BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



Overcoming the temptation to speculate on the frequency 

 with which marksmen of the day lost their temper under trying 

 circumstances, we proceed to Mr. Markland's poem. An early 

 start was then the rule : — 



'My Friend and I, with hopeful Prospect rose, 

 And scorned the longer Scandal of Repose : 

 No dull Repast allow''d : our Tackle all 

 O^er Night prepared, the cheerful Dogs we call : 

 In a close Pocket snuggs the cordial Dram, 

 Youth to the Old, and Crutches to the Lame.' 



One cannot resist the reflection that the sportsmen would 

 have done more wisely to breakfast before they set out : the 

 cordial dram is not generally considered to improve shooting, 

 particularly if taken under such circumstances. But let that 

 pass. The author's reference to the heels of Frenchmen's 

 boots is scarcely in harmony with his prefatory remarks on the 

 excellence of French marksmanship : — 



' Low — leathern — heeled our lacquer'd Boots are made. 

 Mounted on tottVing Stilts raw Frenchmen tread : 

 Firm Footing an unshaken Level lends ; 

 But modish Heels are still the lVoodcock''s Friends. 

 Our Shot of several sorts, half round the Waste, 

 In Ticking semicircularly placed, 

 Embraced and poiz'd us well. 



' No flapping Sleeves our ready Arms controul : 

 Short Cuffs alone prove fatal to the Fowl. 

 Nor, arni\l in warm Surtout, we vainly fear 

 The Sky's inclemency, or Jove severe : 

 Active and free our Limbs and Muscles are. 

 Whilst Exercise does glowing warmth prepare.' 



A few useful hints follow : the reader is advised not to 

 load his gun overnight, or ' in the Morn the prime will hiss,' 

 i.e. a miss-fire may result. When priming you were not to put 

 too much powder in the pan, or the gun would hang fire : you 

 were to carry a partridge wing, the feathers serving to clean 

 out the touch-hole. The tow stuffing of an old saddle had uses 



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