392 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



noses for want of wind, and run beyond the scent, 

 especially if there is water in their view. In a fair 

 country, and with hounds in good condition, it is my 

 opinion that, if the foregoing observations are carried into 

 effect, few foxes would escape. Patience is a great per- 

 former in the chase. All hounds, in these times, are well 

 enough bred ; and all hounds have power enough (if 

 judiciously handled), to kill a good fox. 



" Treat your servants well, and, if you have fault to 

 find with their performance, rebuke them mildly in the 

 field, and lecture them afterwards in private. The sub- 

 mission of inferiors is not enough ; their hearts must be 

 won ; and I had rather witness human weakness than 

 human insensibility at any time, which latter propensity 

 every man displays who wounds the feelings of a servant 

 on every slight occasion, and this in the presence of his 

 superiors. As has been beautifully said, ' although a 

 servant, tiie spirit of a man is in him ; severity and rigour 

 may create fear, but can never command regard.' 



" As regards the treatment of your horses, I need not 

 say much, still less instruct you how to ride them. I 

 would recommend you to breed your hunters, and, after 

 the method adopted by a friend of mine in Devonshire, 

 have them perfected in fencing during their colthood. It 

 is owing to the practice of the young horses of Ireland 

 scampering across the country in their colthood, that they 

 are such good fencers as we find them, unless it be at 

 timber, at which they have no practice. But my friend's 

 plan is this : he has every description of fence in a 

 circular space of ground, over which his colts are driven, 

 being held by a long cord by a man standing on a stage 

 in the centre, turning as they turn, by which means they 

 cannot refuse their leaps. Another eminent sportsman l 

 goes a different and perhaps better way to work. As 

 soon as his colts are weaned, and turned in a paddock, a 

 slight fence, about the height of their knees, is placed in 

 front of the shed in which they have their corn. When 

 they are quite used to walking over this, the fence is 

 raised six inches or more, sufficient to make them rear 

 up, and get their forelegs over, and they will soon find it 

 easier to jump, than to draw over their hind legs. When 

 they do this freely, the fence is raised still higher, till 

 they are obliged to make a good standing leap over it 

 1 See " Diary of a Himtsman." 



