^.6 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



Have lapp'd their fmoaking viand?, morn or eve^ 

 From the full ciftern lead the duftile flreams, 

 To wafh thy court vvell-pav'd, nor fpare thy pains, 

 For much to health will cleanlinefs avail. 

 Seek'ft thou for hounds to climb the rocky fteep, 

 And brufli th' entangled covert, whofe nice fcent 

 O'er greafy fallows, and frequented roads, 

 Can pick the dubious way ? Banifli far off 

 Each noifome ftench, let no ofFenfive fmell 

 Invade thy wide inclofiire, but admit 

 The nitrous air, and purifying breeze." 



So peifcctly right is the poet in tiiis, that if you 

 can make your kennel a vilit every clay, youir 

 hounds will be the better for it. When I have 

 been long abfent from nunc, I have always per- 

 ceived a dilference in their looks. I fhall now 

 take notice of that part cf the management of 

 liouuds in the kennel, which concerns the huntf- 

 man as well as the feeder.— -Yoar huntftnan mull 

 ahvays attend the feeding of the hounds, which- 

 Ihould be dratted, according to the condi- 

 tion they are in. In all packs, fome hounds 

 will feed better than others ; fome there are tha^t 

 will do witii lefs mf;at ; arid it requires a nice eve, 

 and great attention, to keep them all in equal 

 ilefh :---it is what difiinguifhes a good kennel- 

 huntfman, and has its merit.---It is feldora that 

 huntfmen give this particular all attention it de- 

 fervcs : they feed their hounds in too great a 

 hurry ; and not often, I believe, take the trouble 

 of cafiing their eye over them, before they begin ; 



and 



