ANECDOTE 171 



they kill the fox, the pack that found him is entitled to 

 the head. Should both have found, how is it to be 

 determined then ? The huntsman who gets in first, 

 seems, in my opinion, to have the best right to it ; yet, 

 to prevent a dispute (which, of course, might be 

 thought a wrong-headed one), would he not do well to 

 cut off the head, and present it to the other huntsman? 



The same author, whom I quoted in my tenth 

 Letter, and who tells us how we should not eat a hare, 

 is also kind enough to tell us when we should eat a fox; 

 I wish he had also added the best manner of dressing 

 him. We are obliged to him, however, for the follow- 

 ing information: — "La chair du renard est moins 

 mauvaise que celle du loup ; les chiens et meme les 

 Hommes en mangent en automne, siwtout lorsquil s'est 

 nourri et engraisse 1 de raisins" You would have been 

 better pleased, I make no doubt, if the learned gentle- 

 man had instructed you how to hunt him, rather than 

 when to eat him. 



I shall end this Letter with an anecdote of a late 

 huntsman of mine, who was a great slip-slop, and 

 always called successively successfully: — One day, 

 when he had been out with the young hounds, I sent 

 for him in, and asked him, What sport he had had ? 

 and, How the hounds behaved? "Very great sport, 

 Sir, and no hounds could behave any better." " Did 

 you run him long ? " " They ran him, and please your 

 honour, upwards of three hours successfully." "So, 

 then, you did kill him ? " "Oh, no, Sir, we lost him at 

 last." 



