THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. ^ 



man, aiked him very impertinently, " Si/on ^naitrt 

 ^' chajfo'it toujour sT'' " Ou'i^ out,'''' replied the other 

 — '^ il ne joue jamais de la jiute^'' — The reply was 

 excellent, but it would have been as well, per- 

 haps, for mankind, if that gi^eat man had never 

 been otherwife employed. — .Hunting is the foul 

 of a countrv life ; it gives heaUh to the body, 

 and contentment to the mind ; and is one of the 

 few pleafures we can enjoy in fociety, without 

 prejudice either to ourfelves, or our friends. 



The Speculator has drawn with infinite humour 

 the chara6ler of a man who pafles his whole life 

 in purfuit of trifles ; and it is probable, other 

 Will Wimbles might ftill be foiind. I hope, 

 however, that he did not think they were con- 

 fined to the country only. Triiicrs there are of 

 every denomination. Are we not all triflers ? 

 and are we not told that all is vanity ? — The 

 Spectator, v/ithout doubt, felt great compallion 

 for Mr. Wimble ; yet Mr. Wimble miglit not 

 have been a proper object of it ; fince it is more 

 than probable he was a happy man, if the em- 

 ployment of his time in obliging others, and 

 plealing himfelf, can be thought to have made 

 him fo. — Whether vanity miflead us or not in the 

 choice of our purfuits, the pleafures or advan- 

 tages which refult from them, will heft determine, 

 —I fear the occupation of few gentlemen will 

 ^dmit of nice fcrutiny ; occupations, therefore, 



that 



