e on "the misery of man," tells us, that "all our
endeavours after greatness proceed from nothing but a desire of being
surrounded by a multitude of persons and affairs that may hinder us from
looking into ourselves, which is a view we cannot bear." He afterwards
goes on to show that our love of sports comes from the same reason, and
is particularly severe upon hunting. "What," says he, "unless it be to
drown thought, can make men throw away so much time and pains upon a
silly animal, which they might buy cheaper in the market?" The foregoing
reflection is certainly just, when a man suffers his whole mind to be
drawn into his sports, and altogether loses himself in the woods; but
does not affect those who propose a far more laudable end for this
exercise; I mean, the preservation of health, and keeping all the organs
of the soul in a condition to execute her orders. Had that incomparable
person, whom I last quoted, been a little more indulgent to himself in
this point, the world might probably have enjoyed him much longer:
whereas, through too great an application to his studies in his youth, he
contracted that ill habit[116] of body, which, after a tedious sickness,
carried him off in the fortieth year of his age; and the whole history we
have of his life till that time, is but one continued account of the
behaviour of a noble soul struggling under innumerable pains and
distempers.

For my own part, I intend to hunt twice a week during my stay with Sir
Roger; and shall prescribe the moderate use of this exercise to all my
country friends, as the best kind of physic for mending a bad
constitution, and preserving a good one.

I cannot do this better, than in the following lines out of Mr. Dryden:--

The first physicians by debauch were made;
Excess began, and sloth sustains the trade.
By chase our long-liv'd fathers earn'd their food;
Toil strung the nerves, and purifi'd the blood;
But we their sons, a pamper'd race of men,
Are dwindled down to threescore years and ten.
Better to hunt in fields for health unbought,
Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught.
The wise for cure on exercise depend;
God never made his work for man to mend.

X.

FOOTNOTES:

[104] _Managed._ Trained.

[105] _Stone-horse._ Stallion.

[106] _Staked._ Impaled.

[107] _Stop-hounds._ Hounds trained to go slowly and stop at a signal
from the huntsman.

[108] _Mouths._ Cry.

[109] _Cry._ P