14 Iktnos of tbe Ibuntino^^f lelb 



with the }'Oung ones to hold them on. He never enters 

 his young hounds but at vermin ; for he says, train up 

 a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he 

 will not depart from it.' 



And now by way of contrast let me give Mr 

 Beckford's description of a terrible flood in the Stower, 

 and a harrowing scene for any fox-hunter to witness: — 



' The River Stower frequently overflows its banks, and 

 is also very rapid and dangerous. The flood that morn- 

 ing, though sudden, was extensive. The neighbouring 

 meadows were all laid under water, and only the tops 

 of hedges appeared. There were posts to direct us to 

 the bridge, but we had a great length of water to pass 

 before we could get at it ; it was, besides, so deep that 

 our horses almost swam, and the shortest legged horses 

 and longest legged riders were worst off. The hounds 

 dashed in as usual, and were immediately carried, by 

 the rapidity of the current, a long way down the stream. 

 The huntsman was far behind them, and as he could go 

 but slow, he was constrained to see his hounds wear 

 themselves out in an useless contention with the current, 

 in endeavouring to get to him. It was a shocking scene. 

 Many of his hounds when they reached the shore had 

 entirely lost the use of their limbs, for it froze, and the 

 cold was intolerable. Some lay as if they were dead, 

 and others reeled as if they had been drinking wine. 

 Our distress was not yet complete ; the weaker hounds, 

 or such as were most affected by the cold, we now saw 

 entangled in the tops of the hedges, and heard their 

 lamentations — well-known tongues, which I had never 

 before heard without pleasure. It was shocking to see 

 their distress, and not know how to relieve them. A 

 number of people were by this time assembled by the 



