THE ART ITSELF 187 



have our own individual smell, however clean we 

 may be, is repugnant to some ; but I do not 

 see why it should be looked upon in that light, 

 and I am quite sure no healthy man is without 

 it. By generations of disuse we have lost the 

 delicate perception of our smelling organs, and 

 it is only the grosser scents now that can touch 

 our nerves. I believe the sense of smell reflects 

 on the brain quicker than either that of hearing, 

 seeing, or feeling, and also leaves a stronger 

 impression. We can all remember an instance 

 of some peculiar scent recalling a long-forgotten 

 scene, a time, or a face with which the smell was 

 associated. 



I have, however, nothing to do with this subject 

 as it affects the human being, except to remind 

 the man that he, with the combined smell of 

 himself and horse, is likely to destroy the poor 

 little fox's modest scent, if he gets too near the 

 line. My object in referring to the individuality 

 and difference in the scent of the same species, 

 is to show that hounds should be able to dis- 

 tinguish the line of their hunted fox from that 

 of another. Young hounds and those that are 

 out of blood are careless about these shades of 



