INTRODUCTION 75 



and grouse, you allow for entertaining your friends, 

 which is rarely done by the fox-hunter and not to 

 so great an extent by the fisherman. Besides, I 

 am dealing with the respective merits of four kinds of 

 sport, and it is possible to appreciate the whole four 

 at your friend's expense without any outlay of your 

 own. 



If the above analysis of the respective advantages 

 of each of the forms of sport to which the attention 

 of readers of this chapter has been directed be at all 

 correct, no difficulty will be found in assigning to each 

 ' points of merit.' Judged by this method, it will be 

 found that deer-stalking wins easily. Perhaps on the 

 whole fox-hunting comes next, while the remaining 

 two may be bracketted as ' equal/ I do not for a 

 moment expect that the devotees of fishing, grouse- 

 shooting, or hunting will admit the superiority of any 

 other rival. Indeed, if they were to do so they would 

 not obtain my sympathy. Enthusiasm in sport is as 

 necessary for its successful prosecution as it is desir- 

 able, and this may be said of all other undertakings 

 in which we wish to excel. Such enthusiasm is not 

 likely to be lessened by attempts on the part of those 

 whose affections are elsewhere bestowed to justify 

 themselves by mere argument. If a debating society 

 were to select for the subject of discussion ' Which is 



