AUTHOR'S PREFACE 



The writer, a master of fox-hounds for some years, 

 is aware that it will be easy to discover that these 

 observations were not designed to appear in the 

 world, written as they were for his own satis- 

 faction alone, until the repeated requests of many 

 induced him to offer them ; possibly owing to 

 the circumstances of having hunted his own 

 hounds with fair success, and the fact of having 

 killed ninety foxes in ninety-one days' hunting, 

 one season, in a bad scenting country. If they 

 should be read and chance to amuse, well and 

 good ; reputation by writing them was not the 

 object sought. They were put down just as they 

 came into his head, principally on his return in 

 the evening after hunting. Therefore he does 

 not affect so strict an observance of rules as one 

 who makes a profession of writing, and gains a 

 reputation by his pen, else they should have been 



