PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE. 203 



than he can learn from a huntsman or a groom, 

 and to devote a spare hour occasionally to the 

 perusal of some of those numerous works which 

 have been written on those subjects. Knowledge 

 is power; and theoretical knowledge has many 

 advantages, although practical has more. But 

 to return to my subject at the beginning of this 

 chapter, I will give verbatim a quotation from 

 Mr. Delme Radcliffe's work on Hunting, as to the 

 number of the pack in the field : — 



" Taking one of the most complete, if not the 

 most perfect in the whole world for an example of 

 what is right, you will find it is oftener with less 

 than with more than eighteen couples that Lord 

 Forrester and Mr. (joosey thread the Vale of Bel- 

 voir." 



And the practice of taking a large body of 

 hounds to hunt the fox is thus censured even by 

 Somerville in his day : — 



** That numerous pack, that crowded state. 

 With which the vain profusion of the great 

 Covers the lawn, and shakes the trembling copse — 



Pompous incumbrance ! a magnificence 

 Useless, vexatious I for the wily fox, 

 Safe in the increasing number of his foes. 

 Kens well the great advantage, shrinks behind. 



