|6l5j THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING* 



to your desire, send you such rules as I observe myself. — . 

 Consider the size, shape, colour, constitution, and natural 

 disposition, of the dog you breed from, as well as the fine- 

 ness of his nose, his stoutness, and method of hunting. On 

 no account breed from one that is not j/o///, that is not 

 ■fender-nosed, or that is either a habkr'^ or a skirt er, 



^* Observe with care his shape, sort, colour, size ; 



Nor will sagacious huntsmen less regard 



His inward habits ; the vain babler shun, 



Ever loquaclotjs, ever in the wrong : 



His foolish oftspring shall offend thy ears 



With false alarms, and loud impertinence : 



Nor less the shifting cur avoid, that breaks 



Illusive from the pack : to the next hedge 



Devious he strays ; there ev'ry muse he tries : 



If haply then he cross the streaming scent, 



Away he flies vain-glorious ; and exults 



As of the pack supreme, and in his speed 



And strength unrivall'd. Lo ! cast far behind. 



His vex'd associates pant, and lab'ring strain 



To climb the steep ascent. Soon as they reach 



Th' insulting boaster, his false courage fails : 



Behind he lags, doom'd to the fatal noose. 



His master's hate, and scorn of all the field. 



What can from such be hop'd, but a base brood 



Of coward curs, a frantic vagrant race ?" — Somerville. 



* Babbling is one of the worst faults that a hound can be guilty of ; it 

 IS constantly increasing, and is also catching. This fault, like many- 

 Others, will sometimes run in the blood. 



