2i8 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



and not offer it to me, for there is a pitifulness in pity 

 which I abhor. If I give it, I never wish to receive it. 



I have now a word for another correspondent — 

 a Mr Smith, of Woodhouses — who has ventured to 

 contradict my assertion, that a noise, or beating, which 

 is often heard in the inside of a hunter after a very 

 severe run with hounds,^ proceeds from the motion 

 of the abdominal muscles, and not from the heart. 

 I beg leave to inform Mr Smith that I have too often 

 experienced this to believe his or any other man's 

 assertion to the contrary ; and as it happens, I have 

 two bits of proof close at hand — for on these matters 

 (as I say of Mr Warde's hounds) I go not a yard without 

 the scent. Even eloquence, without conviction, goes 

 for nothing ; and on paper it is still more essential. 



About a fortnight ago we ran a fox upwards of 

 fourteen miles, from point to point, with the Hamble- 

 don hounds ; and having ridden a horse not half in 

 condition, he was, as might be expected, somewhat 

 distressed — never having had what could be called 

 a check the whole way. When he got to his stable — 

 having trotted him rather briskly to it, to enable me 

 to send a hack to a friend — he had not recovered 

 himself, and the motion of the abdominal vessels was 

 as plainly to be heard as the chiming of a church clock. 

 Having my present object in view, I sent for Mr 

 Ayleward, the farrier, who resides at Alresford, to 

 witness it ; and not content with this, but wishing 

 for further corroborating testimony, I took the Rev. 



^ This sound has been already alluded to as proceeding from 

 spasm of diaphragm. — Editor. 



