BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



Young greedy Novices, who often hope 

 By random Fate to pick a Number up, 

 Amaz'd, behold none bounding on the Ground, 

 Whilst many a Bird drags off her mortal Wound. 

 Experienced Sportsmen will of one make sure. 

 Rest honestly content of one secure.'' 



From the preface we have learned that the gunner missed 

 that One Particular more often than not : so it is all the more 

 to IMarkland's credit that he should preach this doctrine so 

 resolutely. 



' Jewell,' we may take it, was a setter. Pointers were 

 introduced from Spain early in the eighteenth century, but a 

 setter of some kind had been used in England for at least two 

 centuries. 



These lines illustrate an interesting point in the shooting 

 ethics of the period : — 



' Halloo — Halloo — See, see from yonder Furze 

 The Lurchers have alarm''d and started Puss ! 

 Hold ! What d'ye do .^ Sure you don't mean to Fire ! 

 Constrain tiiat base, ungenerous Desire, 

 ^ And let the Courser and the Huntsman share 



Their just and proper Title to the Hare. 

 Let the poor Creature pass and have fair Play 

 And fight the Prize of Life out her own way. 

 The tracing Hound by Nature was designed 

 Both for the Use and Pleasure of Mankind ; 

 Form'd for the Hare, the Hare too for the Hound : 

 In Enmity each to each other bound ; 

 Then he who dares by different means destroy 

 Than Nature meant, offends gainst Nature's Law.'' 



That shooting hares was illegal was a detail of which 

 Markland was apparently unconscious. The protecting clause 

 in James i.'s Act, by the way, was only repealed in 1807.^ 

 The statute had long fallen into abeyance, and in the early 

 years of the nineteenth century huge bags of hares were made. 



' 48 Geo. 11. c. 9 §1. 

 72 



