4 



SILENCE OF AUTHORS 



There is, however, no doubt but that the practi- 

 cal part of it would be improved, were theory 

 to accompany it. 



France, Germany, and Italy, are also silent, 

 I believe, on this subject, though each of these 

 countries has had its sportsmen. Foxes, it is 

 true, they never hunt, and hares but seldom ; 

 yet the stag and wild boar in France and in Ger- 

 many are still pursued with the utmost splendour 

 and magnificence. In Italy, I believe there has 

 been no hunting since the death of the Duke of 

 Parma : he was very fond of it, and I apprehend 

 all hunting in that country ceased with him. 

 The only sportsmen now remaining are gentle- 

 men in green coats, who, taking their couteaux 

 de chasse along with them, walk into the fields 

 to catch small birds, which they call andar a la 

 caccia, or in plain English going a hunting: 

 yet it has not been so with horsemanship ; that 

 has been treated scientifically by all — in Italy 

 by PignatcUi, — in Germany by Isenbourg, — 

 and in France by La Gueriniere : nor are the 

 useful lessons of the Duke of Newcastle confined 

 to this country only ; they are both read and 

 practised every where ; nor is he the only noble 

 lord who has written on the subject. While on 

 hunting all are silent ; and were it not for the 



