192 ON CASTING. 



a regular one ; not choosing to rely entirely on 

 his judgment: if that does not succeed, he is 

 then at liberty to follow his own opinion, and 

 proceed as observation and genius may direct. 

 When such a cast is made, I like to see some 

 mark of good sense and meaning in it ; whether 

 down the wind, or towards some likely cover, or 

 strong earth : however, as it is at best uncertain, 

 and as the huntsman and the fox may be of 

 different opinions, I always wish to see a regular 

 cast before I see a knowing one ; which, as a 

 last resource, should not be called forth till it 

 is wanted. The letting hounds alone is but a 

 negative goodness in a huntsman ; whereas it is 

 true, that this last shows real genius; and, to 

 be perfect, must be born with him. There is a 

 fault, however, which a knowing huntsman is 

 too apt to commit : he will find a fresh fox, and 

 then claim the merit of having recovered the 

 hunted one. It always is dangerous to jthrow 

 hounds into a cover to retrieve a lost scent ; and, 

 unless they hit him in, is not to be depended on. 

 Driven to the last extremity, should a knowing 

 cast not succeed, your huntsman is in nowise 

 blameable : mine, I remember, lost me a good 

 chase, by persevering too long in a favourite 

 cast but he gave me so many good reasons why 



