184 DIRECTIONS TO THE 



LETTER XV. 



I LEFT off' just as I had found the fox ; I 

 now, therefore, with your leave, will suppose 

 that the hounds are running him. * You desire 

 I would be more particular with regard to the 

 men. It was always ray intention to be so. 

 To begin, then — the huntsman should certainly 

 set off with his foremost hounds, and I should 

 wish him to keep as close to them afterwards as 

 he conveniently can ; nor can any harm arise 

 from it, unless he has not common sense. No 

 hounds then can slip down the wind, and get 

 out of his hearing : he will also see how far they 

 carry the scent ; a necessary knowledge, for 

 without it he never can make a cast with any 

 certainty. 



You will find it not less necessary for your 

 huntsman to be active in pressing his hounds 

 forward * while the scent is good, than to be 



* Pressing hounds on is perhaps a dangei'ous expression ; 

 as more harm may be done by j)ressing them beyond the 

 scent when it is good, than when it is bad. However, it 



