OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 119 



of the notions of a Frenchman with regard to 

 fox-hunting, I will relate to you another circum- 

 stance which I know to have occurred, but it 

 was in England. A French gentleman being out 

 one day, when several coverts having been drawn 

 without Success, the master of the hounds, to 

 the great joy of the field, trotted off to a piece 

 of gorse in an open country, at a great distance 

 from any other coverts. They found, but un- 

 fortunately Reynard was immediately headed into 

 the mouth of the hounds ; — when the Monsieur 

 riding up to the gentleman, and taking off his hat, 

 exclaims, " Sir ! I congratulate you on catching 

 him so soon, and with so little trouble." I have 

 been informed an English gentleman has estab- 

 lished a pack of fox-hounds near Tours, to hunt 

 wild boar ; and for that description of hunting 

 has excellent sport, and kills every season a great 

 number of these animals. He being well known 

 in England as a good sportsman, I have no doubt 

 the thing is done as well as it can be. 



Now for the Chapter of Accidents, so often 

 quoted in the drawing-room and boudoir, against 

 our noble sport. Doubtless casualties will happen 

 in hunting, but not more frequently in the pur- 

 suit of that than of other sports ; and they most 

 commonly occur to men attempting to leap large 

 fences when their horses are blown. How much 



