12 



THE HUNTINC; FIELD 



Mr. Cottonwool ! There would be no lack of foxes — no fear of 

 sport then." He may then observe, almost to " Wool " himself, 

 " I'm sure all here will bear me out in saying that I always 

 hold our excellent friend Mr. Cottonwool upas a perfect specimen 

 of what an English gentleman ought to be."' Now, that is 

 good, wholesome, unadulterated flattery — all Wool's own too, 

 and the odds are that thinking he has not committed himself, 

 he will retract the qualifying order about the vixens, and show 

 himself at the next cattle-show as a perfect specimen of what an 

 English gentleman ought to be. More people are flattered into 

 virtue than bullied out of vice. 



Toast drinking is almost exploded, but if ever it is tolerated 

 it will surely be allowed to wash down such a pat of butter as 

 Cottonwool has received. The way to accomplish this, of 

 course is, for Wool to propose the Master's health — long life to 

 him — with such other novelties as a podgey old gentleman, un- 

 accustomed to public speaking, can accomplish ; and the 

 Master (who we premised must have a touch of Cicero), may 

 just turn the remains of the dripping-pan of flatter}' over WooFs 

 head and shoulders any way he likes. A glutton in flattery 

 looks more to quantity than quality. 



With that performance we will let the chapter's curtain 

 drop. 



