FIELD REPROBATED. 151 



questions are, at such a time, extremely trou. 

 blesome, and very mal-d-propos. Amongst the 

 antients it was reckoned an ill omen to speak in 

 hunting. I wish it were thought so now. Hoc 

 age should be one of the first maxims in hunting, 

 as in life : and I can assure you, when I am in 

 the field, I never wish to hear any other tongue 

 than that of a hound. A neighbour of mine 

 was so truly a hare-hunter in this particular, 

 that he would not suffer any body to speak a 

 word when his hounds were at fault. A ffentle- 

 man happened to cough ; he rode up to him 

 immediately, and said, " / wish, sir, with all 

 my heart, your cough was better.'''' 



In a good day, good hounds seldom give up 

 the scent at head ; if they do, there is generally 

 an obvious reason for it : this observation a 

 huntsman should always make : it will direct his 

 cast. If he is a good one, he will be attentive 

 as he goes, not only to his hounds, nicely ob- 

 serving which have the lead, and the degree 

 of scent they carry, but also to the various cir- 

 cumstances that are continually happening from 

 change of weather, and difference of ground. 

 He will also be mindful of the distance which 

 the hare keeps before the hounds, and of her 

 former doubles ; and he will remark what point 



