122 ON BLOODING HOUNDS 



They hunt them every day, as if tiring them out 

 were a means to give them strength and spirit. 

 When hounds are in want of blood, give them every 

 advantage. Go out early, choose a good quiet morning, 

 and throw off your hounds where they are likely to 

 find, and are least likely to change ; if it be a small 

 covert or furze brake and you can keep the fox in, 

 it is right to do it, for the sooner you kill him when 

 in leant of blood the better for your hounds. All kinds 

 of mobbing is alloivable when hounds are out of blood, 

 and you may keep the fox in covert or let him out 

 as you think the hounds will manage him best." 



In the same letter Beckford gives instructions for 

 the digging of foxes in snow-time and reiterates his 

 opinion as to the absokite necessity for giving hounds 

 plenty of blood, but slyly adds, " But I seem to have 

 forgotten a new doctrine which I lately heard — that 

 blood is not necessary to a pack of foxhounds. If 

 you also should have taken up that opinion I have 

 only to wish that the goodness of your hounds may 

 prevent you from changing it, or from knowing how 

 far it may be erroneous. Those who can suppose the 

 killing of a fox to be of no service to a pack of fox- 

 hounds, may suppose, perhaps, that it does them hurt ; 

 it is going but one step further." 



Those who have not studied Beckford's work may 

 imagine from these extracts that he was a blood- 

 thirsty sportsman who desired to show a long list 

 of foxes killed, but no idea could be more fallacious. 

 He writes most strongly against the unnecessary kill- 

 ing of foxes, and no one has ever put the matter 

 more strongly or in abler fashion ; but before quoting 



