OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 87 



you are " too late,'" or " too soon,'' at the covert ; 

 you never draw to please them ; your meeting- 

 places are wrong ; even if the weatlicr is un- 

 favourable, they will endeavour to make it appear 

 your fault ; and every untoward circumstance is 

 attributed to your bad management. AVhen you 

 are established in a country, never intcifere with 

 politics ; when you turn politician, give up your 

 hounds. If possible, be on terms with all parties, 

 and if they have liberality they will preserve 

 foxes for you ; but you must in return do all 

 in your power to oblige them, consistently with 

 the general good of the hunt. You should also 

 endeavour to gain the good will of the farmers ; 

 if any respectable body of persons suffer from 

 hunting, it is them ; and I think it not only 

 ungentlemanly, but impolitic, to treat them in 

 the field, or elsewhere, otherwise than with kind- 

 ness and civility. They have a great deal in 

 their power, and if once you gain their respect 

 and esteem, whilst becoming popular amongst 

 them in general, it will save you many a litter 

 of foxes, and you will go on pleasantly without 

 any grumbling. 



I considered the hunt giving a farmer's " silver 

 cup," to be run for either at the hunt races, or 

 at the annual county meeting, as one of the 

 most popular things they covild do ; and I know 



