102 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



you, what It is you propofe from entering your 

 hounds at hare ? Two advantages, I fhall pre- 

 fume, you expect from it — the teaching of your 

 hounds to hunt, and teaching them to be obe- 

 dient. However neceffary you may think thefe 

 requifites in a hound, I cannot but flatter myfelf 

 that they are to be acquired by lefs exceptionable 

 means. The method I have already mentioned 

 to make hounds obedient, as it is pra6lifed in my 

 own kennel — that of calling them over often in 

 the kennel, to ufe them to their names,* and 

 walking them out often amongfl fheep, hares, and 

 deer, from which they are flopped to ufc them 

 to a rate, in my opinion, would anfwer your 

 purpofe better. The teaching your hounds to 

 hunt, is by no means fo neceirary as you feem 

 to imagine. Nature will teach it them, nor need 

 you give yourfelf fo much concern about it. Art 

 only will be necefTary to prevent them from hunt- 

 ing what they ought not to hunt ; and do you 

 think your method a proper one to accom- 

 plifh it ? 



The firil and moll: cffential thing towards 

 making hounds obedient, I fuppofe, is to make 

 them underftand you ; nor do I apprehend that 

 you will find any difficulty on their parts, but fuch 



* Vide note page 43. 



