THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 15?^ 



is the ufual pra6licej the hounds are always upon 

 the watch, and a hare mull have good luck to 

 cfcape them all. The bcft way to prevent it, is 

 to have the hedge well beaten at fome diftancc 

 before the hounds. 



Hares feldom run fo well as when they do not 

 know where they are. They run well in a fog, 

 and. generally take a good country. If they fet 

 off down the wind, they feldom return: you 

 then cannot pufh on your hounds too much. 

 When the game is linking, you ' will perceive 

 your old hoands get forward ; they then will run 

 at head. 



*' Happy the man, v^'ho with unrivall'd fpeed 

 Can pafs his fellows, and with pleafure view 

 The flruggling pack; how in the rapid courfe 

 Alternate they prefidc, and joftling pufh 

 To guide the dubious fcent; how giddy youth 

 Oft babbling errs, by wifer age reprov'd; 

 How, niggard of his ftrength, the wife old hound 

 Hangs in the rear, till fome important point 

 Roufe all his diligence, or till the chace 

 Sinking he finds ; then to the head he fprings, 

 With thirft of glory fir'd, and wins the prize." 



SoMERVILi;. 



ICeep no babblers; for though the pack foon 

 find them out, and mind them not, yet it is un- 

 pleafant to hear their noife ; nor are fuch fit com- 

 panions for the reft, 



L 4 Though 



