WRITING THESE LETTERS. 13 



use to sportsmen. Were my aim to amuse, I 

 would not endeavour to instruct. A song might 

 suit the purpose better than an essay. To im- 

 prove health by promoting exercise ; — to excite 

 gentlemen who are fond of hunting to obtain the 

 knowledge necessary to enjoy it in perfection ; 

 — and to lessen the punishments which are too 

 often inflicted on an animal so friendly to man, 

 are the chief ends intended by the following 

 Letters. 



I shall not pretend to lay down rules which 

 are to be equally good in every country ; I shall 

 think myself sufficiently justified in recommend- 

 ing such as have been tried with success in the 

 countries where I have generally hunted. As 

 almost every country has a different dialect, you 

 will also excuse, I hope, any terms that may not 

 be current with you : I will take the best care 

 I can that their number shall be few. I need 

 not, I think, advise you not to adopt too easily 

 the opinions of other men. You will hear a tall 

 man say, it is nonsense to ride any but large 

 horses ; and every little man in company will 

 immediately sell his little horses, buy such as he 

 can hardly mount, and ride them in hilly coun- 

 tries, for which they are totally unfit. Pride 

 induces some men to dictate ; indolence makes 



