OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 55 



reasons, men at a certain time of life are fond 

 of their own fire-side, and it is not convenient 

 for every one to leave home to hunt "in the 

 great countries ; " but is that any reason they 

 should be deprived of their amusement, because 

 they live in a country less favourable to fox 

 hunting ? I ha^•c not patience to hear men (who 

 formerly, when in Leicestershire, never saw a 

 hound after they had found) say, " no other 

 country is fit to hvmt in ! " 



I have seen very good sport out of Leicester- 

 shire, and I hope I shall again. If gentlemen 

 would preserve foxes more liberally in the rural 

 countries, people would hiuit and reside more at 

 home ; and, in consequence, more money would 

 be circulated in their own neighbourhood, the 

 agriculturist benefited, the lower orders employed, 

 and the poor rates reduced. I remembei' an 

 instance in a parish of some considerable extent, 

 where only one gentleman kept an establishment, 

 the poor rates were double what they were in a 

 neighbouring one of the same magnitude, where 

 several gentlemen resided. 



I was very much surj^rised to hear of a bill 

 being brought into Parliament to make game 

 jyrivate property, and by a Yorkshire-man too ! 

 Formerly, a Yorkshire-man and a Sportsman were 

 synonymous. If the bill passes, it Avill annihilate 



