149 



important period of probation, I do not take 

 into the account whatever of toil or of time 

 may be expended in the flogging of vices out 

 of the pupil. The reader will be pleased to 

 observe, that this is quite an extra considera- 

 tion; and if there be too much to be done in 

 this way, I can not help expressing my fears 

 that we shall never arrive at the point, which I 

 must now be permitted to hold forth as the 

 criterion by which to fix the period for intro- 

 ducing a young dog into society, viz. that he be 

 perfect under the head of DOWN CHARGE. I 

 must here request of the reader to take the 

 trouble of recurring to what I have said on 

 this subject at p. 37 ; after an attentive perusal 

 of which, I beg to repeat, with undiminished 

 emphasis, the word " perfect." Be the time 

 more or less, that shall be employed in attaining 

 this point, it is then, and not till then, that I 

 can allow, with any chance of benefit to him- 

 self, the pretensions of a dog to thrust his nose 

 into public. Upon various other points, which 

 will ever be most explicitly and effectually 

 taught in a state of single hunt, yet in which 

 time and experience can alone give him all the 

 perfection that we wish, it may not be necessary 

 to insist ; but on that of " Down charge to the 

 shot," I must require a prompt and strict 

 obedience, steadily, though somewhat inipa- 



