24 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



large one ; that he will climb hills better, and go 

 through cover quicker ; — whilst others are not less 

 ready to assert, that a large hound will make his way 

 in any country; will get better through the dirt than a 

 small one ; and that no fence, however high, can stop 

 him. You have now three opinions ; and I advise 

 you to adopt that which suits your country best. 

 There is, however, a certain size, best adapted for 

 business ; which I take to be that between the two 

 extremes ; and I will venture to say, that such hounds 

 will not suffer themselves to be disgraced in any 

 country. Somerville, I find, is of the same opinion. 



But here a mean 

 Observe, nor the large hound prefer, of size 

 Gigantic ; he in the thick-woven covert 

 Painfully tugs, or in the thorny brake, 

 Torn and embarrass'd, bleeds : but if too small, 

 The pigmy brood in every furrow swims ; 

 Moil'd in the clogging clay, panting they lag 

 Behind, inglorious ; or else shivering creep, 

 Benumb'd and faint, beneath the shelt'ring thorn ; 

 For hounds of middle size, active and strong, 

 Will better answer all thy various ends, 

 And crown thy pleasing labours with success. 



I perfectly agree with you, that, to look well, they 

 should be all nearly of a size ; and I even think that 

 they should all look of the same family. 



Facies non omnibus una, 

 Nee diversa tamen, qualem decet esse sororum. 



If handsome withal, they are then perfect. With 

 regard to their being sizeable, what Somerville says 

 is so much in your own way, that I shall send it 

 to you. 



