458 HUNTING. 



whom it may be said, that in all his operations he 

 has not only to exercise his mental faculties at 

 every step he goes, when unravelling the intricacies 

 of the chase, but actually to tread a path nearly 

 unknown to human reason. Fimus oratores^ nas- 

 cimur j)oetw^ is a good definition of the constitu- 

 tional qualifications of a first-rate poet, at all events 

 of the difficulty of becoming one ; and really when 

 those of a huntsman are all summed up, if the 

 life of man be not too short, years of toilsome labour 

 appear to be scarcely sufficient to evince, even to a 

 man of talent, a perfect knowledge of his art. Let 

 us first hear what Beckford says of a huntsman, 

 and then we will offer our own sentiments on the 

 subject, which vary little from those entertained 

 by this great authority on all matters of the chase. 

 " A good huntsman,"' says he, " should be young, 

 strong, and active, bold and enterprising ; fond of 

 the diversion, and indefatigable in the pursuit of 

 it ; he should be sensible and good tempered ; he 

 ought also to be sober ; he should be exact, civil, 

 and cleanly ; he should be a good horseman and a 

 good groom ; his voice should be strong and clear ; 

 and he should have an eye so quick as to perceive 

 which of his hounds carries the scent, when all are 

 running ; and should have so excellent an ear, as 

 always to distinguish the foremost hounds when he 

 does not see them. He should be quiet, patient, 

 and without conceit. He should let his hounds 

 alone when they can hunt, and he should have genius 

 to assist them when they cannot.'''' It is scarcely 

 necessary to observe, that Mr. Beckford is here 



