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greater : in the former position, from a trip of 

 the foot, the arm being instinctively thrown for- 

 ward, down goes the muzzle of your gun side- 

 ways, and off may go the contents, raking the 

 whole line to the left : but if carried in the other 

 way, and clasped by the left hand as directed, 

 then, under the same falling projection of arm, 

 the discharge would be at a considerable height 

 in the air, with the additional security of a 

 direction backwards*. I know not whether 

 what I am now addressing to yourself will ever 

 be matured into the fulfilling of your wishes for 

 its communication to the public ; but if it were, 

 I should certainly here be prompted to exclaim 

 Gentle reader! more particularly if thou art 

 fond of the sport, forgive me if I have thus 

 interrupted our attention to duty, through the 

 course of a page or two, by labouring this little 

 point somewhat strenuously. Consider ! it may 

 be the means of saving the life of thy best 

 friend, and prevent the marring, perhaps, of all 

 thy own diversion for the whole of an embittered 

 existence afterwards. Many indeed there are, 

 and these, men who from their long standing 

 in the profession would be much out of humour 

 to be told so ; but to take the field with whom, 



* I shall further elucidate this, where its uses will become 

 still more obvious, under the head of " Beating cover." 



