740 THE Docf. 



With ears that sweep away the morning dew : 

 Craok-knee'd, and dew-lap'd, like Thessalian bulls ; 

 Slow in pursuit ; but matched in mouth like bells, 

 Each under each. A cry more tuneable 

 "Was never halloo'd to, nor cheer'd with horn, 

 In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly." 



The Stag is still hunted in England, the animals, however, 

 being merely taken from the preserves and parks, and turned 

 out before the hounds. A few packs of stag-hounds are 

 kept for this species of chase, which differs entirely in 

 its character from the chase in any country where deer 

 are found in the wild state. The great supporter of this 

 sport, long after it had declined in public favour, was His 

 Majesty George III., who was a bold rider, and who main- 

 tained a pack of stag-hounds with royal magnificence. The 

 dogs were nearly the same as the ancient Talbots ; but 

 his Majesty having received a present from the Duke of 

 Richmond of a well -equipped pack, better suited for pursuit, 

 the older race was discarded, for a smaller kind more swift 

 of foot. 



With the progressive destruction of the wild deer, the 

 practice was introduced of hunting the Fox by hounds in- 

 stead of greyhounds ; and it was soon found that this animal 

 was better suited than any other for the chase, such as could 

 be practised in a cultivated country cleared of natural fo- 

 rests. This new kind of chase gained continually in public 

 favour ; and, in the reign of George the First, various packs 

 of hounds, employed exclusively in the chase of the Fox, 

 were established in different parts of the country. The dogs 

 employed were a variety of the ancient stag-hound, but of 

 smaller size, and which, being confined to one kind of game,, 

 acquired in a high degree the characters and discipline suited 

 to their employment. These older fox-hounds, however, still 

 differed materially from the modern breed. They had the 

 broad muzzle, the wide chest, the short limbs, the hanging 

 dewlap, and long pendent ears, of the ancient race, and dif- 

 fered from it chiefly in bulk of body. They were admirable 



