FIRST AND SECOND DRAFTS. 115 



defalcations of the past year, will be to procure the 

 young drafts of some other well known and accredited 

 establishment, to engage invariably both first and second 

 drafts, from one year to another, and not to hazard 

 the chance of picking up young hounds from various 

 different kennels ; by this means it will be far easier 

 to obtain a pack of the same stamp and character, a 

 very material point to be looked to by any one wishing 

 to excel. How frequent a thing it is to meet with a 

 pack, in high estimation too, which, when viewed as 

 a body, appear to have been purposely selected from 

 every kennel in the universe ; although, if each indi- 

 vidual is drawn out separately, no particular fault can 

 be discovered in him ; the main points in their 

 symmetry, when examined by themselves, may be all 

 strikingly good ; but when a few couples are mixed 

 together, their style, countenances, and general cha- 

 racter, vary so exceedingly, that they are immediately 

 obvious to any one who is a close observer of such 

 matters. Appearances are certainly much more con- 

 sidered than they used to be in former days, and in 

 many instances, I fear, before other qualifications of 

 greater consequence ; still, in the jdays of Somerville, 

 equality of size and similarity in character were looked 

 upon as essentially necessary in the selection of a pack, 

 which is beautifully expressed in the following lines : — 



" As some brave captain, curious and exact, 

 By his fix'd standard forms in equal ranks 

 His gay battalion ; as one man they move 

 Step after step, their size the same, their arms 

 Far gleaming dart the same united blaze ; 

 Reviewing generals his merit own ; 

 How regular ! how just ! and all his cares 



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