THE HUNTSMAN. 135 



but every cold blast affects them ; and if your 

 country is deep and wet, it is not impossible but 

 some of them may be drowned. My hounds 

 were a cross of both these kinds, in which it 

 was my endeavour to get as much bone and 

 strength in as small a compass as possible. It 

 was a difficult undertaking. I bred many years, 

 and an infinity of hounds, before I could get 

 what I wanted : I, at last, had the pleasure to 

 see them very handsome ; small, yet very bony : 

 they ran remarkably well together; ran fast 

 enough ; had all the alacrity you could desire ; 

 and would hunt the coldest scent. When they 

 were thus perfect, I did as many others do — I 

 parted with them. 



It may be necessary to unsay, now I am 

 turned hare-hunter again, many things I have 

 been saying as a fox-hunter ; as I hardly know 

 any two things of the same genus (if I may be 

 allowed the expression) that differ so entirely. 

 What I said in a former letter, about the hunts- 

 man and whipper-in, are among the number: 

 as to the huntsman, I think, he should not be 

 young: I should most certainly prefer one, as 

 the French call it, d'un certain age, as he is to 

 be quiet and patient ; for patience, he should be 

 a very Grizzle ; and the more quiet he is, the 



