Tom Winfield' s Lecture. 291 



we had the best run in the Vale that we can 

 remember, from Claydon Woods. Our gentlemen 

 all said so. 



'' We found our fox in the big wood, and he 

 went right away over the best grass we have, and 

 you cannot say more for any country ; no matter 

 where he went he could not go wrong, they raced 

 him all the way, and that hound and Juvenal 

 frightened me to death. Neck and neck they 

 went when they were running for the fox. At last 

 they ran up to him and got him in view ; he was 

 making for a covert with a newly- cut hedge. The 

 fox jumped it and this dog caught him on the top 

 of the fence and rolled over with him." 



I enquired, " What were you frightened at, 

 Tom, about those two hounds ? " " Why," he 

 answered, " if they had gone over the scent I 

 would never have bred from them ! The gentle- 

 men came to me and said ' what a clever man I 

 was ! ' Oh dear! gentlemen, I said, I had nothing 

 to do with it, they did it all themselves. 



" You never know what hounds are going to 

 do until they are through their second season ; 

 they become opinionated, and what I call con- 

 ceited ; some of my best have not begun in a 

 hurry. I remember what you said about old Free- 

 dom over that dry plough, sir. Let her out, Ben. 



u 2 



