TilOUGHTS UPON HUNIIXG. 29I 



of a good kennel-huntsman* : if, besides this, he make his 

 hounds both love and fear him ; if he be aftive, and press 

 them on while the scent is good, always aiming to keep as 

 near to the fox as he can ; if, when his hounds are at fault, 

 he make his cast with judgment, not casting the wrong way 

 first, and only blundering upon the right at last, as many do; 

 if, added to this, he be patient and persevering, never giving 

 up a fox while there remains a chance of killing him— he 

 tlien is a perfect huntsman. 



Did I not knew your love of tl:is diversion, I should 

 think, by this time, that I must have tired you completely. 

 You are not singular, however, in your partiality to it j for, 

 to shew you the effed; Vv'hich fox hunting has on those wl.o 



* To make the most of a pack of hounds, and bring them into the field 

 in their fullest vigour, is an excellence that hujitsmen are very deficient 

 in. To obtain a knowledge of the different constitutions of so many ani- 

 mals, requires 'inore discernment than most of them are endowed with. 

 To apply that knowledge, by making separate drafts when they feed them, 

 would also take up more time than they choose "to bestow : hence it is that 

 they generally are fed all together : — they may be well fed, but I much 

 doubt whether they are ever made the most of; such as require to be fed a 

 little at a time, and oftctty must, I believe, be contented with a little only. 

 Few huntsmen seem fond of their hounds : one reason of it, perhaps, mr>y 

 be, that they are paid for looking after them. 



