COVE ET- SIDE SKETCHES, 



CHAPTER I. 



THE POPULARITY OP THE CHASE AT THE PRESENT TIME. 



Hunting is the noblest exercise j 

 Makes men laborious, active, wise; 

 Brings health, and doth the spirits delight^ 

 It helps the hearing and the sight ; 

 It teacheth arts that never slip 

 The memory — good horsemanship, 

 Search, sharpness, courage, and defence. 

 And chaseth all ill habits thence. 



On this subject tliere is little need for me to insist, though it is 

 well worthy the notice, not only of the writer on sporting sub- 

 jects, but also the students of English character, how strongly 

 the passion for every kind of field sport has been developed 

 within the last few years. It is worthy also the attention of 

 reformers (so-called) and politicians whose aim is to bring 

 about, either by persuasion or law, the abolition of those exciting 

 pursuits to which Englishmen have been addicted from the 

 earliest ages recorded in history until now. Whether by force 

 of public opinion they wish to deter us nationally from the 

 chase, or by the abolition of aU laws protecting game to prevent 

 the possibility of its being indulged in, they must first of all find 

 some other outlet for those passions and instincts with which 

 every denizen of these islands seems to be imbued by Nature — 

 a love of sport, danger, and adventure, which takes us into aU 



