4 HUNTING THE FOX 



our cost from the national point of view, the 

 area under grass increased steadily, and in a cer- 

 tain sense — possibly overestimated — enhanced the 

 charm of riding over the country. But, as well as 

 the grass, riches were all this time increasing in the 

 commercial world, albeit at the expense of a 

 neglected agriculture, and the successful Briton, 

 as is his wont, turned his eyes to the hunting- 

 field, hired a hunting-box, and spent his money 

 on the Sport of Kings. So Fox-hunting continued 

 to flourish, supported by a sound balance at its 

 bankers', and, above all, by the love of sport 

 inherent in all classes of the realm. If this brief 

 analysis of the fortunes of the chase be correct ; 

 if agricultural prosperity has gone hand in hand 

 with the prosperity of hunting ; if hunting has 

 become more popular not because of agricultural, 

 depression, but in spite of it, then we have nothing 

 to fear from a revived agriculture. The farmer 

 will have the golden key in his hand, and be able 

 to mount his horse and show us the way over the 

 fences. Human nature will probably be much 

 the same after the War as it was before the War. 



Hunting, like the drama or any other institution, 

 depends for its existence on the support of public 

 opinion. Public opinion is not an easy thing to 

 define ; probably when we speak of public opinion 

 we refer to that amount of thought, tradition, 

 sentiment, and practical support which can be 



