CHAPTER II 

 The Hound 



Without wishing to detract from the merits 

 of any other form of hunting, I must give pre- 

 cedence to the chase of the fox. Not because 

 it is the most popular — though of that I suppose 

 there is no doubt — but because it ranks the 

 highest in my estimation, and I consider it all 

 round to be the finest sport in the world. I 

 will not even pretend that I think the question 

 admits of any argument, for to me fox-hunting 

 is first and everything else is second. Here I 

 stand confessed at the beginning of the chapter, 

 and if you do not approve of my sentiments, 



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