our gratification or interest ; I hope 

 therefore I shall not be thought as departing 

 from this fixed principle when I state, that in 

 sporting the excitement is so great, and the 

 enthusiasm so predominating, that sportsmen 

 have had cases occur that apparently gave the 

 non-sporting world a handle (if I may use the 

 expression) to hold firmly by while fulminating 

 their accusations of wanton cruelty on the 

 sportsman's part. They read of occasionally 

 (and do not forget it) that a favourite hunter | 



