68 THE HUNTING FIELD 



went on for a mile or more, the coachman pulling up as often 

 as the guard gave his " his servant " orders to go on. Much 

 such a scene occurs in the hunting field, when Whips and 

 Huntsmen have not settled that point any better than our 

 coachman and guard had. 



Beckford lays down the law on the point very ably : — 

 " The Whip," writes he, " must always be contented to act 

 an underpart, except when circumstances may require that he 

 should act otherwise ; and the moment they cease, he must not 

 fail to resume his former station ; you have heard me say, that 

 when there is much riot, I prefer an excellent Whipper-in to an 

 excellent Huntsman. The opinion I believe, is new; I must 

 therefore endeavour to explain it. My meaning is this — that 

 I think I should have better sport, and kill more foxes with a 

 moderate Huntsman, and an excellent Whipper-in, than with 

 the best of Huntsmen without such an assistant. You will saj-, 

 perhaps, that a good Huntsman will make a good Whipper-in : 

 not such, however, as I mean ; his talent must be born with 

 him. My reasons are, that good hounds (and bad ones I would 

 not keep) oftener need the one than the other ; and genius, 

 which if in a Whipper-in, is attended by obedience, his first 

 requisite, can do no hurt ; in a Huntsman is a dangerous, 

 though a desirable, quality ; and if not accompanied by a large 

 share of prudence, and I may say humility, will oftentimes 

 spoil your sport, and hurt your hounds." 



Mr. Beckford, it should be remembered, was speaking of 

 the requirements of his own country, Dorsetshire — a country 

 abounding in riot of all sorts, where the covers are large, and 

 there is a chase full of deer and game. True, as Mr. Vyner 

 observes, in a note to this text, that almost all countries now 

 labour under a similar disadvantage from the unhealthy increase 

 of game preserves ; but Dorsetshire, perhaps, is still worse than 

 any, owing to the rather plentiful existence of the little roebuck, 

 which is a sad temptation to hounds at all periods of the 



