CHAP. I.] 



THE TIEST DAT. 



57 



him out, and follow him, and him only, through a whole 

 herd of rascal 1 game, and still know and then kill him! 

 For my hounds I know the language of them, and they 

 know the language and meaning of one another, as per- 



fectly as we know the voices of those with whom we 

 discourse daily. 



I might enlarge myself in the commendation of hunting, 

 and of the noble hound especially, as also of the docibleness 

 of dogs in general ; and I might make many observations of 

 land-creatures, that for composition, order, figure, and con- 

 stitution, approach nearest to the completeness and under- 

 standing of man ; especially of those creatures, which Moses 

 in the Law permitted to the Jews, which have cloven hoofs, 

 and chew the cud ; which I shall forbear to name, because I 

 will not be so uncivil to Mr. Piscator, as not to allow him a 

 time for the commendation of angling, which he calls an art ; 

 but doubtless it is an easy one : and Mr. Auceps, I doubt 

 we shall hear a watery discourse of it, but I hope it will not 

 be a long one. 



Auc. And I hope so too, though I fear it will. 



Pise. Gentlemen, let not prejudice prepossess you. I 



1 Rascal (from the Saxon), a lean beast, used by hunters in the sense of 

 worthless game. See Nares's Glossary. 



