A Black Diamond. 55 



fifteen miles to such a meet as this^ home to 

 breakfast with such an appetite as can only be 

 obtained by strong exercise in pure air, and 

 then gone for a long day's partridge-shooting. 

 For many years I always made it a practice to 

 go out cub hunting on the first of September, 

 if I knew where they were, and I generally had 

 the information sent me. It was a sort of 

 opening of two different seasons on one day ; 

 but was it not almost too much enjoyment at 

 once ? I have often thought that perhaps I 

 was burning the candle at both ends. Well, 

 it could not last for ever, and it is as well to get 

 as much enjoyment out of this life at the time 

 as one can, being always with the proviso, that 

 these enjoyments are pure and healthful. I feel 

 sure that to much of my present robust health 

 and^ activity, although threescore years have 

 come and gone since 1 first saw the light, I am 

 indebted to having taken as much exercise of 

 all kinds as I could get, and passed most of my 

 time in the open air. The poet Dryden says, 



" The wise for cure on exercise depend ; 

 God never made his work for men to mend." 



And I am quite convinced that exercise, com- 

 bined with moderate (if not absolutely spare) 



