^b THOUGHTS UPON HUNTINGi 



** obferve, Sir, that fomc of your dogs tails Hand 

 *' lip, and fomc hang down ; pray which do you 

 *' reckon the bejl hounds ?"" — Such young hounds 

 as are out at the elbows, and fuch as are weak 

 from the knee to the footj fliould never be taken 

 into the pack. 



I find that I have mentioned a fmall head, as 

 one of the nccctlary requiiilcs of a hound; but 

 you will underftand it as rehitive to htauty only ; 

 for as to goodnffs, I beUeve large-headed hounds 

 are in no wife inferior. Somervilc, in his dcfcrip- 

 tion of a perfe6l hound, makes no mention of the 

 head, leaving the fize of it to Phidias to deter- 

 mine; he therefore mu ft have thought it of Hltle 

 confcquence. I fend you his words. — 



■: — — — " See there with countenance blythcj. 

 And with a courtly grin, the fawning hound 

 Salutfs thee cow'ring, his wide-op'niiig nofe 

 Upwards he curls, and his large floe-black eyes 

 JVlelt in foft blandifhments, and humble joy ; 

 Hlsglolfy fkin, or yellow-pied, or blue, 



In lights or fliades by nature's pencil drawn, 



Reflefts the various tints ; his ears and legs 



Fleckt liere and there in gay enaniel'd pride, , 



Rival the fpeckled part; his rufh-grovrn tail 



O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch ; 



On flioulders clean, upright and firm he ftands ; 



His round cat foot, ftraight hams, and wide-fpread thighsj 



And his low dropping cheft, confefs his fpeed, 



His ftrength. his wind, or on the fteepy hill, 



Or 



