LETTER XIX. 203 



do not say it is — that the suggestion of remedies to the 

 master of their pack may, by the barest possibility, have 

 produced this very state of things so much to be de- 

 precated. 



The manager of a subscription pack has no sinecure 

 at any time ; but if he allows all or any of his subscribers 

 to interfere in the management, he is only attempting 

 that, which many more — like himself — have before at- 

 tempted, with one inevitable result: that in trying to 

 please all, he will fail to please any. The fable of the 

 old man and his ass over again. The master of a pack 

 of foxhounds should exercise his own discretion, and if 

 his own abilities are not sufficient to produce sport, 

 without the interference of others, he had much better 

 resign his post. I would also suggest to subscribers to 

 leave their master unshackled, and independent of any 

 restrictions. For his own credit he will do the best he 

 can to afford sport, but it is out of his power at all times 

 to command success. Patience and perseverance will, 

 however, prevail in the long run. A run of ill luck will 

 sometimes set in even with a good pack of hounds, 

 without any fault either in them, the master, or the men. 



How to get out of it is the next question. When 

 hounds are out of blood, as the term is, they become 

 dispirited and lack that energy and perseverance in the 

 chase which are indispensable requisites to effect that 

 desideratum in fox-hunting — -a successful issue in the 

 death of the fox. In such a case the hounds should be 

 highly fed to begin with, and long days particularly 

 avoided. The best plan to blood them is to leave some 

 of the lesser earths open, and if you can mark a fox to 

 ground, dig him out and give him to the hounds upon 



