The School of Recreation (1684 edition) / Or, The Gentlemans Tutor, to those Most Ingenious Exercises of Hunting, Racing, Hawking, Riding, Cock-fighting, Fowling, Fishing

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23776

Title

The School of Recreation (1684 edition) / Or, The Gentlemans Tutor, to those Most Ingenious Exercises of Hunting, Racing, Hawking, Riding, Cock-fighting, Fowling, Fishing

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This 1684 manual by R. H. serves as a comprehensive guide for gentlemen's pastimes, blending moral instruction with practical advice on hunting, fishing, and billiards. The text advocates recreation as a necessary remedy for idleness, offering detailed rules, seasonal schedules, and equipment guides for various sports.

Summary up to 500 words

R. H.'s *The School of Recreation* (1684) serves as a comprehensive manual for the gentleman, arguing that while humanity is born to trouble, lawful exercises provide essential physical and mental relief. The work systematically categorizes sports into hunting, racing, hawking, riding, cock-fighting, fowling, fishing, shooting, bowling, tennis, ringing, and billiards. The text opens with a moral preface asserting that God has not deprived man of comfort, but rather invested him with dominion over beasts and fowl to subdue enemies and recreate his mind. Recreation is deemed necessary to maintain bodily strength, transpire harmful vapors, and cure infirmities, distinguishing itself from mere trade or fortune-based games. The hunting section, placed at the head as the most royal and warlike sport, defines the chase through the five beasts of venery (hart, hind, hare, boar, wolf) and chase (buck, doe, fox, martyn, roe). The author provides precise nomenclature for animals by age and season, noting specific hunting windows such as the hart from midsummer to Holy-Rood-Day and the fox from Christmas to the Annunciation. Regional hound breeds are described, ranging from the heavy slow-hounds of the West to the nimble Yorkshire dogs. Ideal physical characteristics for hunting dogs are outlined, including round heads, wide nostrils, strong backs, and specific tail and leg proportions. The fishing chapter distinguishes between life-baits, artificial flies, and dead baits, instructing anglers on fish haunts. Specific advice notes that barbel prefer gravelly ground while pike hide in rushes. Seasonal guidance is detailed: carp bite best in June and July, whereas trout are caught in swift, stony streams. The text covers rod preparation, line twisting, and fly-making, emphasizing the observation of weather and water conditions. Finally, the work addresses billiards, defining the table, ivory port, and sticks made of heavy wood tipped with ivory. Strict rules of conduct are established, forbidding smoking or touching the table with sleeves. Game mechanics explain the concept of 'kinging' an opponent and penalties for fouls like hitting the table ends or striking balls twice. The text concludes with a list of orders for players, reinforcing that decorum and skill are essential to the gentleman's recreation, ensuring the sport remains a divertisement rather than a trade.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23776.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg23776.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-04 13:37 UTC

Categories

• Sports
• Recreation