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subject, I shall not be less successful with 

 yourself; and that, with the first of next season, 

 you shall be qualified to meet his point without 

 the fear of disgracing yourself in his eyes, or 

 of so continually feeling shame for having your 

 defects brought in competition with his excel- 

 lences. I will not for a moment have it sup- 

 posed, that I am not able to do as much with 

 you in the first instance, as I have been enabled 

 to do at second hand with your dog. The 

 rules here laid down for the superior command 

 of arms, and for their more effective direction 

 under every emergency, have not been given 

 with less deliberate consideration, than the 

 precepts by which the dog has been conducted 

 through his duties. And, a priori, I should 

 certainly promise myself more success with 

 any gentleman upon the present subject, than 

 upon the other, where the faculties of the pupil 

 make so material a part of the consideration ; 

 whereas here every thing depends solely on the 

 determined pains which a man shall be disposed 

 to take with himself; and he can only be dis- 

 appointed by a failure in his own application. 



But it is time to enter upon our subject; 

 which may conveniently enough be opened by 

 the immediate purport of your letter. You say, 

 that " you find your gun somewhat too long in 



