THE GUN, AND HOW TO CHOOSE IT. 59 



cast-iron, in all parts, except the lock-springs, and I should 

 about as soon fire one with a reasonable charge, as I would 

 hold a hand-grenade in my fingers until it should explode. 



My opinion, preference and recommendation, therefore, 

 are decidedly in favor of the best English stub-and-twist 

 barrels that can be obtained for the price the individual 

 sportsman can command ; of which I shall speak anon. It 

 may be presumed, I suppose, that every person who has 

 the taste and means to follow field-sports at all, intends to 

 follow them to the best of his ability, and to fit himself 

 out with the best appliances and outfit his circumstances 

 will command. Not because I take it for granted, with 

 old Izaak Walton and some modern enthusiasts, that a 

 sportsman is of necessity a larger-hearted and freer-handed 

 fellow than his neighbor for I must acknowledge to 

 having been cognizant, in my day, of some very bitter 

 screws among sportsmen, though, on the whole, I think 

 they may claim to be above average but because it is 

 manifestly for their interest and their pleasure, for once, 

 in their case synonymous, to be so. 



I shall, therefore, proceed to speak of the work pro- 

 duced by different makers, of different localities ; first, in 

 their relative scale of excellence ; second, in their relative 

 scale of price. Lastly, I shall state my own views as to 

 the comparative ratio of excellence and price combined ; 

 and the method of purchasing suitably to comparative 

 pockets. It must be remembered, that, in all this, I pro- 

 fess only to give my own opinions, not to claim for them 

 infallibility, or even superiority to the opinions of others. 

 1 have had some experience, and some opportunities of 



