PREFACE. 



The preface is of no value beyond giving the 

 author an opportunity of button-holing the reader 

 before starting, just to warn him that this is not 

 a " sporting book " in the common sense of the 

 word, and that he is not and does not aspire to 

 be a " sporting (?) writer," one of those who claim 

 to be experts in describing a run, in the story 

 whereof there is little or no clue about the weather, 

 the wind, the scent, the line of country, and the 

 finding and hunting and death of the fox — the only 

 details which interest the real sportsman — though 

 there is a great deal about "that prince of sports- 

 men," the master, the writer's joy at seeing Lord 

 and Lady So-and-so in the saddle, and Miss Dinah 

 on her pony, Daisy charming as ever, &c., &c. This 

 class of writer aggravates real sportsmen, who look 



