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wlcksliire Champion, out of their Welcome), that never 

 left the huntsman's heels for the whole of one season, and 

 part of the next. Mr. Sebright properly forebore to draft 

 her, on account of her blood ; her errors being solely of 

 omission ; and she proved one of the best of her year. 

 A young hound that cannot run up with the pack at 

 first, will not improve in pace : unless you have reason 

 to suppose that his condition can be amended, let him 

 go to those who do not mind being troubled with the 

 slows. Determined skirters, and those over-free with 

 their tongues, termed babblers, are irreclaimable. Draft 

 freely for all vices which cannot be palliated. A hound 

 may improve in beauty, and you cannot always afford 

 to draft for colour, or for any very trifling imperfections 

 in shape ; he may come off some bad habits, but he will 

 never come on, if naturally slow; — he may learn to speak, 

 if he has a detestable habit of running mute (an evil so 

 well described by Mr. Smith), or to keep silence when he 

 has nothing to say. If you are fearful of diminishing 

 your numbers, remember that such drafting is only 

 weeding your garden ; it does not impair your strength, 

 but adds to your efficiency. It is far better to have 

 sixteen couples of effective hounds in the field than 

 two-and-twenty, with six couples detracting from the 

 merits, and spoiling the appearance of the rest. Two 

 heads may be better than one ; you may consult your 

 huntsman on such occasions : his interest ought to be the 

 same as your own ; and he should be, to a certain 

 extent, an executive party ; but when once you have 



