"HOUNDS, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE! " 5 



of speech which contains references to " chattering 

 magpies," &c. 



" How cross he is to-day," pouts Beauty on the Bay, 

 for (print it in a whisper) the ladies are always the 

 worst offenders at a check. " What does he want us 

 to do?" 



" Give the hounds room and stop that infernal 

 cackle," is what old Mr. Misogynist over there is 

 probably saying in his beard. Would it not really 

 be well for some one to explain that ardent, over- 

 excited hounds, carried on too far as it is by their 

 pursuers, cannot settle down to recover a line when 

 folk are wandering about close to them ; that laughter 

 and loud talking are apt still further to unsettle them 

 and get their heads up ; while the steam from per- 

 spiring horses moving about spreads like a fog over 

 the field and does not help the pack in their endeavour 

 to regain the scent? 



But, unless a man be fond of hounds and their work, 

 he cannot, I suppose, be expected to interest himself 

 at this particular juncture, and will probably be con- 

 tent with hoping that " Old Blank will set them 

 going again soon, and not make as rotten a cast as 

 he did last time." 



It is certain that on a bad scenting day hounds 

 get very little fair play ; but I am inclined to write 

 that on a good scenting day they get none at all, 

 unless they are able to run slick away from their 

 followers. For if scent be really good and hounds 

 run hard no one anticipates a check, we cannot 

 understand why they should check with such a scent, 

 and consequently we are all a bit excited, and too 



