xiv INTRODUCTION 



Beckford liked a level pack ; ' to look well they should be all nearly 

 of a size, and I even think they should all look of the same family.' He 

 was far too practical a sportsman to attach paramount importance to 

 looks, but there are passages which indicate his preparedness to sacrifice 

 something to appearances. Concerning that pack in his neighbourhood 

 ' of all sorts and sizes ' which seldom missed their fox ; when they ran 

 there was ' a long string of them ' (which was exactly opposed to the 

 author's wish to see them run ' like the horses of the sun all a-breast '), 

 but, he says, ' I have no doubt as they become more complete (i.e., more 

 even in type) more foxes will escape from them.' He was of opinion that 

 the mixed pack, * composed of hounds of various kinds,' killed most foxes ; 

 but, unless he liked their style of killing them, whatever their success, he 

 could not be completely satisfied. This was much to be said by him who 

 laid so much stress on the death of the fox ; Beckford set the killing of 

 his fox above everything. ' Sport is but a secondary consideration with 

 a true fox-hunter. The first is the killing of the fox ; hence arises the eager- 

 ness of pursuit chief pleasure of the chase.' First and foremost he was 

 a ' hound man ' in the widest sense of the term ; he admits that by tak- 

 ing every advantage he can of the fox, the sportsman may sometimes 

 spoil his own sport, ' but then he makes his hounds ; the whole art of fox- 

 hunting being to keep hounds well in blood.' In a word, he could keep 

 two ends distinctly in view : the making of a pack that should (a) run 

 well together and carry a good head, and (&) kill their foxes. 



One peculiar advantage Beckford and contemporary masters enjoyed 

 as breeders ; their hounds were their own property ; they had followers 

 and supporters, but these contributed nothing to the maintenance of 

 the establishment and had no voice in the direction of affairs. The most 

 expected of them was that they should put their hands in their pockets 

 for ' field-money ' when a fox was handsomely killed, which field-money 

 went to the huntsman. Long reigns were the rule, and thus the master 

 who sought to build up a pack had time to do it ; he had opportunity 

 to correct mistakes when he made any, and opportunity to follow up the 

 ' judicious cross ' when good results proved it ; the freedom and latitude 

 thus enjoyed could not fail to make for progress. 



Several of the methods which formed part of the old kennel routine 

 have been long abandoned or are being abandoned. ' Dressing ' hounds 

 to ward off skin affections and make them fine in their coats with the 

 mixture prescribed in Letter VIII continued to be generally practised 

 in the forties. The late Colonel Anstruther Thomson tersely describes 

 the result 1 : ' The hounds wandered about the yards with their legs 

 swelled, so stiff and sore they could hardly wobble, and the stink was abomi- 

 nable. Now, many packs are never dressed at all, and only individual 

 1 " Kennel Management," Baily's Fox-Hunting Directory, 1897-8. 



