10(5 THE HUNTING FIELD 



" I would not entirely abolish rewards to keepers," says 

 he, " by way of encouragement in the shape of douceurs at 

 Christmas, or at the end of the season ; but I would have no 

 regular charge for finds, nor even regular charges for Earth- 

 stopping, excepting in coverts expressly hired for the purposes 

 of the hunt. There such payments might be a part of the 

 wages of those employed ; but I would have the preservation 

 of the foxes, and the stopping of the earths for hunting matters, 

 entirely dependent upon their respective proprietors. I would 

 have every lord of a domain make a point of enforcing his 

 determination to contribute gratuitously all in his power to the 

 noble sport." 



A very good resolution, say we; but suppose the said lord 

 is a shooter, how then ? Foxhunters are very apt to fancy that 

 every one must favour their sport, but some apparently very 

 friendly people would have no objection to see foxhunting 

 abolished altogether. 



" Instead of a regular bill, amounting to from ;^io to ;^i5 

 to be presented by a keeper," writes Mr. Radcliffe, " as the 

 price of his forbearance, in permitting the existence of animals 

 considered obnoxious to game, and, in reality, destructive to 

 the rabbits, which are his perquisites, I would have -£^ the 

 maximum of remuneration. Such a sum might be adequate 

 compensation to any good servant for the trouble of doing his 

 duty, and would be received merely as a token of approbation 

 of the manner in which he discharged it, when the success of 

 his endeavours entitled him to such consideration. There can 

 be no reason why underkeepers, or other labourers, might not 

 as well undertake the earth-stopping, on account of their 

 regular employer, as on that of recompense from a separate 

 body." 



'■ It has always been the custom, in Herts," continues our 

 author, " to hold two Earth-stopper feasts, one on each side 



