138 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



feeling fome compaffioii for, at the very time 

 when we are purfuing her deftruclion: we fhould 

 give fcope to all her little tricks, nor kill her 

 foully and over-matched.* Inftincl inflructs her 

 to make a good defence when not unfiiirly 

 treated ; and I will venture to fay, tliat, as far 

 as her own fafety is concerned, fhe has more 

 cunning than the fox, and makes many fliifts to 

 fave her life, far beyond all his artifice. With- 

 out doubt, you have ..often heard of hares, who, 

 from the miraculous efcapes they have made, 

 have been thought witches ; but, I believe, you 

 never heard of a fox that had cunning enough to 

 be thought a zvizard. 



They who like to rife early have amufement 

 in feeing the hare trailed to her form ; it is of 

 great fervicc to hounds ; it alfo fhews their good- 

 nefs to the huntfman more-than any other hunting, 

 as it difeoversto him thofe who have the mofb ten- 

 der nofes. But, I eonfefs, I feldom judged it worth 

 while to leave my bed a moment Iboner on that 



* The critic terms this *' a mode of deflru>5lion fomewhat 

 beyond brutal." (Vide Monthly Review.) I fhall not pretend 

 to juftify that conventional cruelty, which feems fo univerfally 

 to prevail — neither will I aili the gentleman, who is fo fevere 

 on me, why he feeds the Iamb, and afterwards cuts his throat; 

 I mean only to confidcr cruelty under the narrow limits which 

 concern hunting — if it may be defined to be, a pleafure which 

 refulLs from giving pain, then certainly a fportfman is much 

 lefs cruel than he is thought. 



I account 



