92 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



on the contrary ; but standing over at the knee is 

 often brought on by age and hard work, though 

 frequently hounds are born so. When so, it is 

 better not to keep them. 



It is true that breeders of hounds of the present 

 day pride themselves on having bred some as near 

 perfection, in point of shape and make, as possible ; 

 but the question arises, when on this subject, 

 whether such hounds will be considered perfect 

 fifty years hence ? The writer is induced to doubt 

 this from the fact that the pictures of the best 

 hounds — such, for instance, as were painted by 

 the best artists of that day, Sartorius and Stubbs — 

 are drawn with crooked legs, flat-sided, and loose 

 in their loins, as unlike what is now thought 

 perfection as possible ; and it is fair to suppose 

 that they were then thought handsome. Yet these 

 hounds, which belonged to the celebrated Meynell 

 and others, did wonders. For instance, on a trial 

 of pace across the flat at Newmarket, they ran it 

 in as short a time as hounds of the present day 

 could do it, or even shorter ; and, however contrary 

 it is to the writer's principle as to the shape of 

 hounds, he is bound to say that some few hounds 

 are now bred too short, that is, too closely ribbed 

 up to go the tremendous pace which has become 

 the fashion in the grass countries ; for it will be 

 found, on close attention, that a lengthy hound 



