Introductory 



of an age when comfortable England was contented to think 

 of sport rather than speed that these papers are now offered 

 to the public. 



Whether those boys and girls who first saw the light 

 about the dawn of this century will enjoy field sports as 

 much as did their ancestors is an open question. What is 

 not an open question is that most of them, for the present 

 at any rate, will enjoy them in a different manner, and from 

 a different point of view. What is the nature of this differ- 

 ence } The answer probably is that for some years past, even 

 before the War, life was becoming more complex, particularly 

 for the agricultural landlords, who for many generations had 

 directed the field sports of the British Isles. The agri- 

 cultural depression which began in the late seventies took 

 away from many county families their hereditary privilege of 

 being the chief financiers of Fox-hunting. Here and there 

 one or two of the great houses whose revenues were perhaps 

 independent of agricultural rents solemnly continued to 

 keep on the family pack with no subscription, as if nothing 

 had happened — or ever would happen. But many of the 

 landlords had either to give up the mastership of Foxhounds 

 altogether, or else to be paid a salary. Concurrently with 

 the fall in revenue, political pressure began to occupy more 

 of their time in public duty. They perceived that if they were 

 to keep their influence, their service to the State could no 

 longer be confined to having a good luncheon four times 

 a year at Quarter Sessions, and sitting on the local Bench 

 once a month on a non-hunting day. The whole para- 



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