174 MODERN FOX-HUNTING. 



the hunting a fox down, as you do a hare, and 

 the killing of him with hard running. You tell 

 me, I should always kill a fox. I might answer, 

 that I must catch him first. 



You say, I have not enlivened my chase with 

 many halloos : it is true I have not ; and, what 

 is worse, I fear I am never likely to meet your 

 approbation in that particular ; for should we 

 hunt together, then I make no doubt you will 

 think I halloo too much ; a fault which every 

 one is guilty of who really loves this animating 

 sport, and is eager in the pursuit of it. Believe 

 me, I never could halloo in my life, unless after 

 hounds ; and the writing a halloo appears to me 

 almost as difficult as to peii a whisper. 



Your friend A , you say, is very severe 



on us fox-hunters. No one is more welcome. 

 However, he ought to have known that the pro- 

 fession of fox-hunting is much altered since the 

 time of Sir John Vanbrugh ; and the intempe- 

 rance, clownishness, and ignorance oi the old 

 fox -hunter are quite worn out : a much truer 

 definition of one might now be made than that 

 which he has left. Fox-hunting is now become 

 the amusement of gentlemen ; nor need any 

 gentleman be ashamed of it. 



I shall now begin to answer your various 



