THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 137 



very old fox is easily disturbed ; and, when they are 

 drawing, in taking up a station, which will, of course, 

 be down wind, remember that it would have been too 

 much for the patience of Job to have had a fox headed 

 at his point of breaking. If hounds are drawing a wood 

 furnished with rides, it is highly desirable that all should 

 be within covert, excepting those placed officially to 

 view a fox away, which otherwise might steal off unseen. 

 If you are in a gorse, there is less occasion to depend on 

 your ears ; you can see all that is going on, with little 

 change of position ; and one side, that on which a fox 

 is most likely to break, should be left entirely open to 

 him. It is a farce to think of forcing a fox to take any 

 particular line of country by compelling him to break in 

 that direction. 



■ If he will go, he will — you may depend on't ; 

 And if he won't, he won't— and there's an end on't. 



He is almost certain to make good his first intention — 

 he heads back, — the cream of the thing is curdled — 

 hounds lose their first advantage ; they turn, probably, 

 from a burning scent up wind, to a moderate one down 

 wind, — the fox multiplies his start tenfold, and a good 

 run is spoiled. Any man who has ever hunted more 

 than twice, must know that nothing will sooner head a 

 fox than a halloo. The veriest tyro must have heard of, 

 if he have not witnessed, the effect of a tally-ho as soon 

 as a fox puts his nose out of covert; and, with all due 

 allowance for exuberance of delight, he has no business 



