8 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



demn that wliicli those they emulate choose to 

 patronise. 



Hunting possesses one advantage and recom- 

 mendation which distinguishes it from all other 

 amusements, — it injures no one, and benefits 

 thousands. Cavillers may say, Does it not injure 

 the farmer whose fences are broken, and land 

 ridden over? I answer, unquestionably, No: it 

 would injure him if he had no equivalent given 

 him ; but he has. If he is put to expense or loss 

 by a hunting-field, unless he is known to be a 

 surly brute, that loss is always made up to him ; 

 and, indeed, in a general way, he gets more than 

 compensated. " Ware Wheat,^^ " Ware Turnips,^^ 

 or " Ware Clover,^' is constantly heard if any one 

 is seen riding more than could be avoided over 

 either. Doubtless, enemies to field sports, or those 

 who know nothing of agricultural pursuits or 

 produce beyond what an interested farmer may 

 tell, will sympathise with him, if he says he had 

 a fine field of wheat ridden over and spoiled : in 

 such a case, if he got no remuneration, and if the 

 wheat WAS spoiled, their sympathy would be well 

 placed; but that such must be the case because 

 it is ridden over, is not a more certain sequitur 

 than the being kicked off a horse is the conse- 

 quence of getting on one. If a root of wheat is 

 trodden further into the ground than it originally 

 was, the hoof of the horse commits a very rude 



