HORSES AND HOUNDS. 283 



keeping harriers to fox-hounds, as so many inconveniences and 

 responsibilities are attached to the latter in the present day. 



The constajit changes which are taking place annually, almost, 

 in fox-hunting establishments, prove that the system is carried 

 out too far ; and as the resources of country gentlemen are now 

 so much reduced, my firm impression is, that fox-hunting must 

 be brought down to its proper level, and conducted upon a much 

 more economical footing to suit these free-trade times. No 

 doubt, in the best countries, where there is no lack of friends 

 and supporters, the thing will be carried on as usual, and, also, 

 where there is a rich man at the head of the establishment, who 

 is a thorough sportsman. But in many of the provincial 

 countries, where the establishment is dependent upon subscrip- 

 tions raised by the neighbouring gentry, the fifties and five-and- 

 twenties must dwindle down to half that amount ; and there is 

 a good cause for it, when landlords are called upon to lower 

 their rents ten, twenty, and thirty per cent. 



We are told by free-traders that everything is cheaper. It 

 may be to the fundholder and money maker, but the landlord 

 and farmer still pay dearer than ever. He buys his cloth 

 cheaper, but he loses in the price of wool. Cheap bread is no 

 very great advantage, when he loses ten shillings on his sack of 

 wheat, and so on in proportion. He may buy, it is true, a smart- 

 looking silk hat for 12s. or 14s., where he used to give 25s. for 

 a beaver ; but there is no economy in this, as one good beaver 

 would wear out half a dozen of these flimsy concerns. So, to 

 meet the times, fewer servants must be kept, a less number of 

 horses, and, if they cannot let their land, the squires must farm 

 themselves, make their own bread and cheese, kill their own 

 mutton, substitute strong beer after dinner for port wine, and 

 cherry brandy for maraschino. Those who can club together to 

 have a little amusement in the dead months must keep a few 

 couples of hounds each, the pack being assembled on hunting 

 mornings by sound of horn, as in the olden time, and the old 

 earthstopper on his pony re-established to do the work of the 

 hunt. To this pass that things will soon come in the corn- 

 growing districts is my humble opinion. I hope I may be 

 deceived. 



Harriers, perhaps, will then be more in the ascendant, as the 

 Game-laws will go next, and hares become just plentiful enough 

 for this pastime only. Fox-hounds are all the rage in the pre- 

 sent day, and thistle-whippers, as they are facetiously called, 

 scarcely dare show their names in print. There are some few, 

 however, who have still the hardihood to parade their little 

 dogs before the public in the columns of BeWs Life, and at the 



