■40 MANUAL FOE YOUNG SPOBTSMEN. 



and the other of the Atlantic, who have kept dogs which 

 they could not hunt, horses which they could not ride, 

 guns out of which they could not shoot ; lovers, or at 

 least, pretended lovers of a sport, which they assuredly 

 could not pursue to any profit, nor, so far as I can imagine, 

 to any possible pleasure ; who have yet fancied themselves, 

 and even been called by others — who knew even less about 

 it than they did themselves — sportsmen. But, though I 

 may have been willing to give them credit as good fellows 

 and promoters of sport for the benefit of others, I never 

 could be induced to prostitute, by bestowing it on such as 

 they, the noble appellation in which all, who have the 

 right to bear it, rejoice with so legitimate a pride and 

 pleasure. 



This being admitted, therefore, it will necessarily fol- 

 low that the first thing to be done by the person aspiring 

 to be a sportsman is, to provide himself with a good and 

 effective weapon, and next, to obtain proficiency, in the 

 highest degree possible, in its use. 



To both these ends, therefore, I shall devote a few 

 pages of instruction, founded on long experience, and 

 tested to my own satisfaction, at least, by the only sure 

 proof of practice. 



I shall begin by assuming, what it needs no argument 

 to establish, that for game-shooting of smaller animals on 

 the field, there is but one weapon ; the double-barrelled 

 percussion shot gun. For the most inveterate supporters 

 of the old flash-in-the-pan, flint-and-steel system have long 

 arc been compelled to abandon their prejudices on the 



