268 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



only once in something like twenty years were the 

 guarantors called upon to make good a deficiency, 

 and then they were subsequently repaid. It was a 

 poor hunt ; a captious critic might say that people 

 only hunted because it was the only amusement 

 available ; but I have no hesitation in saying that 

 it turned out some of the best sportsmen that ever 

 wore scarlet or buckled on a spur, and that no 

 better sport was shown throughout the length and 

 breadth of the land. Hounds were bad to get to 

 at times, it is true, but difficulties only exist to be 

 overcome, and some one always managed to be 

 there. 



According to the theory promulgated, both 

 these hunts should be disestablished in the interests 

 of game preservers. 



With the writer of the article in question I 

 have no quarrel. He claims to be friendly to fox- 

 hunting, but as I have shown, it is only to fox- 

 hunting as he knows it, and according to his 

 standard. But his theory is a most pernicious 

 one, and carried to its logical conclusion it would 

 put an end to hunting in half the countries in 

 England. As I have before pointed out, there is 

 no reason why fox-hunting and game preserving 

 should not go on side by side in all countries, as 

 they unquestionably do in some, and given a 

 keeper who knows his business it is easy enough 

 to obtain this desirable end. 



I may conclude with the remark that amongst 

 my acquaintances I number more than one who 

 were keen fox-hunters till their nerve failed, and 

 till they could no longer go in front. These 

 gentlemen have developed a keen liking for shoot- 

 ing now ; they pose in theory as lovers of hunt- 



