THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING". ^ig 



service to the hounds or sport to the master j that the 

 huntsman may say, he has killed so many brace ! — How 

 many are digged out and killed, when blood is not wanted, 

 for no better reason ! — foxes that, another day, perhaps, 

 the earths well stopped, might have run hours, and died 

 gallantly at last- I remember, myself, to have seen a 

 pack of hounds kill three in one day j and, though tlie 

 last ran to ground, and the hounds had killed two before, 

 therefore could not be supposed to be in want of blood, 

 the fox was digged out, and killed upon the earth. How- 

 ever, it answered one purpose which you would little ex- 

 pedl — it put a clergyman, who w^as present, in mind that 

 he had a corpse to bury^ which otherwise had been forgotten, 



I SHOULD have less obje6lion to the number of foxes' 

 heads that are to be seen against every kennel-door, did it 

 ascertain with more precision the goodness of the hounds j 

 which may more justly be known from the few foxes they 

 lose, than from the number that they kill. When you 

 inquire after a pack of fox-hounds, whether they be good, 

 or not, and are told they seldom miss a fox ; your mind 

 is perfedly satisfied about them, and you inquire no fur- 



