AND THE rOX-HOTJND. 273 



a fox-hunter. Much depends, in my opinion, on 

 the style with which it is done ; and I think, 

 without being sophistical, a distinction might 

 be made betwixt the hunting of a fox and fox- 

 hunting. Two hackneys become not racers by 

 running round a course; nor does the mere 

 hunting of a fox change the nature of the 

 harrier. I have also seen a hare hunted by 

 high-bred fox-hounds ; but I confess to you, it 

 gave me not the least idea of what hare-hunting 

 ought to be. Certain ideas are necessarily an- 

 nexed to certain words ; this is the use of lan- 

 guage : and when a fox-hound is mentioned, I 

 should expect not only a particular kind of 

 hound, as to make, size, and strength, by which 

 the fox-hound is easy to be distinguished ; but 

 I should also expect by fox-hunting a lively, 

 animated, and eager pursuit, as the very essence 

 of it.* Eagerness and impetuosity are such 

 essential parts of this diversion, that I am never 

 more surprised than when I see a fox-hunter 

 without them. One hold hard ! or reproof un- 



* The six following lines may have a dangerous ten- 

 dency. Only a good sportsman can know when a reproof 

 is given unnecessarily, and only a bad one will be deserving 

 of rfeproof. This passage, therefore, should be compared 

 with pages 150, 191, 193, 209, where the meaning of the 

 author is very clearly expressed. 



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