6 PEECEPT AND PRACTICE. 



does not, he has the pull in his favour against the 

 fox-hunter ; but if the latter has not such advantage 

 for a few hours in the day, perhaps the non- sports- 

 man — what with his club, and perad venture pur- 

 suits in which ladies take no part — has not much 

 the advantage in this respect after all. But I have 

 found through life each man upholds his own 

 pursuit as the best ; and that pursuit in which he 

 finds the greatest gratification, provided it is 

 harmless, is the best quoad the man. The attempt 

 to ridicule or despise the pursuit of any man, where 

 that pursuit is not despicable, is ridiculous and 

 unworthy. We cannot, if we wished it, reason 

 a man into a taste for fox-hunting, racing, or 

 four-in-hand ; we may feel that he loses much 

 pleasure in foregoing all or either of such pur- 

 suits ; but he has his pleasure in his own way. 

 Let us, therefore, instead of carping at his taste, 

 lend a hand to enable him to enjoy it if it comes 

 within our powder to do so. 



Thus it will be found these papers are not in- 

 tended for the racing man, the fox-hunter, the 



