THE SAFEGUARD OF THE NATION. 105 



mit patiently to those privations which attend a 

 sportsman's life, will be, when a man, the first to 

 charge the ranks of the enemy, and the fittest 

 to endure the hardships of a campaign. At 

 the same time, we must not be understood to 

 mean that hunting and shooting are to be the sole 

 business of a man's life ; we speak of them only 

 as recreative pastimes, when the bow is to be un- 

 strung from other necessary occupations. We 

 speak of field sports and country amusements as 

 spirit-stirring, healthful, cheerful diversions, tend- 

 ing to invigorate the mind and body, in opposition 

 to those of the city, w^hich lead to debility, luxury, 

 sensuality, and ruin of constitution. 



Notwithstanding the childish prating of the 

 Cobden school of polititians about peace — peace, 

 when there is no peace — the safeguard of every 

 nation is the hardihood and bravery of its people, 

 and the safest method to maintain peace is ever to 

 be prepared for war. The history of the world 

 teaches us that, when we shall cease to be warlike* 

 we shall cease also to be independent. Giving our 

 backs to the smiters, forgiveness of injuries, pa- 

 tience, and submission to insults and abuse, are 

 virtues which ought to be practised by members 

 of a Christian community towards each other ; but, 

 until the whole world binds itself by treaty to 



