LETTER II. 



We must now commence operations by either purchasing 

 a ready-made pack of hounds, or forming one by drafts 

 from other kennels. At the end of every hunting sea- 

 son there are generally two or three packs submitted to 

 the hammer by Messrs. Tattersall, or disposed of by 

 private contract through their agency. Although horses 

 still maintain high prices, even higher than ever, the 

 same observation, for what reason I know not, does not 

 hold good with regard to hounds. There are certainly 

 many more packs of hounds kept now than formerly in 

 the days of Meynell and Corbet ; but hunting men have 

 increased pari passu also. In place of the forty or fifty 

 who, in bygone days, were wont to greet the master and 

 the rising sun at the covert side, we may now count two 

 or three hundred assembled at a favourite fixture in a 

 good country, at the fashionable hour of eleven, about 

 the hour when our forefathers returned from the chase 

 to prepare for dinner. 



" Fashion in all things blindly rules, 

 The jest of wise men, guide of fools." 



Still there is no reason why we should quarrel about 

 hours, and our enlightened Nimrods of the present 

 generation have so many arguments in favour of late 

 hours : — " No reason why we should get up in the mid- 



