•THOUGHTS UPON HUNTIN6. 20^ 



first cast I bid my huntsman make, is generally a regular 

 one J not choosing to rely entirely on his judgment: if that 

 should not succeed, he is then at liberty to follow his own 

 opinion, and proceed as observation and genius may direift. 

 When such a cast is made, I like to see some mark of good 

 sense and meaning in it j whether down the wind, or to- 

 wards some likely cover, or strong earth : however, as it is, 

 at best, uncertain, and as the huntsman and the fox may be 

 of different opinions, I always wish to see a regular cast be- 

 fore I see a knowing one ; which, as a last resource, should 

 not be called forth till it be wanted. The letting hounds 

 alone is but a negative goodness in a huntsman j whereaSj 

 it is true, this last shews real genius j and, to be perfed", it 

 must be born with him. There is a fault, however, which 

 a knowing huntsman is too apt to commit : — he will find a 

 fresh fox, and then claim the merit of having recovered the 

 hunted one. It always is dangerous to throw hounds into a 

 cover to retrieve a lost scent, and, unless they hit him in, 

 is not to be depended on. Driven to the last extremity, 

 should a knowmg cast not succeed, your huntsman is in no- 

 wise blameable. Mine, 1 remember, lost me a good chase, 

 by persevering too long in a favourite cast j but he gave me 

 so m.any good reasons why the fox (.tight to have gone that 



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