184 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, 



fox forward, at the fame time that they keep the 

 hounds together, or let in the tail-hounds ;* they 

 alfo enUven the fport, and if difcreetly ufed, are 

 always of fervice; but, in cover, they fliould he 

 given with tlie greateft caution. 



Moll: fox-hunters wilh to fee their hounds run 

 in a good fiyle ; I confefs, 1 am myfelf one of 

 thofe. I hate to fee a firing of them, nor can 

 I bear to fee them creep, where they can leap. 

 It is the dafli of the fox-hound which diftin- 

 guiflies hm as truly, as the motto of William of 

 Wickham diilinguifhes zis. A pack of harriers, 

 if they have time, may kill a fox ; but I defy 

 them to kill him in the llyle in which a fox 

 ought to be killed; they mufl hunt him down. 

 If you intend to tire him out, you mufl expert 

 to be tired alfo yourfelf : I never wifh a chace to 

 be lefs than one hour, or to. exceed two: it is fuf- 

 ficiently long, if properly followed; it will fel- 

 dom be longer, unlefs there be a fault fome- 

 where — either in tlie day, in the huntfman, or 

 in the hounds. What Lord Chatham once faid 



* Halloos feldom do any hurt, when yon are running up 

 the wind; for then, none but the tail-hounds can hear you; 

 when you are running down the wind, you fliouId halloo no 

 more than may be necefTary to bring the tail-hounds forward, 

 for a hound that knows his bufinefs feldom wants encourage- 

 ment when he is upon a fcent. 



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