CRITICISMS OF HIS FOLLOWERS 171 



make a fair show in the kennel ; and this is a trick of 

 which tenants at a distance are too often guilty. 

 Perhaps we ought not to lay this charge exactly to 

 themselves, but their better halves — and in truth, at 

 farmhouses generally, " the grey mare is the better 

 horse." The master is obliged to be in the field from 

 sunrise to sunset, either superintending labourers or 

 himself working according to his status, whilst the 

 missus is engaged in her household duties, making 

 butter or cheese, feeding young ducks and chickens, 

 &c. ; and a mischievous fox-hound puppy is more 

 likely to interfere than to assist her in these occupa- 

 tions. He will very probably be running off with a 

 cheese-cloth or pat of butter, or running down a 

 screaming young cockerel in the yard, for which and 

 sundry other malpractices, in which puppy dogs are 

 wont to indulge, he is almost sure to incur the dire 

 displeasure of the missus, unless she is endowed with 

 an angelic temper, and receive as his reward monkey's 

 allowance in more senses than one. The experiment 

 having been tried over and over again of rearing young 

 hounds in the kennel without success. Masters are 

 obliged to send them out and run all risks. Two or 

 three may be bred up at home, if allowed to run about 

 the premises, but if confined within four walls, without 

 daily exercise, their feet will bear a nearer resemblance 

 to those of a duck than those of a cat. Moreover, 

 home education is as objectionable for young fox- 

 hounds, as it is for young gentlemen." 



Now "Scrutator" was a Master of foxhounds, and 

 his postulates demand respect, though we may disagree 



