THOUGHTS UPON nUNTlNG. I33 



LETTER IX. 



'.^^■if 



THE variety of questions which you are pleased to 

 ask concerning the huntsman, will perhaps be better an- 

 swered when w€ are on the subject of hunting. In the mean 

 time, I will endeavour to describe what a good huntsoiitn 

 should be. He should be young, strong, acf^ive, bold, arid 

 enterprising j fond of the diversion^ and inde^tigable in the 

 pursuit of it: he should be sensible and good-tempered; 

 he ought also to be sober : he should be exadt, civil, and 

 cleanly ; he should be a good horseman and a good groom : 

 his voice should be 'strong and clear; and he should have an / 

 eye so quick, as to perceive which of bis hounds carries the 

 scent when all are running ; and should have so excellent an 

 ear, as always to distinguish the foremost ,,hou^ds when he 

 does not see them : he should be qiii'et, patient, and without 

 conceit. Such are the excellencies which constitute a good 

 huntsman : he should not, however, be too fond of dis- 

 playing them till necessity calls them forth : he should let /t-M?- 

 his hounds alone whilst they can hunt, and he should have 

 genius to assist them when they cannot > ,^Sr^ '^*7 - .* ,.-^ ^- 



