THE AVHIPPER-IN (ji» 



chase. Beckford, by no means meant to undervalue abilities 

 m a Huntsman ; what he meant to say was, that, situated 

 as he was, he could do better with mediocrity in the Huntsman 

 than in the Whip. Hunting talent was scarce in his day. 



He then gives the following instance of how much more a 

 Whip is at liberty to give play to his genius than the Huntsman, 

 who must necessarily follow his hounds : — 



"A gentleman told me," writes he, "that he heard the 

 famous Will Dean, when his hounds were running hard in a 

 line with Daventry, from whence they were at that time many 

 miles distant, swear exceedingly at the Whipper-in, saying, 

 'What business have you here ? ' The man was amazed at the 

 question ; 'Why don't you kiiot,',' said he, 'and be d—d to you, 

 that the great earth at Daventry is open ? ' The man got 

 forward, and reached the earth just time enough to see the 

 fox in." 



Will Dean, or Deane as some spell it, was originally Hunts- 

 man to Mr. Childe, who hunted part of Oxfordshire, and doubtless 

 this scene occurred during that time. Dean was afterwards 

 Huntsman with the late Lord Fitzwilliam, who bought Mr. 

 Childe's hounds in 1769, and Dean has the credit of introducing 

 the present dashing style of riding to hounds. He was con- 

 sidered a great authority in former times. 



Mr. Beckford thus recapitulates his qualification for a 

 Whipper-in : — 



" If," says he, " your Whipper-in be bold and active, be a 

 good and careful horseman, have a good ear and clear voice — 

 if, as I said, he be a very Mungo, here there and everywhere, 

 having at the same time judgment to distinguish where he can 

 be of most use ; if, joined to these, he be above the foolish 

 conceit of killing a fox without the Huntsman, but, on the 

 contrary, be disposed to assist him all he can, he then is a 

 perfect Whipper-in." 



Some people fancy because a man is a first-rate Whipper-in, 



