50 OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 



I have frequently been requested to give my 

 opinion on the subject of countries being A'^pf 

 together as they were originally hunted. In part 

 from my own ideas, formed early in life, and in 

 part from those of experienced sportsmen with 

 whom I have conversed upon the subject, I will 

 endeavour, in the clearest manner I am able, to 

 lay down Avhat appears to me to be the laiv on 

 this important, though delicate case ; and which, 

 in my humble opinion, if rigidly attended to, would 

 be most beneficial to the cause of fox-hunting. 

 If at any future period you should be in treaty 

 for a country, (which from political disputes, or 

 other causes, has not been kept entire, and other 

 hunts have taken the advantage during the inter- 

 regnum, of drawing those coverts most conve- 

 nient for them to reach from their own kennel, 

 or those they may have known to be the best 

 situated for sport,) before you arrange to hunt 

 it as a country, it is nothing more than common 

 justice, according to the laws of fox-hunting (as 

 far as I always understood them,) and to prevent 

 future misunderstanding, that the coverts so drawn 

 should be restored, and the hunt given up to 

 you entire. 



It is a very bad precedent for any one to 

 accept of a covert (which he knows from time 

 immemorial has belonged to another hunt,) be- 



