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Excerpt

Excerpt from Hunting Sketches, by Anthony Trollope

But in whatever garb the hunting parson may ride, he almost invariably
rides well, and always enjoys the sport. If he did not, what would tempt
him to run counter, as he does, to his bishop and the old ladies? And
though, when the hounds are first dashing out of covert, and when
the sputtering is beginning and the eager impetuosity of the young is
driving men three at a time into the same gap, when that wild excitement
of a fox just away is at its height, and ordinary sportsmen are rushing
for places, though at these moments the hunting parson may be able to
restrain himself, and to declare by his momentary tranquillity that
he is only there to see the hounds, he will ever be found, seeing
the hounds also, when many of that eager crowd have lagged behind,
altogether out of sight of the last tail of them. He will drop into the
running, as it were out of the clouds, when the select few have settled
down steadily to their steady work; and the select few will never look
upon him as one who, after that, is likely to fall out of their number.
He goes on certainly to the kill, and then retires a little out of
the circle, as though he had trotted in at that spot from his ordinary
parochial occupations, just to see the hounds.

For myself I own that I like the hunting parson. I generally find him
to be about the pleasantest man in the field, with the most to say for
himself, whether the talk be of hunting, of politics, of literature, or
of the country. He is never a hunting man unalloyed, unadulterated, and
unmixed, a class of man which is perhaps of all classes the most tedious
and heavy in hand. The tallow-chandler who can talk only of candles,
or the barrister who can talk only of his briefs, is very bad; but the
hunting man who can talk only of his runs, is, I think, worse even than
the unadulterated tallow-chandler, or the barrister unmixed. Let me
pause for a moment here to beg young sportsmen not to fall into this
terrible mistake. Such bores in the field are, alas, too common; but the
hunting parson never sins after that fashion. Though a keen sportsman,
he is something else besides a sportsman, and for that reason, if for no
other, is always a welcome addition to the crowd.

But still I must confess at the end of this paper, as I hinted also
at the beginning of it, that the hunting parson seems to have made a
mistake. He is kicking against the pricks, and running counter to that
section of the world which should be his section. He is making
himself to stink in the nostrils of his bishop, and is becoming a
stumbling-block, and a rock of offence to his brethren. It is bootless
for him to argue, as I have here argued, that his amusement is in itself
innocent, and that some open-air recreation is necessary to him. Grant
him that the bishops and old ladies are wrong and that he is right in
principle, and still he will not be justified. Whatever may be our walk
in life, no man can walk well who does not walk with the esteem of his
fellows. Now those little walks by the covert sides, those pleasant
little walks of which I am writing, are not, unfortunately, held to be
estimable, or good for themselves, by English clergymen in general.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Hunting Sketches by Anthony Trollope**

This passage from Hunting Sketches (1865), a collection of essays by Anthony Trollope, explores the figure of the "hunting parson"—a country clergyman who defies expectations by passionately participating in fox hunting, a sport traditionally associated with the landed gentry rather than the clergy. Trollope, a prolific Victorian novelist and essayist, often examined social norms, class tensions, and human contradictions in his works. This excerpt blends humor, social critique, and character study, using the hunting parson as a lens to discuss individualism vs. conformity, the clash between personal passion and professional duty, and the absurdities of social judgment.

Context & Background

Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) was a major Victorian writer known for his realistic depictions of English society, particularly in works like The Barsetshire Chronicles and The Palliser Novels. His non-fiction essays, such as those in Hunting Sketches, often reflect his keen observations of human behavior and social hierarchies.
Fox hunting in 19th-century England was a highly ritualized, class-bound sport, dominated by the aristocracy and wealthy landowners. Clergymen were expected to be pious, dignified, and above such "worldly" pursuits, making the hunting parson a transgressive figure.
The Victorian era was marked by strict social codes, especially for the clergy, who were held to moral and behavioral standards that often clashed with personal inclinations. Trollope, himself the son of a clergyman, was familiar with these tensions.

Themes in the Excerpt

1. The Hunting Parson as a Contradiction

The passage celebrates the hunting parson’s skill and character while acknowledging that his passion defies societal expectations. Key contradictions include:

Skill vs. Scandal: He is an excellent rider ("rides well, and always enjoys the sport"), yet his participation is seen as improper by bishops and "old ladies" (symbols of conservative morality).
Modesty vs. Passion: He pretends indifference ("as though he had trotted in... just to see the hounds") but is deeply committed ("goes on certainly to the kill").
Social Charm vs. Institutional Disapproval: He is likable and well-rounded ("the pleasantest man in the field"), yet ostracized by his own profession.

Trollope admires the parson’s defiance but also questions its wisdom, suggesting that social harmony often requires conformity, even at the cost of personal joy.

2. Individualism vs. Conformity

The hunting parson challenges the norms of his class, but Trollope ultimately questions whether such rebellion is worth the cost:

"Kicking against the pricks" (a biblical allusion to Saul’s futile resistance in Acts 9:5) suggests that the parson’s defiance is doomed to fail because society will not accept it.
"No man can walk well who does not walk with the esteem of his fellows"—Trollope argues that social approval is necessary for success, even if the disapproval is unjust.
The hypocrisy of judgment: The parson’s hunting is innocent in itself, but because clergy are held to a different standard, his actions are deemed scandalous.

This reflects Victorian anxieties about reputation and respectability, where personal freedom often bowed to social pressure.

Trollope critiques the arbitrary nature of moral condemnation:

The parson’s open-air recreation is natural and healthy, yet it is stigmatized because it doesn’t align with clerical decorum.
The "bishops and old ladies" (representing institutional and traditional morality) are portrayed as narrow-minded, yet their disapproval holds power.
The irony: The parson is more well-rounded and interesting than the unadulterated hunting men (who are "tedious and heavy"), yet he is the one condemned.

This highlights how society often values appearance over substance.

4. The Ideal of the "Well-Rounded Man"

Trollope praises the hunting parson because he is not a one-dimensional figure:

Unlike the "unadulterated" sportsman (who can talk only of hunting) or the tallow-chandler/barrister (who are boringly single-minded), the parson is versatile—able to discuss hunting, politics, literature, and the country.
This reflects Trollope’s own ideal of the gentleman: cultured, sociable, and engaged with the world, rather than obsessively narrow.

The passage serves as a warning to young sportsmen not to become dull specialists, reinforcing the Victorian value of broad education and social grace.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Features

1. Irony & Humor

Dramatic Irony: The parson pretends to be a casual observer ("just to see the hounds") when he is actually a dedicated participant.
Situational Irony: The most skilled and likable man in the hunt is the one socially condemned for it.
Satirical Tone: Trollope mocks the rigidity of clerical expectations while gently chiding the parson for his defiance.

2. Vivid Imagery & Metaphor

"Dashing out of covert" – The chaotic excitement of the hunt is contrasted with the parson’s initial restraint.
"Drop into the running, as it were out of the clouds" – Suggests the parson’s sudden, almost magical appearance among the elite hunters, reinforcing his skill and mystery.
"Stink in the nostrils of his bishop" – A strong, almost biblical image (reminiscent of Leviticus 26:30) to show how deeply his actions offend authority.

3. Allusion & Biblical Reference

"Kicking against the pricks" (Acts 9:5) – Implies that the parson’s rebellion is futile because he is fighting an unstoppable force (social convention).
"Rock of offence" (from Isaiah 8:14 and 1 Peter 2:8) – Suggests the parson is a stumbling block to his fellow clergy, causing moral outrage.

4. Contrast & Juxtaposition

The parson’s skill vs. his social unacceptability
The "select few" (elite hunters) vs. the "eager crowd" (amateurs)
The parson’s versatility vs. the "unadulterated" sportsman’s dullness

5. Direct Address & Persuasive Rhetoric

"Let me pause for a moment here to beg young sportsmen..." – Trollope breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the reader in a fatherly, advisory tone.
"Grant him that the bishops and old ladies are wrong..." – He concedes the parson’s logical argument but still urges conformity, showing the power of social expectation.

Significance of the Passage

Trollope exposes the absurdity of rigid class and professional expectations, where a man’s worth is judged by appearance rather than character. The hunting parson is more virtuous in spirit than those who condemn him, yet he is punished for his authenticity.

The passage raises timeless questions:

Should one conform to societal norms, even if they are unjust?
Is personal happiness worth the cost of social disapproval?
Can a person be true to themselves while maintaining respectability?

Trollope does not fully resolve these tensions, instead presenting them as inescapable dilemmas of human existence.

3. Character Study of the "Outsider Within"

The hunting parson is both an insider (a clergyman) and an outsider (a defiant sportsman). This duality makes him a fascinating figure—admired by some, scorned by others, yet unapologetically himself.

4. Trollope’s Own Ambivalence

Trollope clearly admires the parson but ultimately sides with convention, suggesting that social harmony requires compromise. This reflects his own pragmatic view of society—idealism must often yield to reality.

Conclusion: The Hunting Parson as a Symbol

The hunting parson is more than just a quirky character—he is a symbol of the individual caught between passion and duty, authenticity and expectation. Trollope uses him to:

Critique Victorian moral rigidity
Celebrate the well-rounded, engaging personality
Warn against the dangers of single-minded obsession
Explore the cost of defiance in a conformist society

Ultimately, the passage leaves the reader torn—do we cheer for the parson’s defiance, or sigh at its futility? Trollope’s genius lies in presenting the complexity without easy answers, making the hunting parson a memorable and thought-provoking figure in Victorian literature.