246 NERVE. 



suddenly as It departed. Everyone who has hunted for 

 any length of time and kept his eyes open must be able 

 to call to mind many a man who has commenced his 

 hunting career with apparent enthusiasm, who has 

 gone, like the proverbial ' blazes,' for two or three 

 seasons, taking croppers as all in a day's work, and 

 then all at once has given up hunting altogether 

 because his nerve has gone. He has, perhaps, tried 

 to ' go ' for a season, enduring unknown tortures in the 

 attempt, and then he has given up altogether. He has 

 never joined the skirting brigade, not, perhaps, as some 

 would suggest, because he was too proud to do so after 

 having once been a first- flight man, but because he did 

 not care sufficiently for hunting." This writer knew^ a 

 man w^ho gave up riding to hounds because he had lost 

 his nerve, and yet he continued to ride in steeplechases, 

 which may be explained by the fact that the rider on 

 a " flagged course " knows what is in front of him, 

 and has little or nothing to fear from bad ground. Mr. 

 Otho Paget considers that "a failing nerve may be 

 always traced to the stomach," and recommends 

 moderation in eating, drinking, and smoking. Frank 

 Beers, the famous huntsman of the Grafton, had his 

 hunting career closed by a severe illness, which appa- 

 rently deprived him of all his former dash. Mr. Elliot 

 says : " At the commencement of the season (1890-91) 

 an attempt was made by the poor man to resume his 

 duties, but one hour's trial proved to Mr. Robarts and 

 those present that all hope had vanished, and the 

 above-named gentleman, being in charge during Lord 



