io6 HARE-HUNTING 



as an impartial critic. Silence, care, and 

 science are the qualities that a hare-hunter 

 should pride himself on ; youth and high 

 spirits, eagerness and impetuosity are the 

 life and soul of fox-hunting dangerous 

 qualities in the chase of the timid little 

 hare. I have had many a day with beagles 

 and harriers many a happy one ; and yet in 

 fairness I must make the confession that the 

 days I enjoyed best were those when they 

 got on to a fox. Ah ! I fear if I made 

 a clean breast of it, I should have to tell 

 of days when my brother (who had a fine 

 little cry of beagles) and I used to get up 

 before daybreak, mount our horses, and hie 

 off to the moors by ourselves, out of the 

 ear of the sleeping world, to give a belated 

 marauder a jolly good dusting before he 



