THE WHIPPER-IN 77 



one is, that he should be free from conceit, so that 

 he will consider it right to obey the Huntsman most 

 implicitly, whether he thinks him right or wrong, and 

 not hesitate, but at once instantly do what is required ; 

 then he does his duty, but not till then." 



Mr. Smith is of the same opinion as Mr. Beckford 

 as to the importance of a clever Whipper-in, and says 

 that men who have hunted their own hounds have 

 often felt a wish to become Whippers-in, knowing, as 

 they do, that it is possible for a good Whipper-in to do 

 more towards the sport most days than the Huntsman. 

 The thing, he says, is to find a man who does not 

 wish to save himself, and he adds, if the Whip is 

 really fond of the sport he never will. 



Upon this point, however, we may observe that 

 the greatest keenness may be subdued by work, and 

 that the difference between a gentleman's keenness 

 and a servant's keenness is, that the gentleman's 

 work is voluntary, but the servant's work is com- 

 pulsory ; gentlemen can go or stay at home, as the 

 humour seizes them, but servants cannot. Even on 

 the wildest and most unlikely days, some people will 

 turn up at the appointed meet. 



Mr. Smith says, " A Whipper-in should not ride as 

 if he was riding for amusement or credit, but should 

 have his eye to the hounds without distressing his 

 horse, which is a great recommendation to every 

 Master of Hounds. The greatest fools ride the 

 hardest generally ; the proof of their being so, is, 

 that they forget they must go on till night, but men 

 who hunt with hounds can go home when they 

 please. A proof of a clever Whipper-in is, that he 

 is always up at a check, without ever being seen in 

 front, except by accident, and no one else there ; but 

 it. is his duty to hold in, and by that means he has 

 always something left in his horse, when others are 

 beaten. There are Whippers-in now going who are 

 never seen in a quick thing, and yet are never missed, 



