THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 29 



I trust that I may be pardoned the semblance of 

 egotistical vanity with which I have thus descanted upon 

 these things affecting my own affairs. All have their 

 hobby, from which, when once bestridden, they do not 

 readily dismount ; and any one who can enter into the 

 sort of parental feeling towards a pack of hounds by 

 which I am animated, will excuse a certain degree of 

 pride with which I may reflect upon my endeavours at im- 

 provement, especially when I start with the admission of 

 luck, beyond all power of judgment, in the draft obtained 

 from Berkley Castle. 



What I have said concerning the excellence of this 

 blood, and the tribute which I have paid to Mr. Berkley 

 as a master of hounds, requires neither excuse nor apology. 

 I shall ever speak of things as I find them, and am 

 inclined to swear by the bridge which carries me safe 

 over. To proceed now with our consideration of the 

 sort of hound fit for our country, I need not say that 

 good shoulders are indispensable to one fit for any ; but, 

 beyond all other points in shape or make, I would espe- 

 cially direct the attention of any one hunting Herts, to 

 feet. Though, perhaps, few, very few, if any, of the pro- 

 vincial countries, (and by provincial I mean all which are 

 not principally devoted to grazing and pasture lands,) can 

 boast of greater variety than our country, considering 

 that,' on the hedge greens of Gaddesden and Flamsted, 

 indeed in the whole country to the west of Redbourn, a 



