FIELD SPORTS ON CHARACTER 6 



is in fox-hunting the keenest possible desire to 

 overcome satisfactorily these difficulties yourself. 

 Not merely for the sake of explaining to an after- 

 dinner audience how you jumped that big place by 

 the church or led the field safely over the brook, 

 though that element does enter in ; but from 

 the strong delight which an Englishman seems by 

 birthright to have in surmounting any obstacles 

 which are placed in his way. Put a man then on 

 a horse, and send him out hunting, and when he 

 has had some experience ask him what he has dis- 

 covered of the requirements of his new pursuit, and 

 what is the lesson or influence of it. He will pro- 

 bably give you some such answer as the following. 



The first thing that is wanted by, and therefore 

 encouraged by, fox-hunting, is decision. He wdio 

 hesitates is lost. ISTo " craner " can get well over a 

 country. Directly the hounds begin to run, he 

 who would follow them must decide upon his 

 course. Will he go through that gate, or attempt 

 that big fence, which has proved a stopper to the 

 crowd ? there is no time to lose. The fence may 

 necessitate a fall, the gate must cause a loss of 

 time, which sliall it be ? Or again, the hounds 

 have come to a check, the master and huntsmen are 

 not up (in some countries a very possible event), 

 and it devolves upon the only man who is with 

 them to give them a cast. Where is it to be ? 



