INITIATORY LESSONS OUT OF DOORS. 531 



surprised to see with what increasing facility he will ac- 

 quire each successive accomplishment. It is this circum- 

 stance which, I think, should induce you not to regard 

 as chimerical the perfection of which I purpose to speak 

 by-and-by, under the head of " refinements in breaking." 

 Indeed I only adopt this distinction hi deference to what 

 I cannot but consider popular prejudice; for I well 

 know many will regard such accomplishments as alto- 

 gether superfluous. It is sad to think that an art which 

 might easily be made much more perfect, is allowed, 

 almost by universal suffrance, to stop short just at the 

 point where excellence is within grasp. 



116. Far more dogs would be well-broken, if men 

 would but keep half the number they usually possess. 

 The owner of many dogs cannot shoot often enough 

 over them to give them great experience. 



117. I am, however, wandering from our immediate 

 subject. Let us return to the lecture, and consider how 

 much knowledge your pupil will have acquired by these 

 preliminary instructions. We shall find that, with the 

 exception of a systematically confirmed range, really 

 little remains to be learned, save what his almost un? 

 aided instinct will tell him. 



118. For it is wonderful how much you can eflect by 

 initiatory instruction : indeed, afterwards, you will have 

 little else to do than teach and confirm your dog in a 

 judicious range his own sagacity and increasing expe- 

 rience will be his principal guides for consider how 

 much you will have taught him. 



