PREFACE. XXXI 



tage; where, with little interruption, he 

 can maintain his line of advance for miles, 

 with a furlong or two of beat on either 

 hand, over ground where, from the more 

 rambling habits of the game, if not from 

 its greater profusion, the expectation of 

 the dog is more continually kept alive to 

 find; and over every inch of which, in 

 the regular completion of his alternate 

 sweeps, he is to be called on to do his 

 duty; It is here only that we can draw 

 with most effect the first outlines of gran- 

 deur : and as first impressions have no 

 inconsiderable influence on character, we 

 are fairly warranted in looking forward to 

 the superior performances of an animal, 

 who has had his energies called forth in a 

 scene like this, when compared with one, 

 who has been doomed to plod away his 

 youthful vivacities, by the hour together, 

 in a patch of potatoes, and to play at hide- 

 and-seek with his master along the wind- 

 ings of a ditch, or amongst the thickly- 

 wooded fences, in some of the richer soils 

 of England. The gentleman in the south 

 undoubtedly has many advantages, in the 



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