as to tlieir veto being called in question as to 

 tlieir ladies' equestrian performances. Happy 

 souls ! whose wishes and means jog on so har- 

 moniously together. Would to Heaven I could 

 bring myself to dislike four good steppers in hand 

 and half-a-dozen good hunters in the stable ; but 

 Philosophy uses me most scurvily in this par- 

 ticular^ and will not bring a particle of its influ- 

 ence in my favour. Well, if latterly my debts 

 to Providence and Philosophy have not been 

 heavy, I am under the less obligation to them. 

 There is some comfort in that, and to feel that 

 comfort is about the extent of my obligation. 

 And as to friends, light as the gossamer floats my 

 conscience respecting most of them. 



But, though hunting and sporting pursuits, like 

 everything else in this warring world, have some 

 enemies, there are two great causes why those 

 enemies are not general. Such pursuits have, 

 from some incentive or other, been, from time out 

 of mind, the pursuits of numbers of all nations 

 of the globe ; hence arrogant must be those who 

 would attempt to deny as WTong, ridiculous, or 

 blamable, that w^hich has ever had as its sup- 

 porters many of the best, the wisest, and highest 

 born of all countries. And again, as the great 

 and fashionable uphold, patronise, and partake in 

 such pursuits, those who are high enough to aim 

 at being thought above the herd dare not con- 



B 4 



