PREFACE. 



In the Preface to a former edition of Beck- 

 ford's Thoughts, it is observed that " no work 

 on the subject of Hunting had been published 

 before its appearance, except an anonymous 

 pubhcation in 1733." This apology cannot 

 be made for the present edition, for within 

 the last twenty years we have had, besides 

 Magazines and other periodicals devoted ex- 

 clusively to the sportsman, numerous works 

 on this, as well as every other branch of Field 

 Sports, many of which are written by authors 

 of established reputation, and great experience 

 in the subjects on which they treat. Beckford, 

 notwithstanding, holds the same position which 

 he has occupied for upwards of forty years. 

 He has always been considered by the sporting 

 world an unquestionable authority on every 

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