THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, i-J 



more fuHy on the subjed : you know it is my interest to 

 wisii that they would. The few who have written on hunting,- 

 refer you to their predecessorSj for great part of the infor- 

 mation you might exped from them ; and who their pre- 

 decessors were, I have yet to learn. Even Somerville is 

 less copious than I could wishj and has purposely omitted 

 what is not to be found elsewhere j I mean receipts for 

 the cure of such diseases as hounds are subjecfl to : he 

 holds such information cheap, and beneath his lofty muse; 

 Prose has no excuse; and you may depend on every infor- 

 mation that I can give. — The familiar manner in which 

 my thoughts will be conveyed to you in these Letters, may 

 sufficiently evince the intention of the author : they are 

 written with no other design than to be of use to sportsmen. 

 Were my aim to amuse, 1 would not endeavour to in- 

 struct : a song might suit the purpose better than an 

 essay. To improve health, by promoting exercise ; to 

 6xcite gentlemen who are fond of hunting to obtain the 

 knowledge necessary to enjoy it in-perfedion ; and to 

 lessen the punishments which are too often inlliiSted on an 

 animal so friendly to man — are the chief ends intended by 

 the following Letters. 



D Z 



