200 THE HUNTING FIELD 



of visiting, but whom he sees before his house ; but we should 

 almost question whether it would be a compliment to say to 

 such a man, a day or two before, " The hounds meet at my 

 house on Monday, and I shall be glad to see you to breakfast," 

 because it would be almost tantamount to saying he was "just 

 worth a breakfast, and nothing more." These, however, are 

 points that depend upon the peculiarity of each case. 



The sketch we have drawn of country visiting for mere 

 visiting sake, and country visiting for a specific purpose, will 

 show that hunting is not a question affecting only its followers, 

 but one in which all the residents are more or less interested. 

 All who like society — society in its easiest, and therefore its 

 most agreeable footing — are interested in having a country 

 hunted. Any one who has seen the change produced by the 

 introduction or withdrawal of a pack of foxhounds, will be 

 satisfied of the truth of this observation. With a well-conducted 

 pack, and the interchange of visiting it engenders, winter 

 passes away almost as pleasantly as summer ; and, even in the 

 longest, hottest, brightest day, we remember with pleasure the 

 red-curtained, sparkling fire-side comforts of the previous 

 winter. An Englishman, indeed, is nothing without his 

 domestic hearth. The open fields and cloudless skies of 

 France and Italy, bring joy to the mind of the foreigner ; but 

 John Bull should be drawn in the Turkey-carpeted, fire-side 

 party, with the little table and bright bottle of port just starting 

 on its circular voyage. 



To the resident country gentleman having the country 

 hunted is of vast importance ; and fond of hunting as men 

 may be, they had better put up with an inferior country and 

 sport, than leave their homes in search of better. The man 

 who hunts from home hunts in the most comfortable, rational, 

 and satisfactory way, uniting pleasure and business, and not 

 sacrificing the latter to the former. 



The man who leaves his home for hunting must, to a certain 



