188 SPEED OF HOUNDS. 



down. If you are to tire him out, you must 

 expect to be tired yourself also. I never wish 

 a chase to be less than one hour, or to exceed 

 two. It is sufficiently long, if properly fol- 

 lowed : it will seldom be longer, unless there is 

 a fault somewhere, either in the day, in the 

 huntsman, or in the hounds. What Lord Chat- 

 ham once said of a battle is particulary applica- 

 ble to a fox-chase: it should be shorty sharp, 

 and decisive. 



There is, I believe, but little difference in the 

 speed of hounds of the same size: the great 

 difference is in the head they carry ; and in or- 

 der that they may run well together, you should 

 not keep too many old hounds : after five or six 

 seasons they generally do more harm than good. 

 If they tie upon the scent, and come hunting 

 after, hang them up immediately, let their age 

 be what it may : there is no getting such con- 

 ceited devils on ; they will never come to a 

 halloo, which every hound that is off the scent, 

 or behind the rest, should not fail to do, and are 

 always more likely to draw you back than help 

 you forward.* 



* From this passage, the critic endeavours to prove the 

 sportsman's ingratitude ; and yet connion sense, I believe, 

 induces most men to rid themselves of that, which, if kept, 



