If  he  is  flighty,  the}^  will  be  the  same.  If  quiet,
their  demeanour  will  be  the  reflex  of  his.  By  the
conduct  of  a  pack  of  foxhounds  in  the  field,  the
character  of  their  huntsman  may  be  immediately
discerned.  There  is  as  much  difference  between
the  dispositions  of  young  foxhounds  as  boys  at
school.  Some  enter  readily,  others  slowly  ;  and  a
few,  perhaps,  do  not  manifest  any  disposition  to
enter  at  all.  We  are  not  partial  to  precocious
youngsters  of  any  sort — biped  or  quadruped — and
very  fast  young  hounds,  as  well  as  fast  young  gen-
tlemen, are  generally  the  first  to  break  down.  We
must,  however,  for  a  certain  time,  let  all  run  or
work  together.  Some  from  the  first  day  settle
down  quickly  to  their  line  of  business,  never  needing
the  smart  of  whipcord  during  their  lives  ;  but  there
will  be  mischievous  ones  in  every  entry — Pickles  of
their  schools,  which  must  be  left  to  the  tender
mercies  of  Jem  and  Jack,  to  be  broken  of  their  bad


SCIENCE    OF    FOXHUNTING.  91

habits.  There  is  one  fault  only  for  which  a  young
hound  ought  to  be  drafted,  and  may  be  put  fairly
aside  immediately — too  much  tongue.  We  have
never  known  an  instance  of  amendment  in  this
case.  Babbling  increases  with  years.  It  cannot
be  determined  whether  a  young  hound,  not  free
with  his  tongue,  can  be  classed  among  mutes,  before
a  fair  trial  has  been  given  him.  He  may  pro-
bably be  of  a  modest,  taciturn  disposition,  or,
having  tasted  Jack's  whipcord  for  venturing  to
proclaim  he  was  running  a  fox,  when  Jack  would
insist  he  was  running  a  hare,  he  might  feel  shy  of
speaking  on  the  subject  again  for  some  time.
