NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 241 



from poor Tom, as he was trotting to a point, round the cover. ^' It's 

 d — n my eyes, if I go here ; and it's d — n ray eyes if I go there ; and 

 d — n my eyes if I knows where to go." This will remind my readers of 

 Williamson's speech about his terriers, and Sir David Baird's comment 

 upon it. 



I should never have written my Letters on the Condition of Hunter-s, 

 had there been a hope, that in these days of education, some intelligent 

 groom might have taken up his pen on the subject; but there was none 

 who considered himself equal to the humble task. Now the observations 

 and experiences of such men as Crane or Williamson, on fox-hunting, 

 would prove a treasure to the sporting world — indeed, what is the Book 

 of Proverbs, if we look at it as mere human writing, but a collection of 

 such-like valuable materials, although upon a very different subject. 

 Desirous then of obtaining some of the results of Crane's practical expe- 

 rience of hunting, and every thing belonging to hounds. Lord Kintore 

 showed me a few observations of his own, in manuscript, of which he had 

 sent him a copy, with a request that he would make his comments upon 

 them without reserve, but the request was made in vain. I remember 

 being much pleased with the unassuming little preface, by which his 

 lordship introduced his remarks to the notice of Crane, and]it was, as near 

 as I can recollect, this : — " To Thomas Crane — from one who has seen 

 and learnt a little, but who has yet a deal to learn from those who have 

 had longer experience than himself. The writer* would feel obliged to 

 Crane, to add his own remarks to the enlosed, on any part of the noble 

 science of fox-hunting." 



The following passage also attracted my notice, and I believe I can 



* Of course, Crane knew who the writer was. 



2 I 



