36 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



them to so much purpose that their legs were swollen to 

 double their usual size, and the poor animals were suffer- 

 ing severely. I remonstrated with him upon the ab- 

 surdity and cruelty of subjecting his hounds to such 

 torture, and asked him what his object could be in using 

 such powerful and noxious ingredients, of which I was 

 satisfied his ointment must be composed. His reply was, 

 "It makes them look fine in their coats during the 

 summer months, and the efiects of the dressing are over 

 in a few days." My rejoinder was not at all palatable 

 to this great man, in his own opinion, as I gave him to 

 understand that I considered a similar dressing might be 

 applied much more satisfactorily to himself, with tarring 

 and feathering to boot, than to the poor animals which 

 were submitted to his tender mercies. 



Prejudices are very difiicult to remove, especially with 

 huntsmen, who consider themselves a privileged class, 

 and unfortunately ignorance and obstinacy often go 

 hand in hand together. A man who is above being 

 taught, or too conceited in his own opinion to benefit by 

 that of others, whether peer or peasant, you may at once 

 set down as an ignoramus. The best reason, perhaps 

 the only one assigned for some of these practices, is 

 that Mr. So-and-so, the duke's huntsman, used to treat 

 his hounds in this manner; and thus things continue 

 from huntsmen to whippers-in for years, without inquiry. 

 Mr. Beckford also may be quoted as high authority, but 

 if I recollect correctly his remarks upon the subject of 

 dressing hounds are rather ambiguous. I may be con- 

 sidered very presumptuous in venturing to call in question 

 such high authority, but it is quite evident from many 

 observations made by Mr. Beckford, that although practi- 



