3o8 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



were precisely those who created the demand for the 

 choice beasts he fatted ; and that if they were not 

 allowed to hunt neither Leicestershire nor England 

 would keep them in the winter time. Then he fell 

 back on the damage done by three or four hundred 

 horsemen sweeping over his farm — the hoof-marks 

 in the grass, the breaches in the fences, the gates 

 left open, horses and cattle wandering over the fields 

 or down the roads. But I pointed out that the grass 

 countries had been ridden over by crowds not much 

 less than those of to-day for at least a century, and 

 that they were still exactly what they always were, 

 some of the best and most profitable grazing lands in 

 England. To which he urged that the crowds were 

 strangers from all parts of England and from all parts 

 of the world. The answer was that this was at least 

 nothing new ; that the Quorn out of twenty-four 

 masters had had but two who were local men ; out 

 of twenty-seven masters the Pytchley had had sixteen 

 strangers ; that most of the men whose names are 

 bound up with the history of hunting in the Shires 

 and made the fame of its most splendid periods were 

 from distant counties, drawn to Melton or Leicester 

 or Market Harborough or Grantham by the fame 

 of the hounds, the charm of the district as a riding 

 ground, and possibly in some degree by the social 

 attractiveness which these gatherings of so-called 

 strangers gave to the district. 



Leicestershire and Northamptonshire feed just as 

 fine beasts as ever, for if the grass is no better, it is 

 certainly no worse for the hunting. In grass countries, 

 if the damage fund is carefully and liberally adminis- 

 tered, I think in the matter of direct profit or loss 

 hunting leaves the farmer very much as it found him. 

 On the other hand, this sport is the natural recreation 



