THE HISTORY OF THE BELVOIR HUNT 



short period. To the latter view I incline, placing its rise 

 as a sport separate to that for hare or stag-hunting between 

 1720-1759. The superior attractions of fox-hunting over other 

 forms of the chase were recognised, and Dr. Aikin, writing 

 on Somervile's " Chase " quoted in the Sporting Magazine 

 in 1797, says: "It" — the fox-chase — "is indeed the capital 

 scene of action for the English sportsman, for though the 

 stag is a much nobler object of pursuit, the chace of the fox 

 abounds with greater variety of incident, and is a severer trial 

 to the spirit of the hunters and the perseverance of the dogs 

 and horses." Moreover, I am inclined to look on fox-hunting 

 as being the direct descendant of stag-hunting, and the fox- 

 hound as an improved edition of the older hound used by the 

 great families in the chase of the stag, modified for the 

 purposes of hunting the fox, from the distinctive types, 

 which, as I have already suggested, each family preserved 

 jealously. It is possible, then, that the legend of the 

 young Duke of Beaufort who, when wearied with an un- 

 successful day's hunting of the stag, threw his hounds into 

 Standen Park, and finding a fox and enjoying a good run, 

 steadied his hounds thereafter from all other forms of chase, 

 and took up fox-hunting with enthusiasm, is but the myth 

 which frequently crystallizes into a particular incident some 

 general process of development. However that may be, the 

 science of fox-hunting grew rapidly, and hounds were bred for 

 the same qualities that we look for now. For the fox-hound 

 has altered but little, as a study of old hound pictures will 

 convince us. What has changed is the method of the hunts- 

 man. One thing, however, is certain, and this is, that hounds 

 accustomed to hunt a hare in the old way were not likely to 

 kill many foxes, for the farther their fox went the longer dis- 

 tance would they be left behind. The fox then evolved the 

 huntsman. The wisdom of the hare-hunter of the old school 

 was to sit still and let his hounds work out the puzzles set 

 them by the quarry, while the duty of the man who now 

 carries the horn is to get forward. The old huntsman had 

 thus fewer opportunities of distinguishing himself in the field 

 than his more modern prototype. He also took rather a 



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