HUNTING DIRECTORY. 245 



Uncertainty of the Weather for Hunting. 



must be confessed, that this ingenious machine is of 

 great use to the observant huntsman : and when he rises 

 in a morning, and finds the air moist and temperate, the 

 quicksilver in his glass moderately high, or gently convex, 

 he has a fair invitation to prepai'e for his exercise. I 

 know it is the custom with our juvenile sportsmen to fix 

 the tmie, two or three days beforehand, to meet a friend, 

 or to hunt in such or such a quarter ; but appointed 

 matches of this kind are my aversion and abhorrence ; 

 he that will enjoy the pleasure of the chase, must ask 

 leave of the heavens. Hunting is a trade that is not to 

 be forced ; nor can the best cry that ever was coupled 

 make any thing of it, unless the air be in tune. 



" The earth also hath no small influence on this deli- 

 cious pastime ; for though it sometimes happens (accord- 

 ing to the observations above) that the scent is floating, 

 so that you may run down a hare through water and 

 mire (especially if you keep pretty close after her) without 

 the trouble of stooping : yet, at such a season, the first 

 fault is the loss of your game ; the perspirations of her 

 body being wafted over head by the gravity of the air, 

 and those of her feet being left on elements that absorb 

 or confound them. 



" This last case very often happens at the going oil' 

 of a frost ; the mercury is then commonly falling, and by 

 consequence the scent sinking to the ground. The earth 

 is naturally on such occasion fermenting ; dissolving, 

 stinking, exhaling, and very porous ; so that it is impos- 

 sible but most of the particles must then be corrupted, 

 buried, or overcome by stronger vapours. 'Tis very 

 common to heir tlic vulgar say, .s/w carries dirt in her 



