ON WHIPPERS-IN. 153 



but such as take a share in the work, and such as are 

 tolerably steady. The other may be considered the 

 awkward squad, consisting of old line hunters, which 

 can always be depended upon, particularly as finders, 

 and such as require perpetual drilling in the wood- 

 lands to keep them in order. Be, if possible, strong 

 in hounds at the beginning of the season, it is very 

 easy to put away the incorrigible, and such as cannot 

 run up, and by strict attention and perseverance, a 

 few years will produce a second pack equal to the 

 first both in capabilities and appearance. 



Nothing will be found to be of greater importance 

 in the well conducting of the operations, than steadi- 

 ness and persevering exertions on the part of the 

 whippers-in ; servants of that description are quite as 

 difficult to meet with, as a first-rate huntsman ; a 

 master who " puts up" a booby of a groom, merely 

 because he can ride young horses, and scream like a 

 fish-woman, must never expect to see his hounds any 

 thing else than wild and vicious in their drawing, and 

 heedless and unhandy in their attention to the hunts- 

 man when casting. It was the opinion of Mr. Beck- 

 ford, that first-rate abilities in a whipper-in were of 

 more consequence to the promoting of good sport, 

 than they were in a huntsman ; and although I must 

 beg to differ with that universally acknowledged oracle 

 in hunting matters, in considering that it is impossible 

 for a huntsman to know too much, or to be too aufait 

 at his business; yet as my opinion with regard to the 

 knowledge and acquirements of a whipper-in, so 

 exactly agrees with the ideas of that great man, I will 

 give them in his own words, omiting such parts as 



