THE HORSE. 257 



animals and slaves. To that man, however, of whom 

 it has been nobly boasted, that, " he has sent more 

 horses to the nackers than any other man in Eng- 

 land," — -to such, I have not one single word to say. 

 About as much to the hero, who has the rare hardi- 

 hood and ambition to risk the breaking of his neck 

 for fun, and by way of " a lark." I could give an 

 affecting anecdote of this kind, which occurred many 

 years since; and of another, in crossing a piece of 

 waste ground broken up by rabbits, and of which I 

 was an eye witness, but I forbear out of respect to the 

 feelings of still surviving relatives. It however, may 

 with truth be said, that such part of riding to hounds 

 is more dangerous and difficult to be guarded against 

 than any fence, whether hedge or timber, that may 

 present; because in this latter case, both man and 

 horse have their eyes and judgment to which they 

 may appeal. Now, as to a horse failing in the field, 

 such accident fairly resulting from his own and the 

 headlong enthusiasm of his rider, nothing can be 

 urged which would not equally militate against the 

 principle itself of hunting, against which I have 

 nothing to allege ; and thus much may be said in favour 

 of this princely sport, conducted on the principles of 

 our common sense and common humanity, nothing 

 contributes more powerfully to mental exhilaration, 

 to hardihood, and the encounter of fair personal risks; 

 and we live in a world where it is obligatory upon us to 

 dare and encounter such. But the driving a horse to 

 death in the chace, by the brute force of whip and 

 spur, presents a very different action to our view, in 

 truth, an act of gross and abominable cruelty and in- 



