58 THE HUNTING FIELD 



that honesty which forbids their robbing us themselves, but 

 that integrit}- — that loyalty we may almost call it — which 

 ought to pre\-ent their allowing others to do it without telling. 

 Strange as it may seem, it is no less true, that their con- 

 sciences seem satisfied with the negative virtue of abstinence 

 themselves. Dangerous virtue ! The next step to looking on, 

 is participating, and then comes robbing itself. "Winking" 

 at robbery is the true school of training for New South 

 Wales. 



Whether this indifference to their master's interests is to 

 be attributed to the gad-about habits of the day, or the spread 

 of education and facility of communication by post, or arises 

 from the distance now maintained between masters and ser- 

 vants, is immaterial to the present inquiry. Hunting servants, 

 at all events, have not the latter excuse for their delinquencies ; 

 and it certainly does favour the supposition that masters and 

 mistresses are not sufficienth' attentive and considerate to 

 their servants, when we find that those who are in constant 

 contact with their masters, enjoying their pleasures and sharing 

 their dangers, imbibe a certain interest and anxiety for them 

 that the mere payment of wages fails to produce. Huntsmen 

 are generally intrusted with large sums of money, much of it 

 frequently to be expended in the way of " secret service," and 

 yet we never hear of misappropriation or squandering lavish- 

 ment. On the contrar}-, if they do err, it is generally on the 

 side of keenness for their employer. Many excellent sfories 

 are told of Williamson, the Duke of Buccleuch's Huntsman, 

 in the way of bargain-driving for his grace. Williamson is a 

 great economist, but such is his dense Scotch stupidity that 

 he cannot understand, because his master is a rich duke, that 

 he ought to pay double for everj'thing he buys. Most servants 

 would think it a self-evident proposition, but \\'ool can't see 

 it. He drives and screws, and screws and drives, just as if 

 he was bargaining for himself He had a bad fall a few years 



