FOX-HUNTING 



wide of him on either side, so that a single hound 

 may not escape them ; let them be attentive to his 

 halloo, and be ready to encourage, or rate, as that 

 directs; he will, of course, draw up the wind, for 

 reasons which I shall give in another place. — Now, if 

 you can keep your brother sportsmen in order, and 

 put any discretion into them, you are in luck ; they 

 more frequently do harm than good : if it be possible, 

 persuade those who wish to halloo the fox off, to 

 stand quiet under the cover-side, and on no account 

 to halloo him too soon ; if they do, he most certainly 

 will turn back again : could you entice them all into 

 the cover, your sport, in all probability, would not be 

 the worse for it. 



* How well the hounds spread the cover ! The 

 huntsman you see, is quite deserted, and his horse, 

 who so lately had a crowd at his heels, has not now 

 one attendant left. How steadily they draw! you 

 hear not a single hound, yet none of them are idle. Is 

 not this better than to be subject to continual dis- 

 appointment from the eternal babbling of unsteady 

 hounds ? 



* How musical their tongues !— And as they get 

 nearer to him how the chorus fills ! — Hark ! he is 

 found— Now, where are all your sorrows, and your 

 cares, ye gloomy souls! Or where your pains and 

 aches, ye complaining ones ! one halloo has dispelled 

 them all.— What a crash they make ! and echo seem- 

 ingly takes pleasure to repeat the sound. The 



