48 THE HUNTING FIELD 



Huntsman. His lordship had been talking at the meet to 

 some gentlemen about political'matters, and had made use of 

 the old hack observation that the " country was ruined — "' 



"Ah," said Dick Knight, with a sigh, "they nn'i/cd i\\e 

 country when they made the Oxford Canal." 



It is singular that such a narrow strip of water as the 

 British Channel should make such a perfect division between 

 the tastes, the feelings, and inclinations of the people. What 

 would be prized and followed at Dover would be scouted and 

 laughed at at Calais or Boulogne. We are alluding, of course, 

 to hounds, for which the French have not the slightest feeling, 

 inclination, or sympathy. Children in England all rush with 

 delight to see them pass — French ones stare and wonder if the 

 " soldiers" are going to kill and eat them up with the dogs. 

 Hunting is quite the peculiar taste of Britons, and let people 

 say what they will, it must exercise a most beneficial influence 

 on the national character. Let any one look at a field of fox- 

 hunters in full chase, and say whether such men are likely to 

 be stopped at a trifle or not. Above all, let them look at the 

 Huntsmen and Whip, and fancy them with swords in their 

 hands instead of whips. Why, they would charge a regiment 

 of devils in complete armour ! The Duke of Wellington, 

 himself a foxhunter, and a real friend to the sport, used to say 

 that for daring, dashing deeds, there were none like the fox- 

 hunting officers. We believe he generally selected them to 

 carry despatches and other difficult duties on the battle-field. 



A Frenchman looks at the " C/iassc," a term they apply 

 equally to sparrow-shooting and stag-hunting, as a mere 

 means of achieving an end with the smallest possible trouble. 

 They can't understand the wit of giving ourselves the trouble 

 of pursuing an animal over hill and dale, that we can exter- 

 minate at first sight. They are all for lead. Colonel Cook, who 

 resided many years in France, relates how that having some 

 ten couple of hounds consigned to him, he took them into the 



