LETTER XX. 219 



hounds, I mean only), I will give them the next best 

 advice I can — hovtr to get w^ell out of it. 



Now, then, to the purpose. Let him v^^ho is about to 

 commence the arduous enterprise of managing a sub- 

 scription pack of foxhounds sit quietly down first and 

 make a cool calculation upon paper of what his expenses 

 are likely to be, and put everything down at the outside 

 figure. It is like making an estimate for building a 

 house ; the extras will amount to at least a third of the 

 specified sum. According to the country, and the num- 

 ber of days he has to hunt per week, must his establish- 

 ment of horses and hounds be. For himself or his 

 huntsman he must begin with three good made hunters. 

 A huntsman should be well mounted upon good and 

 steady horses, for he will have quite enough to do in 

 looking after his hounds to mind much what his horse is 

 about, I am speaking now economically ; how things 

 may be done respectably, yet efficiently, and without 

 any profuse expenditure. A good judge of horses may 

 pick up good and serviceable animals at the end of the 

 season, quite good enough for any provincial country, 

 for sixty guineas each, or less money, if he has his wits 

 about him. As we cannot afford a second horse in the 

 field, we must buy such only as have good legs and feet, 

 powerful frames to stand wear and tear, and small heads, 

 well-bred ones also. For the whippers-in purchase young 

 horses of four or five years old. They are better than 

 old screws or twenty-five-pounders, inasmuch as they 

 will improve in value as the others decrease. 



The cub-hunting season is a capital opportunity for 

 breaking in young horses. If bad tempers, take care 

 your men are not bad tempers also, or they will make 



