98 • ^THE LIFE OF A FOX 



other remarks the following, which reached my 

 ears: — "These acts of shocking cruelty were scarcely 

 ever heard of in this part, till game became an 

 article of traffic to the landlord, and shooting on 

 his land began to be let to strangers who have no 

 interest whatever in the welfare of the country 

 where it Ues. Nothing conduces to that welfare 

 more than brilhant sport afforded by a pack of 

 hounds ; as it leads others, as well as those who 

 own estates, to become residents in the country. 

 Noblemen and gentlemen have now lost their 

 good old English feeUngs, and instead of inviting 

 their friends for the sport, they let their shooting, 

 or sell their game in the market. It frequently 

 happens that the persons to whom the shooting is 

 let are men who are engaged in business and reside 

 in large towiis. They are consequently ignorant 

 of the tricks and cruelties of their keepers during 

 their absence, and unaware of the disappointment 

 these keepers create to hundreds of gentlemen 

 who reside in the country, who keep large estab- 

 hshments of horses for the express purpose of 

 hunting, and whose money might otherwise be 

 spent in more questionable ways in town or else- 

 where." 



I have heard the following lines recited by one 



