160 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



hate to see a string of them ; nor can I bear to see 

 them creep where they can leap. It is the dash of the 

 fox-hound which distinguishes him, as truly as the 

 motto of William of Wickham distinguishes us. A 

 pack of harriers, if they have time, may kill a fox ; but 

 I defy them to kill him in the style in which a fox 

 ought to be killed : they must hunt him down. If you 

 intend to tire him out, you must expect to be tired 

 also yourself. I never wish a chase to be less than 

 one hour, or to exceed two i 1 it is sufficiently long, if 

 properly followed : it will seldom be longer, unless 

 there be a fault somewhere ; either in the day, in the 

 huntsman, or in the hounds. What Lord Chatham 

 once said of a battle, is particularly applicable to a 

 fox-chase : it should be short, sharp, and decisive. 



There is, I believe, but little difference in the 

 speed of hounds of the same size : the great difference 

 is in the head they carry ; and, in order that they may 

 run well together, you should not keep too many old 

 hounds : after five or six seasons, they generally do 

 more harm than good. If they tie upon the scent, and 

 come hunting after, hang them up immediately, let 

 their age be what it may : there is no getting such 

 conceited devils on ; they will never come to a halloo, 

 which every hound that is off the scent, or behind the 

 rest, should not fail to do ; and they are always more 

 likely to draw you back than help you forward. 2 



p Now that horses and hounds are faster than in Beckford's time, we 

 might say not less than thirty-five minutes or more than one hour and 

 forty minutes, at least, in a grass country.] 



2 From this passage, the critic endeavours to prove the sportsman's 

 ingratitude ; and yet common sense, I believe, induces most men to rid 



