MR. MILLAIS o.v BASSETS. 



337 



" I run mine as Beagles, and many people who have been with them infinitely pre- 

 fer the sport, as they never run over a scent, and the pace, though a hard trot, is not too 

 fast. 



" Comte Couteul, from whom Lord Onslow and I got mine, writes the following in his book, 

 ' History of the French Hounds ' : 



" ' These Bassets have never been well known in England, though an eminent writer asserts to 

 the contrary. It is only within the last four or five years that they have been spoken of as 

 hounds for hunting, and even now they are very scarce in Great Britain. 



" 'At the first French dog show in Paris, 1863, many English visitors expressed their astonish- 

 ment at this type of dog, which was so new to them, though the same general outline is repro- 

 duced in the Clumber and Turnspit breeds. In fact, though at the present time several English 



BASSET A JAMBI.S IIROITES. 



sportsmen may have in their possession some French Bassets or German Dachshunds (this 

 kind being much used in Germany for hunting the badger), it may be said that these hounds 

 are as new to the English " veneur " as our own existing packs of Gascony and Saintonge 

 hounds.' 



" The Count further goes on to state that the reason of this is the absurd and selfish way 

 that French masters of hounds have (up to the time of his writing) kept secret the fruits 

 of their experience, or, as the Count himself describes it, ' hide their hounds like stolen 

 treasures.' 



Mr. Everett Millais having entered so thoroughly upon the subject of Basset Hounds 

 and being the recognised authority on the breed at present in the country, a very few lines 

 from us will suffice to close the chapter referring to this class of dog. From the remarks 

 of Mr. Millais few can doubt the high qualifications of the Basset for recognition as bcth 

 a sporting and companionable dog, and from what we have learnt concerning him from 

 other sources, we have no doubt but that his good character is a thoroughly well-deserved 

 one. In appearance he is more showy than his relative the Dachshund, though it must be 

 admitted against him that his greater size renders him a trifle less desirable as an indoor pet. 

 43 



