108 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



which reason, any boy that can halloo, and make a 

 whip- smack, may answer the purpose. 



Your first whipper-in being able to hunt the 

 hounds occasionally, will answer another good pur- 

 pose ; it will keep your huntsman in order. They 

 are very apt to be impertinent, when they think you 

 cannot do without them. 



When you go from the kennel, the place of the 

 first whipper-in is before the hounds ; that of the 

 second whipper-in should be some distance behind 

 them ; if not, I doubt if they will be suffered even to 

 empty themselves, let their necessities be ever so 

 great ; for as soon as a boy is made a whipper-in, he 

 fancies that he is to whip the hounds whenever he can 

 get at them, whether they deserve it or not. 



I have always thought a huntsman a happy man : 

 his office is pleasing, and at the same time flat- 

 tering : we pay him for that which diverts him, and he 

 is enriched by his greatest pleasure j 1 nor is a general, 

 after a victory, more proud than is a huntsman who 

 returns with his fox's head. 



I have heard that a certain duke, who allowed no 

 vails to his servants, asked his huntsman what he 

 generally made of his field-money, and gave him 

 what he asked instead of it. This went on very well 

 for some time, till at last the huntsman desired an 

 audience. "Your grace," said he, "is very generous, 

 and gives me more than ever I got from field-money 

 in my life ; yet I come to beg a favour of your grace 

 — that you would let me take field-money again ; for 



1 The field-money which is collected at the death of a fox. 



