34-o THE SPORT OF KINGS 



under our more artificial mode of living. But 

 though it may be impossible or even undesirable to 

 revive the old-fashioned hunt ball, a question, by 

 the way, which I do not intend to discuss or even 

 venture an opinion upon, there seems to me to be 

 no reason why the old-fashioned hunt dinner 

 might not be restored to its former place amongst 

 the social functions of a hunt, and that with both 

 pleasure and profit to all concerned. 



It has been urged in some quarters that the 

 luncheon at the puppy judging, which has now 

 become an annual occurrence in almost every hunt, 

 well supplies the place of the old hunt dinner. In 

 some respects perhaps it does, but it does not 

 reach so far as the old dinner did, and there seems 

 to me no reason why we should not have both. 

 Certainly the luncheon is better than nothing at 

 all in the way of bringing those who hunt and those 

 who do not together socially, but it cannot be said 

 to effect this purpose so well as the dinner, over 

 which more time is spent, and which is to a certain 

 extent a more ceremonious affair. It will perhaps 

 be urged by some who cast their eye over this 

 page that the hunt dinner still exists, and perhaps it 

 may in some places, though they do not come within 

 my ken, but not so very many years ago the hunt 

 dinner was looked forward to almost everywhere 

 as one of the chief functions of the year, and now 

 I never hear of one. For those exclusive clubs 

 which name themselves after some hunt, and 

 which number but few members, which have a 

 dress uniform, and which dine together once or 

 twice in a year cannot be said to have or give hunt 

 dinners. 



In the good old days it was one of the rules of 



