HOW TO RIDE TO HOUNDS
Now attend me, Diana and the Nymphs, Pan, Orion, and the Satyrs,
for I have a task in hand which may hardly be accomplished
without some divine aid. And the lesson I would teach is one as
to which even gods must differ, and no two men will ever hold
exactly the same opinion. Indeed, no written lesson, no spoken
words, no lectures, be they ever so often repeated, will teach
any man to ride to hounds. The art must come of nature and of
experience; and Orion, were he here, could only tell the tyro of
some few blunders which he may avoid, or give him a hint or two
as to the manner in which he should begin.
Let it be understood that I am speaking of fox-hunting, and let
the young beginner always remember that in hunting the fox a pack
of hounds is needed. The huntsman, with his servants, and all the
scarlet-coated horsemen in the field, can do nothing towards the
end for which they are assembled without hounds. He who as yet
knows nothing of hunting will imagine that I am laughing at him
in saying this; but, after a while, he will know how needful it
is to bear in mind the caution I here give him, and will see how
frequently men seem to forget that a fox cannot be hunted without
hounds. A fox is seen to break from the covert, and men ride
after it; the first man, probably, being some cunning sinner, who
would fain get off alone if it were possible, and steal a march
upon the field.
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