218 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



placed at the head of affairs in a country, which position 

 masters of foxhounds are supposed by their brother fox- 

 hunters to occupy, and many an aspirant for this high 

 ambition has soon found his vanity oozing out — like 

 Falstaff's courage — at his fingers' ends, when he comes 

 " to pay the piper." Unless a man is really fond of 

 hounds — that is, of the dogs themselves — and takes an 

 interest in all they do, from the moment they find a fox 

 in the morning, and rides with them, not for the sake of 

 riding, but because he takes delight in witnessing every 

 cast or hit they make, he had better take my advice, and 

 leave others to keep hounds, who do. From my own 

 experience, accompanied with many more kicks than 

 kisses, and after a hard campaign in many a well fought 

 field, with victorious results, nearly thirty 3'^ears' proba- 

 tion may entitle me to give a little advice to others. It 

 is this — never keep a subscription pack of foxhounds. 

 I may even add — never keep foxhounds at all. Why, 

 then, write about fox-hunting ? He who has ever ridden 

 a runaway, hard-pulling horse may possibly understand 

 that, as he could not pull him up, the next most satis- 

 factory thing to know was that he could guide him, 



I am not like a merry rider, who once attempting a 

 wide impracticable old hollow lane, which had only the 

 appearance of a common fence, fell in, horse and self, of 

 course. Another, following in his wake, shared the same 

 fate ; but, when landed safely at the bottom, began hal- 

 looing out. " Hold your tongue, you fool !" exclaimed 

 the first occupant, " we shall have the place full pre- 

 sently, and then we may get out — there is no chance 

 without it." I do not wish to entice others to follow my 

 example, but as I know it will be done (in keeping 



