382 



I don't agree with those who think the present generation of sports 

 men is inferior to those of former days. We have as good men now as 

 we ever had ; but men change in habits and tastes, and few are now to 

 be found who would care for the exploits in which their ancestors 

 gloried, so they don't go in for them. Consequently the fatigue 

 which two generations ago our fathers -and grandfathers unflinchingly 

 sustained and the endurance they showed could not be borne by the 

 constitution or muscles of their descendants. The Britain over which 

 the men of old hunted and shot is passing rapidly away, and with it 

 are disappearing the memories of deeds which will never be repeated. 

 Nor shall we often (perhaps never) see again men who each possessed 

 the combination of tough muscles and activity with skill in handling 

 hounds, a horse, the gun, the gloves, the fishing rod, the billiard cue, or 

 cricket bat, for which so many men of olden times were conspicuous. 



Young men of the present day look upon some of the deeds which I 

 have narrated as foolish, if not mad. Perhaps it is well they do so. 

 For my part, I agree with many that there was a groundwork of 

 energy and determination in the wild deeds of sportsmen of bygone 

 days which was useful ; for, however imprudent it may have been at 

 times on the part of the performers, financially and constitutionally, 

 such examples of pluck, endurance and disregard of bodily suffering 

 shown by the upper classes of society must have a salutary effect upon 

 the people at large ; and in these times of tennis, cycling and money- 

 making it would do the present generation no harm if we could bring 

 back to life some of the old race of men, with all their so-called 

 madness and reckless disregard of life and money. 



We have, and shall have, many first-rate foxhunters but scarcely 

 another Osbaldeston. Many first-rate shots, but not another Captain 

 Ross. Many tip-top cricketers, shots, ranners, jumpers and sparrers, 

 but not likely one to excel in all as did Edward Budd. Pedestrians 

 we have, and shall have, but certainly never another Barclay- Allardice. 



Perhaps I should have included some of the shooting recorded in 

 this chapter in the table of remarkable sport given in Chapter XV., 

 but giving the record in a separate chapter renders it the more 

 emphatic. 



