226 THE HORSE. 



increase, greater even in proportion than the increase 

 of population, experiencing also the benefit of im- 

 provement, by being refined in a considerable degree, 

 from the grossness and horrors of ancient barbarism : 

 and could we, in addition to the late act, so justly, 

 wisely, and humanely passed by the legislature, for 

 the protection of brute animals, obtain its needful 

 counterpart for the interdiction of that unnatural 

 and disgraceful indulgence of the vilest passion, that 

 iniquity established by law, baiting of animals, 

 whether bulls, bears, badgers, monkeys, asses (for 

 in my youth, I have seen a poor jackass put up to be 

 baited), or any other animal possessed of life and 

 feeling, we might well rest satisfied with our existing 

 legal aids to a just and good end, and safely confide 

 whatever might remain to the gradual and benign 

 effects of moral improvement. 



Foxhunting, harehunting, coursing, and 

 deerhunting, are universally known as our chief 

 field sports; and of which, foxhunting is equally 

 well known to be the reigning favourite, even some- 

 what to the disparagement of hunting the deer, long 

 since contemptuously styled " calf hunting," by our 

 crack foxhunters. A true Nimrod, of the old En- 

 glish school, said at one of his jovial dinners, " I 

 must hunt, but let it be the fox : calf hunting be 

 d — d !" This opinion gibes very well with my own. 

 In hunting the fox, we pursue a noxious vermin ; 

 a beast of prey and blood, himself a hunter. In 

 hunting the park or domesticated deer, we pursue 

 and harass a large domesticated animal of a totally 

 different nature to the fox ; and in good moral truth 



