2pS THOUGHTS UPON HUNTIKG. 



be made to tie upon the scent, by improper manage- 

 ment*. 



It is youth, and good spirits, which suit best with fox- 

 hunting: slackness in the men occasions slackness in the 

 hounds ; and one may see, by the manner in which hounds 

 hunt, what kind of men they have been accustomed to. 

 The speediest hounds may, by degrees, be rendered slow ; 

 and it is impossible for the best to do their business as 

 they ought, unless followed with life and spirit. Men 

 who are slack themselves, will be always afraid of hurry- 

 ino- their hounds too much ; and, by carrying this humour 

 too far, will commit a fault which has nothing to excuse it. 

 The best method to hunt a fox, they say, is never, upon any 

 account, to cast the hounds; but, on the contrary, to. let 

 tavern tie upon the scent as long as they will, and that 

 they will hit it off at kst. I agree with them partly: it 

 certainly must be the best method to hi-nt a fox ; for, by 

 this means, you may hunt him from rnoyning till night j 

 and, if you have the luck to find him," may hunt him 



* It more frequently is owing either to want of patience or want c>f 

 mettle, than to Wcint of ncse, that a hound does not hunt well. 



