THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, Ijl 



always kill a fox. I might anfwer — I mufl. catc/i 

 him firft. 



You fay, that I have not enlivened my chace 

 with many halloos : it is true, 1 have not; and 

 what is worfe, I fear I am never likely to meet 

 your approbation in that particular; for fhould 

 we hunt together, then, I make no doubt, you 

 will think that I halloo too much ; a fault which 

 every one is guihy of who reaFy loves this ani- 

 mating fport, and is eager in the purfuit of it. 

 BeHeve me, I never could halloo in my life, un- 

 lefs after hounds ; and the writmg a halloo ap- 

 pears to me almoft as difficult as to pen a wJi'if^er. 



Your friend A , you fay, is very fevere on 



us fox-hunters ; — no one is more welcome. How- 

 ever, even he might have known, that the pro- 

 feflion of fox-hunting is much altered ilnce the 

 time of Sir John Vanburgh ; and the intempe- 

 rance, clowniihnefs, and ignorance of the old 

 fox-hunter, are quite worn out: a much truer 

 definition of one might now be made than that 

 which he has left. Fox-hunting is now become 

 the amufement of gentlemeii ; nor need any gen- 

 tleman be afhamed of it. 



I fhall now begin to anfwer your various quef- 

 tions as they prelent themfelves. Though I was 

 glad of this expedient, to methodife, in fome de- 

 gree. 



