women are content to reside in the country who would otherwise 

 hibernate in towns, and the money expended upon the keep of 

 horses runs into enormous sums. Farmers may grumble at times 

 at the damage done, and contend that the compensation paid them 

 is inadequate, but they get their own back with interest in other 

 directions. What the future has in store for the sport is another 

 matter. Fields may grow so unwieldly as to be a menace to 

 agriculture ; Masters may find a pack too costly a luxury with a 

 growing taxation and increasing outlay in other directions. In fact, 

 many considerations might be urged which may, in years to come, 

 be sufficiently potent to overcome the glamour and enthusiasm 

 which now surround the pursuit. Who can say ? 



As for the hound himself, what can be said that has not 

 already been well said by hundreds of writers ? He is the very 

 perfection of dog flesh, beautiful to look upon in his symmetry and 

 strength. For many generations men have brought skill and 

 experience to bear upon the improvement of nature, for nature in 

 herself is not necessarily perfect. She supplies us with the raw 

 material, which we mould and fashion to suit our intent. Some 

 think that certain points are being pushed to extremes, such, for 

 instance, as the craze for straight fronts. True, in a hound we 

 want great bone, carried well down to the feet, but it is not an 

 uncommon thing to see the forelegs knuckling over in a manner 

 which is dangerously near unsoundness. 



