A HUNTSMAN CAN SPOIL SPORT 69 



shire, I sent my coachman (the person whom I could at that time best 

 spare) to fetch them. It was a long journey, and, not having been used 

 to hounds, he had some trouble in getting them along ; besides which, as 

 ill-luck would have it, they had not been out of the kennel for many weeks 

 before, and were so riotous, that they ran after everything they saw : 

 sheep, cur-dogs, and birds of all sorts, as well as hares and deer, I found, 

 had been his amusement all the way along. However, he lost but one 

 hound ; and when I asked him what he thought of them, he said, ' They 

 could not fail of being good hounds, for they would hunt anything.'' 



In your answer to my last Letter, you ask, Of what service it can be 

 to a huntsman to be a good groom ? and, Whether I think he will hunt 

 hounds the better for it ? I wonder you did not rather ask, Why he 

 should be cleanly ? I should be more at a loss how to answer you. My 

 huntsman has always the care of his own horses ; I never yet knew one 

 who did not think himself capable of it : it is for that reason I wish him 

 to be a good groom. 



You say, that you cannot see how a huntsman of genius can spoil 

 your sport, or hurt your hounds. I will tell you how : by too much 

 foul play he freqiiently will catch a fox before he is half tired ; and by 

 lifting his hounds too much, he will teach them to shuffle. An improper 

 use of the one may spoil your sport ; too frequent use of the other must 

 hurt your hounds. 



