A VISIT TO LORD EGLINTON'S KENNELS. 



' ' My liounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, 

 So strong, so sanded ; and their heads are hung 

 With ears that sweep away the morniug dew; 

 Crook-kneed and dew-lapped, Hke Thessalian bulls ; 

 Slow in pursuit, but matched in mouth like beUs, 

 Each under each. A cry more tuneable 

 Was never hollo'd to, nor cheer'd with horn." 



Shahe^ieare. 



I can hear Cox saying, Shakespeare must have been a 

 humbug, and no judge of hounds, as my hounds are neither 

 "crook-kneed" nor slow in pursuit, as, with a good scent, 

 nobody can catch 'em ; but the above lines by the immortal 

 bard show he must have been a sportsman, and those who 

 have read his works must have seen that, whenever he had 

 an appropriate occasion, he always extolled the noble science 

 of hunting. By the kind permission of his lordship J had an 

 opportunity, at what might almost be called the beginning of 

 the season, of visiting his kennels. After partaking of Mrs. 

 Cox's hospitality, and having a talk with Cox about that 

 "inexplicable" subject, scent, he introduced me to the young 

 entr}'-, and a better set of young 'uns I have seldom, if ever, 

 seen. Beginning at the top of the tree, his lordship breeds a 

 good deal from Furrier. This stallion hound is by the Hon. 

 G. Fitz William's Fencer out of Lord Eglinton's Mischief. 

 Mischief was by Sir R. Sutton's Bagazet. This hound, along 

 with Gambler, a three-year-old by Furrier out of Gossamer; 

 Lincoln, a black and tan, very nice hound, by Lord Poltimore's 

 Labourer out of Fallacy; and Castor by the Hon. G. Fitz- 

 william's Bentinck out of Lord Eglinton's Carnage, were the 

 four hounds that gained the cup at Harrowgate. It is curious 

 to note that Carnage was one of the last hounds sold at old 

 Tattersall's yard at Villebois' sale. Cox has another cup over 

 his mantlepiece, which he gained at Malton with Flourish out 

 of Fancy, and Gaiety by Furrier out of Gossamer. I must now 

 hark back to the young 'uns; and looking over Cox's beauties, I 



