108 THE BENEFIT OF FIELD-SPORTS. 



Majesty's liege subjects ; and the covert's side is 

 to the country what Epsom Downs are to the 

 metropohtans — a place for recreation and amuse- 

 ment ; for it would be as absurd to say that the 

 whole field is composed of sportsmen, as that the 

 whole concourse of spectators on the race-course 

 consists of betting men. Spectatum veniunt, veniunt 

 spedentur et ipsi. 



In a social point of view, therefore, fox-hunting 

 is productive of some benefit, as tending to keep 

 up good fellowship and communion amongst those 

 who, living out of visiting distances from each 

 other, would otherwise have perhaps few oppor- 

 tunities of meeting. It is also in the zenith of its 

 season when all other country amusements, save 

 shooting and coursing, are at a stand, and when 

 Members of Parliament have laid aside the weightier 

 concerns of the nation, to luxuriate in their country 

 seats, and give some little relaxation to their 

 wearied frames and over- worked brains. To those, 

 of com^se, I allude, who have any brains to work 

 for the good of their country, not to the drones of 

 the hive. It is not necessary to argue, as some 

 have, that fox-hunting and field-sports deserve 

 support on account of the influence they may 

 possess in attaching our aristocracy and landed 

 proprietors to their homes, although no doubt 



