THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



if tliero i.s water in their view. In a fair country, and with 

 hounds in good condition, it is my opinion that, if the fore- 

 going observations are carried into effect, few foxes would 

 escape. Patience is a great performer in the chase. All hounds, 

 in these times, arc well enough bred ; and all hounds have 

 power enough (if judiciously handled) to kill a good fox. 



' Treat your servants well, and, if you have fault to find 

 with their performance, rebuke them mildly in the field, and 

 lecture them afterwards in private. The submission of in- 

 feriors is not enough ; their hearts must be won ; and I had 

 rather witness human weakness than human insensibility at 

 any time, which latter propensity every man displays who 

 wounds the feelings of a servant on every slight occasion, and 

 this in the presence of his superiors. As has been beautifully 

 said, " although a servant, the spirit of (O man is in him : 

 severity and rigour may create fear, but can never command 

 regard." 



' As regards the treatment of your horses, I need not say 

 much, still less instruct you how to ride them. I would re- 

 commend you to breed your hunters, and, after the method 

 adopted by a friend of mine in Devonshire, have them per- 

 fected in fencing during their colthood. It is owing to the 

 practice of the young horses of Ireland scampering across the 

 country in their colthood, that they are such good fencers as 

 we find them, unless it be at timber,. at which they have no 

 practice. But my friend's plan is this : he has every de- 

 scription of fence in a circular space of ground, over which 

 his colts are driven, being held by a long cord by a man 

 standing on a stage in the centre, turning as they turn, by 

 which means they cannot refuse their leaps. Another eminent 

 sportsman ^ goes a different and perhaps better way to work. 

 As soon as his colts are weaned, and turned in a paddock, a 

 slight fence, about the height of their knees, is placed in front 

 of the shed in which they have their corn. When they are 

 quite used to walking over this, the fence is raised six inches 

 or more, sufficient to make them rear up, and get their fore- 

 legs over, and they will soon find it easier to jump, than to 

 draw over their hind legs. When they do this freely, the fence 

 is raised still higher, till they are obliged to make a good 



' See iJidvi/ of a HitntsDuoi. 



397 



