PREFACE TO X I M ROD'S ESSAYS. 179 



of seeing most of the best hounds in England, have had 

 a great number of valuable hunters pass through my 

 hands (the greater part of which were purchased young), 

 and have not only been a driver of my own horses of all 

 sorts and sizes, but have worked a great deal on the road 

 by day and by night, without which nothing on the 

 subject is to be learnt. 



' In the observations which I am going to make, I 

 shall take a hint or two from those who have gone before 

 me. Mr. Beckford gives, as a reason why he did not 

 write on stag hunting, that he did not understand it; and 

 it is told of an ancient but wily Greek, who was asked 

 his opinion on a subject he was not master of, that he 

 excused himself by saying that what was to the purpose 

 he could not say, and what was not to the purpose he 

 ivoutd not say.' 



N 2 



