126 SHOOTING. 



as this character has an opening for scandal, the ivorld 

 is too happy to indulge them with a circulation of it, 

 while others, who have real skill, are laughing in their 

 sleeves, and have real sense to conceal it. 



But (to be brief, which is here my study) allow me 

 to suggest an humble attempt for the instruction of the 

 complete novice. First, let him take a gun that he can 

 manage, and be shown how to put it to his shoulder, 

 with the breech and sight on a level, and make himself 

 master of bringing them up to a wafer. 



Then, [with a wooden or bone driver, instead of a 

 flint, or any thing to protect his lock from the concussion 

 of iron versus iron, if a detonater] let him practise at 

 this mark ; and, when he thinks he can draw his trigger 

 without flinching, he may present the gun to your right 

 eye, by which you will see, at once, if he is master of 

 \\\$first lesson. In doing this he must remember, that 

 the moment the gun is brought up to the centre of the 

 object, the trigger should be pulled, as \\\Q first sight is 

 always unquestionably the best. 



Then send him out to practise at a card with powder, 

 till he has got steady, and afterwards load his gun, occa- 

 sionally, with shot; but never let the time of your making 

 this addition be known to him, and the idea of it being, 

 perhaps, impossible to strike his object, will remove all 

 anxiety, and he will soon become perfectly collected. 



The intermediate lesson of a few shots, at small birds, 

 may be given ; but this plan throughout must be adopted 

 at game, and continued, in the first instance, till the 

 pupil has quite divested himself of all tremor at the 

 springing of a covey, and observed, in the last, till most 

 of his charges of shot have proved fatal to the birds. 

 If he begins with both eyes open, he will save himself 



