THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. ig 



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i MUST give you an extraordinary instance of a gen- 

 tleman's knowledge of hunting : — He had hired a house in 

 a fine hunting country, with a good kennel belonging to 

 it, in the neighbourhood of two packs of fox-hounds, of 

 which mine was one; and, that he might not offend the 

 owner of either, intended, as he said, to hunt with both. 

 He offered me the use of his kennel, which, for some 

 reasons, I chose to decline : it was afterwards offered to 

 the other gentleman, who accepted it. The first day that 

 the hounds hunted his country, he did not appear : the 

 second day, the hounds were no sooner at the cover-side, 

 than my friend saw an odd figure, strangely accoutred, 

 riding up, with a spaniel following him. " Sir," said he, 

 " it gave me great concern not to be able to attend you 

 " when you was here before : I hope you was not offend- 

 *^ ed at it; for, to shew you how well I am inclined to 

 *' assist your hunt, you see, — I have brought my little dog.^* 



I WILL now give you an instance of another gentleman's 

 love of hunting: — We were returning from hunting over 

 a very fine country ; and, upon its being remarked that we 

 had a pleasant ride, he replied — " The best part of the 

 " sporti in my opinion, is the riding home to dinner 



