89 



rest : Sir, the great secret of creating a perfect 

 down charge, that triumph of superior breaking, 

 and firm bond of all dutiful obedience, is this 

 circumstance of leading back to the very spot, 

 and administering the discipline there; the 

 object being to inculcate this idea : " I should 

 not have stirred from this spot ;" or, " from the 

 instant of fire, I am expected to keep my 

 ground." If your flogging is to gratify your 

 anger, and not to inculcate this idea, you had 

 much better let it alone. 



I have here taken the extreme case of a head- 

 long dash at the falling bird ; let me now make 

 a transition to one of a milder nature. He 

 perceives it fall ; I hope it does not flutter, for 

 it will interrupt and puzzle us in the lesson : it 

 flutters ; he offers to rush, and you make a 

 dash towards the bird: Od's triggers and 

 pans*! why will you set me a swearing? Did I 

 not tell you I had you to break ? I insist upon 

 it, stand stock still : give him an instant volley 

 of " TAKE HEED !" and " DOWN CHARGE !" And, 

 unless there be a risk of his tasting blood, by 

 his having actual hold of the bird, as in the 



* I beg to make my acknowledgments to the celebrated 

 author of The Rivals, for the appropriate use of an expres- 

 sion, which spares me the risk, under such flagrant provoca- 

 tion, of a less harmless explosion. 



