THE COURT 19 



middle of it. The earth that was taken out of it, 

 is thrown up into a mount, where the hounds, in 

 summer, delight to sit. This court is planted round 

 with trees, and has, besides, a lime-tree, and some 

 horse -chesnut trees, near the middle of it, for the 

 sake of shade. A high pale incloses the whole ; 

 part of which, to the height of about four feet, is 

 close ; the other open : the interstices are about two 

 inches wide. The grass-court is pitched near the 

 pale, to prevent the hounds from scratching out. 

 Grass is the dog's best emetic ; and in this he is 

 his own physician. If you cannot guess the intention 

 of the posts which you see in the courts, there is 

 scarcely an inn window on any road, where the 

 following line will not let you into the secret : 



" So dogs will p — where dogs have p — 'd before." 



This is done to save the trees, to which the urinary 

 salts are prejudicial. If they be at first backward in 

 coming to them, bind some straw round the bottom, 

 and rub it with gfalbanum. The brook in the grass- 

 court may serve as a stew : your fish will be very 

 safe. 1 



At the back of the kennel is a house, thatched and 

 furzed up on the sides, big enough to contain at least 

 a load of straw. Here should be a pit ready to 

 receive the dung, and a gallows for the flesh. The 

 gallows should have a thatched roof, and a circular 

 board at the posts of it, to prevent vermin from 



1 It may also be used as a cold bath, for such hounds as stand in 

 need of it: for lameness in the stifle, and for strains, it will be found of 

 service. 



