PREFACE 



The writer, a master of fox-hounds for some years, 

 is aware that it will be easy to discover that these 

 observations were not designed to appear in the 

 world, ^\Titten as they were for his own satisfaction 

 alone, until the repeated requests of many induced 

 him to offer them ; possibly owing to the circum- 

 stances of having hunted his own hounds with fair 

 success, and the fact of having killed ninety foxes 

 in ninety-one days' hunting, one season, in a bad 

 scenting country. If they should be read and 

 chance to amuse, well and good ; reputation by 

 ■WTiting them was not the object sought. They were 

 put down just as they came into his head, principally 

 on his return in the evening after hunting. There- 

 fore he does not affect so strict an observance of 

 rules as one who makes a profession of writing, and 

 gains a reputation by his pen, else they should have 



