10 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING* 



that amufe, and are at the fame time innocent t 

 that promote exercife and conduce to health ; 

 tliough they may appear trifles in the eyes of 

 otherSj certainly are not fo to thofe wlio enjoy 

 them. Cf this nun:ber I think I may reckon 

 hunting ; and I am particularly glad the fame 

 author furnilhes a quotation in fupport of it; 

 " for my own part/' fays this elegant writer, " I 

 *' intend to hunt twice a week during my ftay 

 " with Sir Roger ; and fhall prcfcrihe the mo- 

 *' derate ufe of this exercife to all my country 

 ^ friends, as the beft phytic for mending a bad 

 " conftitution, and preferving a good one." — 

 The inimitable Cervantes alfo honourably men- 

 tions this diverlion : he makes Sancho fay — 

 " Mercy on mc, what pleafure can yon find, any 

 " of ye all, in kilhng a poor bead: that never 

 '- meant any harm !" th;it the Duke may reply, 

 •.- — You are miltaken, Sancho; hunting wild 

 *' beafts is the moil proper exercife for knights 

 '^ and princes; for in the chace of a ftout noble 

 *' beafl, may be reprefcnted the whole art of 

 *^ war, ilratagems, policy, and ambul^ades, with 

 •' all other devices uliially praclifed to overcome 

 " an enemy with fafety. Here we are expofed 

 *^ to the extremities of heat and cold ; cafe and 

 ** lazincfs can have no room in this diverlion ; 

 ♦* by this we are inured to toil and hardfhip, our 

 **■■ limbs are ftrengthened, our joints made fupple, 

 *' and our whole body hale and active : in fhort. 



