THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, 5 



that iifeful, that honeft, that faithful, that difin- 

 terelted, that entertaining animal, would be 

 fuffered to pafs unnoticed and undiflinguifhed. 



A northern court once, indeed, did honour 

 this animal with a particular mark of approba- 

 tion and refpe^l; but the fidelity of the dog has 

 iince given place to tlie fagacity of the ele- 

 phant.* Naturalifts, it is true, have included 

 dogs in the fpecific defcriptions they have given 

 us of animals. Authors may liave written on 

 hunting, and bookfellers may know many that 

 to fportfmen are unknown; but I again repeat, 

 that I know not any writer, ancient or modern, 

 from the time of Nimrod to the prefent day (one 

 only excepted) who has given any ufeful infor- 

 mation to a fportfman.-^ 



It may be objected, that the hunting of a 

 pack of hounds depends upon the huntfman, and 

 that the huntfman, generally fpeaking, is an il- 

 literate fellow, who feldom can either read or 

 write: this cannot well be denied. I muft, 

 tlierefore, obferve, that it is impoffible for the 

 bull nets of a kennel to go on as it ought, unlefs 



* Vide Mr. Pope's Letter to Mr. Cromwell. 



t Many French authors have given rules for hunting the 

 "hare, and flag ; to make this paflage lefs exceptionable, there- 

 fore, it may be better perhaps, inftead ol fportjman.^ to read 

 fox-hunter. 



B 3 the 



