ox THE NATIONAL UTILITY OF HUNTING. 2D 



''St. James's, Odoher 12/7/, 1792. 



" On the 2nd instant I returned you, in a parcel by the mail, 

 the notices you sent me to sign. I hope you received them 

 early enough to serve upon my tenants in due time without 

 inconvenience to yourself. I must desire that all those tenants 

 who have shown themselves friends to the several fox-hunts in 

 your neighbouring counties, viz., Lord Spencer's, Duke of Eut- 

 land's, Mr. Meynell's, Lord Stamford's, &c., may have the offer and 

 refusal of their farms upon easy and moderate terms ; and, on 

 the other hand, that you will take care and make very particular 

 inquiry into the conduct of those tenants who shall have shown 

 a contrary disposition by destroying foxes, or encouraging others 

 to do so, or otherwise interrupting gentlemen's diversion, and 

 •Nvill transmit me their names and places of abode, as it is my 

 absolute determination that such persons shall not be treated 

 with in future by me upon any terms or consideration whatever. 

 I am convinced that landowners, as well as farmers and labourers 

 of every description, if they knew their own interest, would 

 perceive that they owe much of their prosperity to those popular 

 hunts by the great influx of money that is annually brought 

 into the country. I shall, therefore, use my utmost endeavours 

 to induce all persons of my acquaintance to adopt similar 

 measures ; and I am already happy to find that three gentlemen 

 of very extensive landed property in Leicestershire, and on the 

 borders of Northamptonshire, have positively sent, within these 

 few days, similar directions to their stewards, which their tenants 

 will be apprised of before they retake their farms at next Lady- 

 day. My sole object is having the good of the community at 

 heart, as you and all my tenants know that my sporting days 

 have been over some time ago. You are at liberty to make my 

 determination uj)on this subject as public as you shall think 

 proper." 



What a fine old fellow that Leicestershire nobleman must 

 have been, and what a striking contrast does this letter present 

 to the actions of too many landowners in the present day, who, 



