THOUGHTS. UPaN HUNTING. 355 



tke only author whom I have found of any use on this sub? 

 jeit. You will admire tlie poet, and esteem the man ; 

 yet 1 am not certain that you will be always satisfied with 

 the lessons of the huntsman. Proud of the authority, I 

 have quoted from him as often as it would suit your pur- 

 pose i and for your sake have I braved the evident disad- 

 vantage that attended it. I wish this elegant poet had 

 answered all your questions: you then would have re- 

 ceived but one letter from me, to refer you to him.. 

 That no other writer should have followed his steps, may, 

 I think, be thus accounted for : — Those gentlemen who 

 make a profession of writing live chiefly in town, conse- 

 quently cannot be supposed to know much of hunting ; 

 and those who do know any thing of it, are either servants 

 who cannot write, or country gentlemen who will not give 

 themselves the trouble. However, I have met with some 

 curious remarks, which I cannot help communicating to 

 you. One author tells us, that " coursing is niore agree- 

 " able than hunting, because it is sooner over j" — " that a 

 ** terrier is a mongrel greyhound ;" — and, " that dogs hav§ 

 " often coughs from eat ijig fish-bones,^* 



Another (a French author) advises us to give a horses 



