Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V. ON THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. "My hounds shall wake The lazy morn, and glad the horizon round."--Chase. The opening of this chapter shall be the commencement of a new season, and in it I will endeavour to lead my reader through the whole of the economy of the hunting kennel; and, although topics may be introduced, and incidents recorded, which may at first sight appear extraneous and heavy, still they will be found to be so interwoven with the main object, that they are absolutely necessary and convenient to carry on the design; and that, like a firm building, the cavities must be filled up with such stones and mortar as are proper and in keeping with the strength of the fabric, and not plastered up with such perishable materials as are inconsistent with the intention of the architect; nor will any foolish attempt be made to introduce that kind of flowery language so prevalent in books of modern days, by which the reader may be misled into a different kind of pleasure, quite foreign to that which is designed in the present work. According to the acknowledged custom of fox-hunting, the season commences in November; some establishments begin to advertise their fixtures early in October,1 but the first Monday in November opens the 1 In some countries the regular season now begins during the last week in October.--Ed. winter campaign in Leicestershire at Kirby Gate; on that day may be seen at that celebrated place of meeting most of the regular Melton men, and undoubtedly the finest display of horseflesh that can possibly be exhibited in any country in the world. In humble imitation of the great men in this metropolis of hunting, the numerous possessors of inferior studs, who flock to the various other minor hunting...