BOOKS ON HUNTING. 389 



Hunting, in a series of familiar Letters to a Friend;^' 

 of which it has been said, " they are so truly the 

 effusions of sound judgment, and so replete with 

 the useful remarks of an experienced sportsman, 

 that there is no room for any thing new or addi- 

 tional to be introduced upon the subject."*' It is 

 true, this has been considered, and will continue to 

 be considered, as a standard work amongst sports- 

 men ; but as systems and habits change with time, 

 and many of both have been materially changed 

 since Beckford's day, another work on fox-hunting, 

 also from a practical pen, made its appearance in 

 1826, and was well received by the sporting world, 

 viz., " Observations on Fox-Hunting, and the Ma- 

 nagement of Hounds in the Kennel and the Field, 

 by Colonel Cook," several years a master of fox- 

 hounds; hunting various English counties, but 

 principally the Rodings of Essex, celebrated for the 

 stoutness of its foxes. 



It is only within a very short space of time that 

 sportsmen have been given to communicate their 

 thoughts, or the result of their experience in the 

 field, to the public, unless under fictitious signa- 

 tures. In proof, however, of the benefit derived 

 from such contributions to the stock of sporting 

 science^ if such a term will be allowed ; and like- 

 wise in confirmation of what has been advanced on 

 the subject of change of systems and habits that 

 occurs in the course of time, we will make a few 

 comments on the practices of one of the most con- 

 spicuous sportsmen England ever gave birth to, the 

 celebrated Hugo Meynell, Esq. of Quorndon Hall, 



