186 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING?. 



that I have not often used it ; and when I have, it has been to 

 distinguisli between the hunting a fox down as you do a hare, 



and the killing of him with hard running. You tell me, J 

 should always JdU a fox : 1 might answer, I must catch him 

 first. 



You say, that I have not enlivened my chase with 

 fliany halloos : it is true, I have not ; and, what is v/orse, 

 I fear I am never likely to meet your approbation in that, 

 particular; for should we hunt together, then I make 

 no doubt you will think that I halloo too much ; a fault 

 which every one is guilty of, who really loves this ani- 

 mating sport, and is eager in the pursuit of it. Believe 

 me, I never could halloo in my life, unless after hounds j 

 and the writing a halloo appears to me almost as difficult as 

 to pen a whisper. 



Your friend A , you say, is very severe on us 



fox-hunters : no one is more welcome. However, even 

 he might have known, that the profession of fox-hunting 

 is much -altered since the time of Sir John Vanburgh ; 

 and the intemperance, clownishness, and ignorance of the 

 old fox-hunter, are quite worn out: a much truer defi- 



