150 TALKING IN THE 



scent lies bad in cover, she will sometimes hunt 



the hounds. 



" The covert's utmost bound 

 Slily she skirts ; behind them cautious creeps, 

 And in that very track so lately stain'd 

 By all the steaming crowd, seems to pursue 

 The foe she Hies." 



SOMEEVILE. 



When the hounds are at a check, make your 

 huntsman stand still, nor suffer him to move his 

 liorse one way or the other : hounds lean natu- 

 rally towards the scent, and if he does not say 

 a word to them, will soon recover it. If you 

 speak to a hound at such a time, calling him by 

 his name, which is too much the practice, he 

 seldom fails to look up in your face, as much as 

 to say, what the deuce do you want? When 

 he stoops to the scent again, is it not probable 

 he means to say, you fooU you, let me alone ! 



When your hounds are at fault, let not a 

 word be said : let such as follow them ignorantly 

 and unworthily stand all aloof, — Procul, O pro- 

 cul este profani ! for whilst such are chattering, 

 not a hound will hunt. ^^A-propos, sir," a poli- 

 tician will say ; " what news from America ? — 

 A-propos, Do you think both the admirals will 

 be tried ?''"' — Or, " A-propos, Did you hear what 

 has happened to my grandmother.'*" Such 



