THOUGHTS UPON HUNTIxVG. >? 



we fufFer the fuccefs, or difappointment of the 

 chace to depend folely on the judgment of a fel- 

 low, who is frequently a greater brute than the 

 creature on which he rides. I would not be un- 

 derftood to mean by this, that a huntfman fhould 

 be a fcholar, or that every gentleman fhould 

 hunt his own hounds : it is not neceflary a huntf- 

 man fhould be a man of letters ; but give me 

 leave to obferve, that had he the bell undcrfj-and- 

 ing, he would frequently find opportunities of 

 exercising it, and intricacies whicli might put it 

 to the teft. You will fay, perhaps, there is fonie- 

 thing too laborious in the occupation of a huntf- 

 man for a gentleman to take it upon himfelf ; 

 you may alfo think it is beneath him ; I agree 

 with you in both — yet I hope that he may have 

 leave to underftand it. If he follow the diver- 

 lion, it is a lign of his liking it ; and if he like 

 it, furely it is fome difgrace to him to be ignorant 

 of the means mofh conducive to obtain it. 



I find there will be no neceffity to fay much 

 in commendation of a diverfion to you, wdiich 

 you fo profefledly admire ;* it would be needlefs, 



there- 



* Since the above was written, hunting has undergone a 

 fevere cenfure, (vide iV'onthly Review for September, 1781) 

 nor will any thing fatisfy the critic lefs than its total abolidon. 

 He recommends feats of agility to be praftifed and exhibited 

 inftead of it. Whether the amendment propofed by the learned. 



B 4 gentle- 



