30 OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 



one Christmas, as wc were changing horses in a 

 small market town in the lower part of Hamp- 

 shire, I saw an immense quantity of game lying 

 at the coaeh office to be forwarded to its destina- 

 tion. I enquired from whence it came ; and was 

 informed a grande batiie had taken place not far 

 distant. Knowing some of the party, I natiu'ally 

 enquired of the landlord of the inn ivho had 

 bagged the most game : " I know nothing about 

 that, Sir," said he, " but the men zvJio beat for 

 the Genileinen killed one hundred and txventy head ; " 

 now if the foxes had only taken one-tenth of 

 what the beaters knocked on the head, it would 

 have made a great noise in the country, although 

 a single fox would have shewn a hundred neigh- 

 bouring gentlemen a day's sport. It would be 

 no very difficult matter to have pheasants driven 

 up so as to shoot them from your drawing-Room 

 window, and thus treat Mamma and the children 

 with a j:>rt/-i?e de Chasse ; they may then have 

 ocular demonstration what a good shot Papa is ! 

 I hope my brother Sportsmen of the trigger will 

 not be offended ; I am as anxious for the preser- 

 vation of game as any man ; my only fear is 

 that it will be carried to too great an extent, 

 and in the end defeat its object. If I were to 

 say a vixen Fox that had cubs would not lay 

 hold of the first eatable thing she met with, whether 



