for destroying them, when very offensive, yet none when gentlemen stock the country again, which is the case, on purpose to renew their savage amusement. There are many ways surely of using manly exercise, at least as healthful and far more innocent, and less expensive and dangerous, than galloping over hedges, gates and ditches. If the manliness of the action lie in the risk you run of breaking your neck for no end, it would still be greater manliness to jump down a precipice. The destruction of an animal is esteemed amusement! strange perversion of feeling! There are persons who take delight in knocking down an ox: if hunting be a more genteel amusement it is certainly a more cruel one.
Detested sport!
that owes it's pleasure to another's pain!
that feeds upon the sobs, and dying shrieks
of harmless nature!—Cowper.
Those practices, barbarous enough to be derived from the Goths, or even the Sythians, are encouraged, in some instances, even by Ladies, and the compliment passed by our huntsmen on those of quality who are present, is truly savage. The knife is put in to the lady's hand to cut the throat of an exhausted, helpless, trembling, weeping creature.
After referring to this practice, Mr. Ritson, adds, "The tender feelings of these elegant fair.ones, never induce them, it seems, to reject this office They contemplate, with equal satisfaction, the poor heron, with it's wings and legs broken, and it's bill stuck in the ground, a living prey to the savage hawk. "Ladies of quality," quotha? rather Gorgons and Furies!"
What glory, what emolument is gained by persecutions so mean, where the completion is so unequal
