283 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING,- 



If any be tender-footed, he will tell you, perhaps, that thcf 

 win not mind it when they are out : probably they may 

 not ', but how will they be on the next day ? — A hound not 

 in condition to run, cannot be of much service to the pack; 

 and the taking him out at that time may occasion him a 

 long confinement afterwards : put it not to the trial. Should 

 any fall lame while they are out, leave them at the first 

 house that you come to. 



I HAVE seen huntsmen hunt their young hounds in cou- 

 ples. Let me beg of you not to suffer it. I know you 

 would be sorry to see your hounds hanging across a hedge, 

 grinning at each other, perhaps in the very agonies of 

 death : yet it is an accident that often has happened ; 

 and it is an accident so likely to happen, that I am surprized 

 any man of common sense will run the risk of it. If ne- 

 cessary, 1 would much rather they should be held in couples 

 at the cover-side, till the fox be found. 



The two principal things which a huntsman has to attend 

 to, are the keeping of his hounds healthy and steady. The first 

 is attained by cleanliness and proper food; the latter, by put- 

 ting as seldom as possible any unsteady ones among them. 



