NOTITTA VEKATICA. 7 



as an instance, T rocollocl tlio Wav\vicl<shiro Hunt ffoinmitfec redueinjv 

 the pay of tho earth- stopjiors, in 1830, to half what it had previously 

 been for years. The result was what might reasonably be expected — ■ 

 in about half the covers there was *' no find." Jealousies amongst the 

 subscribers generally ensue, the subscriptions fall oif, the foxes are 

 destroyed, and the establishment is generally broken up after a few 

 seasons ; the master of the pack retiring in disgnst, having only half 

 achieved what he so fondly hoped for — the possession of a pack of 

 hounds bred under his own eye, and by his own judgment. The conse- 

 quence is, that, with such prospects in view, few can be found to take 

 so thanldess a labour in hand ; where neither profit nor honour are to 

 be gained, who would be prevailed upon to waste either his time or 

 money in conducting a scheme which is so likely to lead to disappoint- 

 ment and disgust ? Few men of the present day have either spirit or 

 inclination to retain their hounds after a few seasons ; and Avhen this 

 generation has passed away, in vain will such men as the late Duke of 

 Cleveland, Mr. Ralph Lambton, or the late Mr. John Villebois, be 

 sought for amongst the sportsmen of future ages. In these haste- 

 making days of steam-engine velocity, fox-hunting is deemed a bore and 

 too slow amongst the young-'uns, especially if much of the morning is 

 taken up in drawing before a fox is found. The excitement of steeple- 

 chasing — rendered more piquant by a stake of money being attached to 

 it — is substituted ; or the cruel and cocktail practice of turning out 

 tame stags to gallop after — an amusement which is mis-called stag- 

 hunting is substituted for the legitimate chase. 



To return once again to the subject of committees, Avhich I before 

 spoke of, and which are now becoming so general. I have been borne 

 out in my opinion by that of many masters of hounds, whom I could 

 name, and who all agree that they are more frequently than otherwise 

 (excepting as regards the finding, the "sine qua non' ) a sad nuisance 

 to the masters themselves ; and from the ignorance and conceit of many 

 committee-men — who are too often elected on account of the length of 

 their purses, from the vulgar and rich parvenus of the neighbourhood — 

 owners of fox-hounds feel an irresistible jealousy at their interference. 

 The following ludicrous anecdote, and truly characteristic of the man, is 

 related of Mr. Nichol, when that gentleman hunted the New Forest. 

 The first day his hounds hunted that country, and before he could pos- 

 sibly have become acquainted with one-half of the usual attendants upon 

 the New Forest foxhounds, when experiencing a run across the forest, 

 after begging and beseeching to no purpose to several hard-riders, who 

 were wantonly pressing upon the pack, he let out at them in rather un- 

 measured terms, to the utter astonishment of one unfortunate wight, 

 who claimed the privilege of exhibiting himself upon the plea of being a 

 committee-man, and expi'essed his sm'prise at Mr. N. for using such 

 dreadful language to one of his consequence. " The committee be 



d d," said Mr. Nichol ; " You are not Avorth damning singly, so I'll 



d n you all in a lump ! ' ' 



In the earliest accounts of history, the amusement of hunting has been 

 recorded as forming one of the chief employments of man ; and even at 



