70 



Then, if the Hunt happens to be a subscription pack, might be 

 added the following notice from the Committee ; for the Master 

 should have nothing to do with the collection of subscriptions ; that 

 should be left to the Committee, Secretary, or Treasurer : — 



The Committee of the Gorse Covert Foxhounds begs to impress upon those 

 who hunt with the pack that it cannot be maintained M-ithout heavy- 

 expenditure ; therefore it is expected that each ladj^ and gentleman will 

 subscribe liberally to the fund, and pay the subscription to the Treasurer 

 punctually every first of September, when contracts for the coming season 

 have to be entered upon. 



It should also be borne in mind that even if through any cause residents 

 in the country may be temporarily prevented from hunting, they should 

 continue their snhscription, for they must remember the same expenditure 

 has to be kept up, whether they hunt or not. 



By Order of the Com. Gorse Covert Foxhounds. 



Thomas Tally-ho, Hon. Sec. 



Now if the foregoing simple rules and observations, with the 

 explanations, were to be fully dinned into the heads of the hunting 

 community, I am convinced they would be generally followed, and 

 would thus make the duties of M.F.H. and huntsman comparatively 

 easy, while the followers of the chase would enjoy all the more sport, 

 and, best of all, the " pastime of princes " would perhaps never cease 

 to be the " glory of youth, consolation of age, sublimest of ecstacies 

 under the sun." 



I\Iost Hunts, I think, can boast of having some followers, more or 

 less, who like to hunt but don't like to subscribe to the fund, and 

 what is worse, indulge those propensities. Now, to those gentle- 

 men I should convey the information — and that, too, without any 

 meal in my mouth — that if they hunt they must subscribe. Of course, 

 there are scores of cases in which exceptions should be made — 

 good sportsmen who can only barely aiford to keep a horse or two, 

 and such like, and men who in other ways aid and assist the sport ; 

 and on no account whatever should a farmer be allowed to subscribe, 

 for he gives enough without having to give money. 



Of course, it has to be left optional to a man what he subscribes, 

 but I think it might very well be calculated at £5 for each day per 

 week he hunts; i.e., a one-day -a-week-man should subscribe £5 a year, 

 a two-day-a week £10, and so on. Should he favour more Hunts than 

 one with his presence he should subscribe proportionately to them all. 



Of course, landed proprietors and those with other standing and 

 position in the county should subscribe much more largely, and 

 that, too, whether they hunt or not, are residents or absentees. 

 Everyone of means, whether he be county or city man, should feel 

 proud of his county Hunt, and show that pride by sustaining it with 

 his money. When I shall have shown in a following chapter what a 

 prodigious national advantage hunting is to our kingdom, it should 



