148 THE HUNTING FIELD 



into so man}' parts ; j-et so they have, and this only fairly 

 launches us amonf^ the field. As \et we have only dealt with 

 the "master" and the "men," as it were, leaving the wide 

 range of character and station forming the ingredients of a 

 hunting field for discussion and description. The uninitiated 

 may suppose that a " field " is merely composed of one set of 

 people, drawn from the same class of life ; but the foxhunter 

 knows how different is the fact, and how foxhunting rever- 

 berates, as it were, through the whole of our social system ; 

 how the joy that a good run inspires in the breast of the peer 

 descends through all classes, even to the humble pedestrian 

 who witnesses either the find or the finish. " Foxhunting," 

 as was well said by Beckford, " is the peculiar sport of 

 Britons," and we trust it will ne\er be obliterated from the 

 national character. It is a fine, generous, comprehensive 

 sport, that every true follower delights to see his neighbour 

 partake of. It unites all classes in brotherl}- union, like 

 Shakspere's militar}- offer of brotherhood, "be his profession 

 ne'er so mean." 



We need scarcely say that Peter Pigskin wears a dark coat, 

 for whoever saw a meet of foxhounds where a dark coat did 

 not arrive first ? It is not a black coat, but a dark coat ; a 

 bottle green, with metal buttons, straight cut, single breasted, 

 and short. Peter is a man that has been elevated by fox- 

 hunting ; not ridiculously raised above his station, but a man 

 whom foxhunting has brought into contact with parties he 

 would not otherwise have become acquainted with. Peter 

 now, and Peter fifty j-ears ago, are very different people. 

 The little, light, bow-legged, shrivelled, gray-headed old man 

 whose clean but queer-cut clothes bespeak defiance to the 

 elements, was then the smart, straight, dapper postilion to the 

 Duke of Blazington, and rode the leaders of his grace's coach 

 and six. In those daj-s great men turned out like great men, 

 and not like great midwives, or great jewellers, as too many 



