154 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



This gentleman's singular method of hunting rabbits with a lobster, 

 reminds me of a method that Harlequin * has of killing hares (not less 

 ingenious) with Spanish snuff. Brighella tells him, that the hares eat up 

 all his master's green wheat, and that he knows not how to kill them. 

 ' Nothing more easy,' replies Harlequin ' I will engage to kill them all 

 with two-pennyworth of snuff. They come in the night, you say, to feed 

 on the green wheat : strew a little snuff over the field before they come : 

 it will set them all a-sneezing : nobody will be by to say God bless you ! 

 and, of course, they will all die.' 



I believe that, during our present correspondence, I have twice quoted 

 the Encyclopedie with some degree of ridicule : I must, notwithstanding, 

 beg leave to say, in justice to myself, that I have great esteem for that 

 valuable work. ?. 



On opening a very large book, called the Gentleman's Recreation, 2 

 I met with the following remarkable passage : ' Many have written of 

 this subject, as well the ancients as moderns, yet but few of our country- 

 men to any purpose ; and had one all the authors on this subject (as 

 indeed on any other), there would be more trouble to pass by than to retain ; 

 most books being fuller of words than matter, and of that which is, for 

 the most part, very erroneous.' All who have written on the subject of 

 hunting, seem to agree in this at least to speak indifferently of one another. 



You have observed in one of your letters, that I do not always follow 

 my own rules ; and, as a proof of it, you have remarked that many of 

 my hounds are oddly named. I cannot deny the charge. I leave a great 

 deal to my huntsman ; but if you aim at perfection, leave as little as you 

 can help to yours. It is easier, I believe, in every instance, to know what 

 is right, than it is to follow it ; but if the rules I have given are good, what 

 does it signify to you whether I follow them or not ? A country fellow 

 used to call every directing post that he saw, a doctor. He was asked 

 Why he called them so ? ' Why, master,' said he, ' I never see them 

 but they put me in mind of the parson of our parish, who constantly points 

 out a road to us which he does not follow himself.' 



If I can add to the amusement of such as follow this diversion, I shall 

 not think my time has been ill employed ; and, if the rules which are 

 here given may any way tend to preserve that friendly animal, the hound, 

 from one unnecessary lash, I shall not think they have been written in 

 vain. 8 It never was my expectation to be able to send you a complete 



a crayfish is slipped in ; the latter gradually reaches the end of the rabbits' retreat, pinches the 

 animal and holds on with such strength that it is forced to flight, carrying its enemy with it, 

 and is caught in the net held at the entrance of the burrow. This form of sport calls for much 

 patience ; the crayfish's manoeuvres are slow, but at the same time surer than those of the ferret. 



1 The Harlequin of the Italian theatre, whose tongue is at liberty, as well as his heels. 



* 2 By Richard Blome, 1686. 



3 Strangely unfortunate should I think myself, if, while I profess to be a friend to dogs, 

 I should prove their bitterest enemy ; and if those rules, which were intended to lessen, should 



