rox-nuNTiNG. 81 



not be spoilt, and then every one for himself. As Charles the 

 Tenth of France said, Englishmen excel in that chase which 

 consists in following an animal "over mountain and vale, 

 through woods and rivers, over hedges, gates, and walls, and 

 killing him a short distance from where he was found," rather 

 than in those more subtle arts of venerie which perhaps were 

 more appreciated in former ages than at present. In fact, the 

 Briton loves to " drink delight of battle with his peers," not in 

 a jealous, envying spirit, but in a generous rivalry to see who is 

 the better man to do and dare ; and the nature of the fox gives 

 him the best opportunity to throw down the gage of battle in 

 his pursuit. To be effective, a run in which men meet for the 

 dual object of seeing sport and having a friendly " set at each 

 other," must be short, sharp, and decisive; it must include a 

 certain amount of difficulties to be overcome, and at the same 

 time take place over an arena which affords fair going to a bold 

 rider and a good horse. All these requirements fox-hunting 

 combines in a degree unknown to any other chase. The fox, 

 on an average, runs just about long enough to tax the powers of 

 man and horse sufficiently for pleasure, without overdoing them, 

 and it is only at intervals that we hear of Eillesdon Coplow, 

 "Waterloo, or Greatwood runs taking place, to startle the 

 hunting world out of its propriety, and frighten men who ride 

 for sale, as well as those with short studs, for a month to come. 

 But it is just the uncertainty when such a tickler may occur 

 that constitutes the charm ; and there is scarcely a man, save 

 and except those who avowedly go out to coffee-houses, that 

 does not, as he pulls on his boots of a morning, think that it 

 may be for the " coming day," when, perchance, only a chosen 

 few — he being, of course, amongst them — will be able to live 

 on to the end of what I have heard termed an " historical run." 

 There is not, perhaps, much pleasure in these, and a really good 

 five and twenty minutes, which the renowned Frank Holyoake 

 put as the limit of pleasure in a fox-chase, is rather longer than 

 most men and horses can conveniently go, if the pace is severe 3 



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