210 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



The Doubles, &c. of the Hare. 



absconding creature suddenly starting in view of the 

 whole cry, and he shall feel a passion that all his affected 

 apathy cannot cover, that all his most lucky discoveries 

 could never equal ! Let the most morose and incredu- 

 lous sceptic suffer himself to be persuaded to ride the 

 chase, or but to stand on an eminence and observe the 

 perplexing shifts and wiles of the flyer and the pursuers, 

 and he must be convinced that God's providence is over 

 all his works, that the minutest and vilest part of the 

 creation have been the care and contrivance of infinite 

 wisdom. The swiftness and subtilty of this incom- 

 parable creature demonstrate that she was made to give 

 us pleasure, with purpose to tempt us into the wholesome 

 fields : the doubles and indentures she is perpetually 

 making, argues a design in their great Creator that every 

 hound should come in to bear a part of the chorus — that 

 each should have an opportunity of shewing his acute- 

 ness and policy in the pursuit ; and the tours and rings 

 she naturally traverses and repeats over the same ground, 

 gives an advantage to every one of the company to enjoy 

 their share, even old men and maidens. 



** The chase after the fox or stag is violent, and little 

 more than riding and running ; but the hare displays the 

 very art of hunting — she affords a pleasure worthy of a 

 philosopher— a curiosity that may justly raise the admi- 

 ration of the wisest statesman, physician, or divine. Let 

 the most learned and inquisitive naturalist dissect the 

 carcase of this feeble animal, let him carefully trace every 

 sinew and muscle, let him note the smallness of her head 

 and neck, the fullness and prominency of her eyes, the 

 leanness of her shoulders, the depth of her chest, the 



