Theladywhoridesanddemandsassistanceintruthbecomesanuisancebeforetherunisover，letherbeautybeeversotranscendent，herhorsemanshipever—soperfect，andherbatteryofgeneralfeminineartilleryeversopowerful。SheisliketheAmericanwoman，whoisalwayswantingyourplaceinarailwaycarriage，anddemandingit，too，withouttheslightestideaofpayingyouforitwiththanks;whosestudyitistotreatyouasthoughsheignoredyourexistencewhilesheisappropriatingyourservices。Thehuntingladywhodemandsassistanceisveryparticularabouthergates，requiringthataidshallbegiventoherwithinstantspeed，butthatthemanwhogivesitshallneverallowhimselftobehurriedasherendersit。Andshesoonbecomesreproachful，oh，sosoon！Itismarvelloustowatchthemannerinwhichahuntingladywillbecomeexacting，troublesome，andatlastimperious，deceivedandspoiltbytheattentionwhichshereceives。Sheteachesherselftothinkatlastthatamanisabrutewhodoesnotrideasthoughhewereridingasherservant，andthatitbecomeshertoassumeindignationifeverymotionaroundherisnotmadewithsomereferencetohersafety，tohercomfort，ortohersuccess。IhaveseenwomenlookasFurieslook，andheardthemspeakasFuriesaresupposedtospeak，becausemenbeforethemcouldnotburythemselvesandtheirhorsesoutoftheirwayatamoment'snotice，orbecausesomepullinganimalwouldstillasserthimselfwhiletheywerethere，andnotsinkintosubmissionanddog—likeobediencefortheirbehoof。
　　Ihavenowbeforemyeyesonewhowaspretty，brave，andagoodhorse—woman;buthowmendidhateher！Whenyouwereinalinewithhertherewasnoshakingheroff。Indeed，youwerelikeenoughtobeshakenoffyourself，andtoberidofherafterthatfashion。Butwhileyouwerewithheryouneverescapedheratasinglefence，andalwaysfeltthatyouwereheldtobetrespassingagainstherinsomemanner。Ishallneverforgethervoice，"Pray，takecareofthatgate。"Andyetitwasaprettyvoice，andelsewhereshewasnotgiventodomineeringmorethaniscommontoprettywomeningeneral;butshehadbeentaughtbadlyfromthebeginning，andshewasapest。Itwasthesameateverygap。"MightIaskyounottocometoonearme？"Andyetitwasimpossibletoescapeher。Mencouldnotridewideofher，forshewouldnotridewideofthem。Shehadalwayssomemaleescortwithher，whodidnotrideassherode，andconsequently，asshechosetohavetheadvantageofanescort，ofvariousescorts，shewasalwaysinthecompanyofsomewhodidnotfeelasmuchjoyinthepresenceofaprettyyoungwomanasmenshoulddounderallcircumstances。"MightIaskyounottocometoonearme？"Ifshecouldonlyhaveheardtheremarkstowhichthisconstantlittlerequestofhersgaverise。Sheisnowthemotherofchildren，andherhuntingdaysaregone，andprobablyshenevermakesthatlittlerequest。Doubtlessthatlook，madeuppartlyofoffenceandpartlyoffemaledignity，nolongercloudsherbrow。ButI
　　fancythattheywhoknewherofoldinthehuntingfieldneverapproachhernowwithoutfancyingthattheyhearthosereproachfulwords，andseethatpowerfullookofinjuredfeminineweakness。
　　Butthereisthehuntingladywhorideshardandneverasksforassistance。PerhapsImaybeallowedtoexplaintoembryoDianas，tothegrowinghuntressesofthepresentage，thatshewhoridesandmakesnodemandreceivesattentionascloseasisevergiventohermoreimperioussister。Andhowwelcomesheis！
　　Whatagraceshelendstotheday'ssport！Howpleasantitistoseeherinherprideofplace，achievinghermasteryoverthedifficultiesinherwaybyherownwit，asallmen，andallwomenalso，mustreallydowhointendtoridetohounds;anddoingitallwithoutanysignthatthedifficultiesaretoogreatforher！
　　Theladywhorideslikethisisintruthseldomintheway。I
　　haveheardmendeclarethattheywouldneverwishtoseeaside—
　　saddleinthefieldbecausewomenaretroublesome，andbecausetheymustbetreatedwithattentionletthepressofthemomentbeeversoinstant。FromthisIdissentaltogether。Thesmallamountofcourtesythatisneededismorethanatonedforbythegraceofherpresence，andinfactproducesnomoreimpedimentinthehunting—fieldthaninotherscenesoflife。
　　Butinthehunting—field，asinotherscenes，letassistanceneverbedemandedbyawoman。Iftheladyfindsthatshecannotkeepaplaceinthefirstflightwithoutsuchdemandsonthepatienceofthosearoundher，letheracknowledgetoherselfthattheattemptisnotinherline，andthatitshouldbeabandoned。
　　Ifitbetheambitionofahuntingladytoridestraight，andwomenhaveverymuchofthisambition，letherusehereyesbutneverhervoice;andlethereverhaveasmileforthosewhohelpherinherlittledifficulties。Letherneveraskanyone"totakecareofthatgate，"orlookasthoughsheexpectedtheprofanecrowdtokeepalooffromher。Soshallshewintheheartsofthosearoundher，andgosafelythroughbrakeandbrier，overditchanddyke，andmeetwithascoreofknightsaroundherwhowillbewillingandabletogivehereageraidshouldthechanceofanymomentrequireit。
　　Therearetwoaccusationswhichthemoredemureportionoftheworldisapttoadvanceagainsthuntingladies，or，asIshouldbettersay，againsthuntingasanamusementforladies。Itleadstoflirting，theysay，toflirtingofasortwhichmotherswouldnotapprove;anditleadstofasthabits，towaysandthoughtswhichareofthehorsehorsey，andofthestable，stronglytingedwiththerackandmanger。Thefirstoftheseaccusationsis，Ithink，simplymadeinignorance。Asgirlsarebroughtupamongusnow—a—days，theymayallflirt，iftheyhaveamindtodoso;andopportunitiesforflirtingaremuchbetterandmuchmorecommodiousintheball—room，inthedrawing—room，orinthepark，thantheyareinthehunting—field。Noristheworkinhandofanaturetocreateflirtingtendencies，as，itmustbeadmitted，isthenatureoftheworkinhandwhenthefloorsarewaxedandthefiddlesaregoing。Andthiserrorhassprungfrom，orformspartof，another，whichiswonderfullycommonamongnon—huntingfolk。Itisverywidelythoughtbymany，whodonot，asarule，putthemselvesinoppositiontotheamusementsoftheworld，thathuntinginitselfisawickedthing;thathuntingmenarefast，giventouncleanlivingandbadwaysoflife;thattheyusuallygotobeddrunk，andthattheygoabouttheworldroaringhuntingcries，anddisturbingthepeaceoftheinnocentgenerally。Withsuchmen，whocouldwishthatwife，sister，ordaughtershouldassociate？ButIventuretosaythatthisopinion，whichIbelievetobecommon，iserroneous，andthatmenwhohuntarenotmoreiniquitousthanmenwhogooutfishing，orplaydominoes，ordigintheirgardens。Maximadebeturpuerisreverentia，andstillmoretodamsels;butifboysandgirlswillnevergowheretheywillhearmoretoinjurethemthantheywillusuallydoamidsttheordinaryconversationofahuntingfield，themaximareverentiawillhavebeenattained。
　　Astothatothercharge，letitbeatonceadmittedthattheyoungladywhohasbecomeofthehorsehorseyhasmadeafearful，almostafatalmistake。Andsoalsohastheyoungmanwhofallsintothesameerror。Ihardlyknowtowhichsuchphaseofcharactermaybemostinjurious。Itisaperniciousvice，thatofsuccumbingtothebeastthatcarriesyou，andmakingyourself，asitwere，hisservant，insteadofkeepinghimeverasyours。I
　　willnotdenythatIhaveknownaladytofallintothisvicefromhunting;butsoalsohaveIknownladiestomarrytheirmusic—mastersandtofallinlovewiththeirfootmen。Butnotonthataccountarewetohavenomusic—mastersandnofootmen。
　　Letthehuntinglady，however，avoidanytouchofthisblemish，rememberingthatnomaneverlikesawomantoknowasmuchaboutahorseashethinksheknowshimself。
　　THEHUNTINGFARMER。
　　Fewhuntingmencalculatehowmuchtheyowetothehuntingfarmer，orrecognizethefactthathuntingfarmerscontributemorethananyotherclassofsportsmentowardsthemaintenanceofthesport。Itishardlytoomuchtosaythathuntingwouldbeimpossibleiffarmersdidnothunt。Iftheywereinimicaltohunting，andmensocloselyconcernedmustbefriendsorenemies，therewouldbenofoxesleftalive;andnofox，ifalive，couldbekeptaboveground。Fenceswouldbeimpracticable，anddamageswouldberuinous;andanyattempttomaintaintheinstitutionofhuntingwouldbealongwarfareinwhichtheopposingfarmerwouldcertainlybetheultimateconqueror。WhatrighthasthehuntingmanwhogoesdownfromLondon，oracrossfromManchester，torideoverthegroundwhichhetreatsasifitwerehisown，andtowhichhethinksthatfreeaccessishisundoubtedprivilege？Fewmen，Ifancy，reflectthattheyhavenosuchright，andnosuchprivilege，orrecollectthattheverysceneandareaoftheirexercise，thelandthatmakeshuntingpossibletothem，iscontributedbythefarmer。Letanyonerememberwithwhattenacitytheexclusiverightofenteringupontheirsmallterritoriesisclutchedandmaintainedbyallcultivatorsinothercountries;lethimremembertheenclosuresofFrance，thevineandoliveterracesofTuscany，orthenarrowly—watchedfieldsofLombardy;thelittlemeadowsofSwitzerlandonwhichnostranger'sfootisallowedtocome，ortheDutchpastures，dividedbydykes，andmadesafefromallintrusions。LethimtalktotheAmericanfarmerofEnglishhunting，andexplaintothatindependent，butsomewhatprosaichusbandman，thatinEnglandtwoorthreehundredmenclaimtherightofaccesstoeveryman'slandduringthewholeperiodofthewintermonths！Then，whenhethinksofthis，willherealizetohimselfwhatitisthattheEnglishfarmercontributestohuntinginEngland？TheFrenchcountrymancannotbemadetounderstandit。YoucannotinducehimtobelievethatifheheldlandinEngland，lookingtomakehisrentfromtenderyounggrass—fieldsandpatchesofsproutingcorn，hewouldbepowerlesstokeepoutintruders，ifthoseintruderscameintheshapeofarushingsquadronofcavalry，andcalledthemselvesahunt。