THE IDSTONE PAPERS: A SERIES OF ARTICLES AND DESULTORY OBSERVATIONS ON SPORT AND THINGS IN GENERAL. By "Idstone" of "The Field".

(1872) 1874 2nd edition. 8vo (134 x 205mm). Ppviii,285,xviii[ads]. Blind-stamped ruled borders to green cloth, decorative gilt titles, spine titled in gilt.

" 'The Idstone Papers' were originally written for the Field Newspaper. I have consented to republish them for the following reasons: - First, the favourable and kind opinion expressed by the late Mr. Charles Dickens of the first paper ('The Agricultural Labourer'), which was submitted to him by a mutual and eminent friend; and, secondly, the repeated requests made by friends and strangers that I would give them to the pubic in a collected form". A good collection essays on a wide range of sporting and rural subjects which has stood the test of time. Contents include: Agricultural labourers; The rough rider; The First of May; 'Strictly confidential'; Shooting dress; Some old portraits; Dens and sanctums; The rat-catcher; Early morning in London; The earthstopper; The shooting pony; Whistle and whip; Old traps and spring-guns; Tom Frere the hard-riding farmer; Expecting Brown; Brown in the country; The earthstoppers' feast; The white snipe; Swans and eagles; The philosophy of missing; shooting in Alderney; Shirkers; Our Black Heath; Traps and calls; Northward; A bright October; Varied shooting; The end of the season. On beating for game: Flapper shooting; Partridge shooting; Hares; Pheasant shooting; Wild fowl; A bye day with the gun; Driving deer; The end of the season. Land values and stewards; Snipe shooting.