Identifier: noblesciencefewg1839radc (find matches)
Title: The noble science : a few general ideas on fox-hunting, for the use of the rising generation of sportsmen, and more especially those of the Hertfordshire hunt club
Year: 1839 (1830s)
Authors: Radcliffe, F. P. Delmé (Frederick Peter Delmé), 1804-1875
Subjects: Horses Fox hunting Hertfordshire hunt
Publisher: London : R. Ackerman
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University

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ith the earth-stoppersfor the loss of their vocation, the process of smokingout, and then securing the earths, must occupy noinconsiderable portion of time and labour; nor couldthese operations be safely committed to any but most re-sponsible persons, if, indeed, they could be at all effectedwithout the personal superintendance of huntsman orwhipper-in, at the time when they are busily engagedin cub-hunting, &c. Where a great end is to be gained,the trouble attending the means of accomplishment mustnot be considered; the stopping of a whole country isproved to be practicable beyond a question, Mr. Smithbeing himself evidence of the fact, and, as I have beforesaid, it is an example, doubtless, worthy of imitation. Imust, however, take leave to differ from him once more,when he says, ^ that if every earth in the country wasdone away with, it would be a benefit to fox-hunting,even as respects the breeding of foxes; for the vixenswould breed above ground in furze, or would find drains
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1J I •/ -^/, X.^^^- THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 273 which no one knows of, &c. Admitting the possibiHty,which I am much disposed to question, that the wholevulpine race would so far forego their nature as tobreed entirely above ground, instead of drawing outevery rabbit-burrow, or hole of any kind, or settingthemselves again to the work of excavation on theirown account; the alternative of finding drains wJiiclino one knows of would be ten times more prejudicial tosport, than all the evils which could possibly result fromthe regular earths. Foxes would constantly lie there;the drains to which I have before alluded, as requiringgratings, or stakes, to oppose the ingress of foxes, areobjectionable enough, when they are known, and adrain which no one knows of &c., must prove an incon-ceivable nuisance. It is certainly to be regretted that,where earths are known, every vulpecide may know, toa certainty, when to trap a fox ; but it is no less true,that the main earths are the salvation of

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