CHIEFLY HISTORICAL 9 



The quiet country church of Wootton Wawen, the last 

 resting-place of one of the keenest and best sportsmen 

 that ever crossed a horse, sounded a horn, or cheered 

 his hounds, of the man whose poem, "The Chace," 

 will remain a classic so long as the English tongue 

 endures, is surely worthy of a pilgrimage by any lover 

 of hunting who happens to be within a score or two of 

 miles ! 



Somervile's custom of hunting both hare and fox 

 during the winter season was commonly followed by 

 most country gentlemen of the eighteenth century. 

 Somervile himself kept his hounds apart, and hunted 

 hare and fox with harriers and foxhounds, reinforcing, 

 as we have seen, the latter during the proper season 

 with his otter-hounds, which were then unemployed. 

 He says in " The Chace " : 



" A different hound for ev'ry diff'rent chace 

 Select with judgment ; nor the tim'rous hare 

 O'er-matched destroy, but leave that vile offence 

 To the mean, murd'rous coursing crew, intent 

 On blood and spoil. O blast their hopes just Heav'n." 



The poet seems to have had a peculiar hatred for 

 coursing, a sentiment which in these days has largely 

 disappeared, although, for obvious reasons, hare- 

 hunters are not over-fond of greyhounds and their 

 masters. 



Somervile may truthfully be styled the father of 

 modern hunting. Before his time writers on sport 

 employed an archaic and cumbrous style, now obsolete 

 for centuries, and difficult and fatiguing of comprehen- 

 sion even by the most devoted student of hunting 

 literature. Somervile inaugurates a completely new 

 era. His spirit is largely modern, his style easy, clear 

 and flowing ; even at the present day it is a real 

 pleasure to read his graphic descriptions and stirring 



