The Hounds 113 



Whilst the babbling echo mocks the hounds, 

 Replying shrilly to the well-tun'd horns, 

 As if a double hunt were heard at once, 

 Let us sit down and mark their yelping; noise. 



Tit. Judn.ll. 3, 17. 



LonJ. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my 

 hounds : 

 Brach Merriman, the poor cur is embossed ; 

 And couple Clowder with the deep-mouth'd Brach. 

 Saw'st thou not, boy, how Silver made it good 

 At the hedge corner, in the coldest fault ? 

 I would not lose the dog for twenty pound. 



First Huntsman. Why, Belman is as good as he, 

 my lord ; 

 He cried upon it at the merest loss. 

 And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent ; 

 Trust me, I take him for the better dog. 



Lord. Thou art a fool ; if Echo were as fleet, 

 I would esteem him worth a dozen such. 



Ta??iing of the Shrezv, Ind. i, l6. 



The Grafton Hounds 



^> o 



THE Grafton hounds early in the present 

 century, were managed by old Joe Smith, and 

 were different from any hounds of the present day. 

 They were rather round than deep in their bodies, 

 had good legs and feet, were very stout, but wild as 

 hawks. No fox could live before them if he hung, 

 and they did not change ; but over the open, when 

 the morning flash was on them, they could not hold 

 it, and could never pinch him. They ran by ear 

 more than by nose ; and when they got to a ride 

 half the pack would leave the cry, hop round to the 

 next ride, cock up their ears till they heard the 



