Notable Runs 47 



at their heels, when a pack of hounds began to 

 open their melodious throats at a small distance from 

 them, which the squire's horse and his rider both 

 perceiving, both immediately pricked up their ears, 

 and the squire, crying, " She's gone, she's gone ! 

 Damn me if she is not gone ! " instantly clapped 

 spurs to the beast, who little needed it, having 

 indeed the same inclination with his master ; and 

 now the whole company, crossed into a cornfield, 

 rode directly towards the hounds, with much 

 hallowing and whooping, while the poor parson, 

 blessing himself, brought up the rear. . . . 



The hounds ran very hard, as it is called, and the 

 squire pursued over hedge and ditch, with all his 

 usual vociferation and alacrity, and with all his 

 usual pleasure ; nor did the thoughts of Sophia ever 

 once intrude themselves to allay the satisfaction he 

 enjoyed in the chace, which, he said, was one of the 

 finest he 'ever saw, and which he swore was very 

 well worth going fifty miles for. As the squire 

 his daughter, the servants, we may easily believe, 

 forgot their mistress ; and the parson, after having 

 expressed much astonishment, in Latin, to himself, 

 at length likewise abandoned all farther thoughts of 

 the young lady, and, jogging on at a distance 

 behind, began to meditate a portion of doctrine for 

 the ensuing Sunday. 



The squire who owned the hounds was highly 

 pleased with the arrival of his brother squire and 

 sportsman : for all men approve merit in their own 

 way, and no man was more expert in the field than 

 Mr. Western, nor did any other better know how 

 to encourage the dogs with his voice, and to animate 

 the hunt with his holla. Sportsmen, in the warmth 

 of a chace, are too much engaged to attend to any 

 manner of ceremony, nay, even to the offices of 



