4 The Hunting Countries of England. 



eacli of you can suit his taste, liis weight, his nerves, his 

 age and his purse — and yet not go into a barren land. 

 Most vital contingent and condition of all is the 

 purse. Carry one you must, and always either have 

 a coin in it or imagine you have. This done, its 

 variations need have a less general and arbitrary 

 effect upon your sport than would be imagined. If 

 it be at a low ebb you cannot of course (honestly) 

 buy as many horses as you might otherwise do ; and 

 you can^t hunt as many days per week. In these 

 ways the ill-filled purse has, it is impossible to deny, 

 a most depressing and confining effect. But beyond 

 these its influence is by no means as strongly felt as 

 the other conditions enumerated — at all events in the 

 main point under consideration — choice of country. 

 If your taste, weight, age and nerves are right, go 

 into a good country while you can — and with all con- 

 fidence. Make yourself other pursuits there to fill 

 up your interim time ; or else, as discussed above, let 

 your choice light within reach of your main occupa- 

 tion. Eailways have brought good countries enough 

 within reach of London : and almost every other 

 great centre can boast of the same advantage. For, 

 we would argue, a horse eats no more in a good 

 country than in a bad one ; hotel and stabling charges 

 vary on quite other principles (we know not what) 

 than those of locality ; in no country are you likely 

 to ride a worse horse if you can afford a better; the 

 best saddlery is everywhere economy; and you ought 

 to have (Why on earth donH you ?) good leathers, 

 decent boots coat and hat vjJierever you hunt. 



