14 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



began to ask for hunting notes, and the Editor 

 appealed to his subscribers for contributions 

 to enable him to meet the new and growing 

 demand. The increasing popularity of the 

 sport was not accepted, however without con- 

 siderable opposition. Indeed, at one time it 

 seemed probable that the new pastime would 

 be altogether stopped by the opposition of 

 the owners and occupiers of land. In the 

 first decade of the nineteenth century a whole 

 crop of actions for trespass took place, as, for 

 example, the following : — 



In the Sporting Magazine of 1807, mention 

 is made "of a most excellent hunt " by "The 

 Gentleman's subscription hounds, "formerly Lord 



a hare hunter. I followed this diversion more for air 

 and exercise than for amusement, and if I could have 

 persuaded myself to ride on the turnpike road to the 

 three-mile stone, and back again, I should have thought 

 I had no need for a pack of harriers." He also 

 says of his country : " The hare hunting is so bad that, 

 did you know it, your wonder would be how I could 

 have persevered in it so long, not that I should forsake 

 it now." Peter Beckford was a most accomplished 

 man, and it was said of him by a contemporary writer 

 that " never had fox or hare the honour of being chased 

 to death by so accomplished a huntsman ; never was 

 huntsman's dinner graced ' by such urbanity and wit.' 

 he would bag a fox in Greek, find a hare in Latin, 

 inspect his kennels in Italian, and direct the economy 

 of stables in exquisite French." Besides his sporting 

 writing he was the author of " Familar Letters from 

 Italy to a Friend in England." 



