iy6 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



Now let your huntsman throw in his hounds as quietly 

 as he can, and let the two whippers-in keep wide of hini 

 on either hand, so that a single hound may not escape 

 them J let them be attentive to his halloo, and be ready 

 to encourage, or rate, as that direcfls j he will, of course, 

 draw up the wind, for reasons which I shall give in ano- 

 ther place. Now, if you can keep your brother-sports- 

 , men in order, and put any discretion into them, you 

 '^are in luck: they more frequently do harm than good. 

 1 If it be possible, persuade those who wish to halloo the 

 1 fox off, to stand quiet under the cover-side, and on no 

 account to halloo him too soon : if they do, he most 

 Certainly will turn back again. Gould you entice them all 

 into the cover, your sport, in all probability, would not be 

 the worse for it. ''^ 



How well the hounds spread the cover ! — the huntsman, 

 you see, is quite deserted, and his horse, who so lately had 

 a crowd at his heels, has not now one attendant left. How 

 steadily they draw ! — you hear not a single hound j yet 

 none are idle. Is not this better than to be subjed to con- 

 tinual disappointment, from the eternal babbling of un- 

 steady hounds ? 



