12 ' CHIEF OBJECT IN 



searches after knowledge useful to mankind, or 

 in professions useful to the state. 



I am glad to find you approve of the plan I 

 ptopose to observe in the course of these Letters, 

 in which it shall be my endeavour to omit no- 

 thing that may be necessary for you to know; 

 at least, as far as my own observation and ex- 

 perience will give me leave. The experience I 

 have had may be of use to you at present ; 

 others perhaps hereafter may write more judi- 

 ciously and more fully on the subject. You 

 know it is my interest to wish they would. 

 The few who have written on hunting refer you 

 to their predecessors for great part of the infor- 

 mation you might expect from them ; and who 

 their predecessors were I have yet to learn. 

 Even Somervile is less copious than I could 

 wish, and has purposely omitted what is not to 

 be found elsewhere ; — I mean receipts for the 

 cure of such diseases as hounds are subject to. 

 He holds such information cheap, and beneath 

 his lofty muse. Prose has no excuse, and you 

 may depend on every information I can give 

 The familiar manner in which my thoughts will 

 be conveyed to you in these Letters will suffici- 

 ently evince the intention of the author. They 

 are written with no other design tlian to be of 



