THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 153 



of mind, and, above all, good temper, are 

 indispensable ; and yet how rarely are 

 these qualities united in one and the 

 same person ! 



Nine men out of ten who carry a gun 

 defeat their own intentions by intern- 

 perately and injudiciously rating the faith- 

 ful quadruped which is administering to 

 their gratification ; when, by letting the 

 dogfoUowthe dictates of the surpassing in- 

 stinct with which he is gifted, they would 

 find the animal to have been in the right. 



No person who is not a first-rate sports- 

 man should attempt to break a dog, 

 especially a setter ; for by this self-im- 

 posed task he will in all probability ruin 

 the animal, and acquire such a habit of 

 belabouring his dumb companion as to 

 render himself unworthy of possessing a 

 good dog. 



There are dog-breakers by profession 

 in abundance, both in the vicinity of 

 H 3 



