182 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



to you, that a famous huntsman I am not very am- 

 bitious to have, unless it necessarily followed that he 

 must have famous hounds ; a conclusion that I cannot 

 admit, as long as these so famous gentlemen will be 

 continually attempting themselves to do, what would 

 be much better done if left to their hounds : besides, 

 they seldom are good servants, are always conceited, 

 and sometimes impertinent. I am very well satisfied 

 if my huntsman be acquainted with his country and 

 his hounds ; if he ride well up to them ; and if he have 

 some knowledge of the nature of the animal which he 

 is in pursuit of: but so far am I from wishing him to 

 be famous, that I hope he will still continue to think 

 his hounds know best how to hunt a fox. 



You say you agree with me, that a huntsman 

 should stick close to his hounds. If, then, his place be 

 fixed, and that of the first whipper-in (where you have 

 two) be not ; I cannot but think genius may be at 

 least as useful in one as in the other : for instance, 

 while the huntsman is riding to his headmost hounds, 

 the whipper-in, if he have genius, may show it in 

 various ways : he may clap forwards to any great 

 earth that may, by chance, be open ; he may sink the 

 wind to halloo, or mob a fox, when the scent fails ; he 

 may keep him off his foil ; he may stop the tail hounds, 

 and get them forward ; and has it frequently in his 

 power to assist the hounds, without doing them any 

 hurt, provided he should have sense to distinguish 

 where he may be chiefly wanted. Besides, the most 

 essential part of fox-hunting, the making and keeping 

 the pack steady, depends entirely upon him ; as a 



