82 BIPEDS AND QUADRUPEDS. 



shooting ; it is a sport, an amusement, and that only, 

 and, as I before said, has no unjustifiable cruelty in its 

 indulgence. It produces great excitement to those 

 who are enthusiastic about it; but we have no right to 

 be cruel, to indulge in excitement, or enthusiasm, or 

 both combined ; the mere amusement of man is not 

 to be indulged in at the expense of good and proper 

 feeling, though his arrogance induces him to think 

 that the comfort, well-doing, or even the life of 

 dumb animals ought to be sacrificed, if necessary, to 

 promote his pleasure. 



Probably a nobleman, or gentleman, who tries for 

 the first time a pointer he has brought up, and which 

 has been broken by his keeper, is delighted with the 

 dog, and, as probably, knows nothing of the severity 

 the unfortunate beast has undergone, to bring him 

 to be perfectly steady, to " back," bring his game if 

 wished, not to "break field," to " down-charge," and 

 other perfections that render a pointer valuable. 



It has been stated, and, true or not, is accredited 

 by many, that the miserable dancing bears that 

 used to disgrace our streets were taught to do this. 



