Mr. Mtillens and his Harriers. 1 2 5 



which he knew could so well stand criticism, and call 

 my attention to each individual hound. Their dis- 

 cipline was as perfect as their energy. They would 

 stand immovable within fifty yards of Shothanger, or 

 Small's Coppice, or whatever wood they were going to 

 draw, eagerly eyeing the cover, and lashing their sterns 

 about with impatience, while their master, confident 

 in their steadiness, would say, * Look them well over, 

 sir ; you haven't seen them for a long while ; there Is 

 no hurry ; they can iv ait your time! till, at the waving 

 of his arm, they would rush forward, in silent excite- 

 ment, and disappear in a moment, not creeping in a 

 string through the same gap, but each taking the bank, 

 side by side at once. 



Mr. Mullens had a great respect for foxhunting, and 

 always considered that his humble pursuit was to be 

 kept in subjection to that nobler sport. Therefore he 

 did not like to fix his place of meeting till he knew 

 where Mr. Chute was going to hunt, lest he should 

 interfere with him ; and as Mr. Chute only fixed from 

 day to day, this scruple sometimes occasioned incon- 

 venience. He was quite free from the conceit that his 

 hounds could go as fast, or faster, than the neighbour- 

 ing foxhounds : a delusion to which I have known 

 many masters of harriers subject, and which, if true, 

 would be one of the worst faults that they could have. 

 He had, however, a strong opinion, that the foxhound 

 has by nature as tender a nose as the beagle, or the 

 Southern hound. For some seasons, before he had 

 brought his pack to the perfection and uniformity of 

 which I have spoken, he kept running with them a 

 bitch of Mr. Chute's called Haughty, who had been 

 drafted from deficiency of speed. Mr. Mullens main- 



