Themasteracceptedthecompliment，andthestrangersinnednomore。
TherearesomepositionsamongmankindwhicharesopeculiarlyblessedthattheownersofthemseemtohavebeenspeciallyselectedbyProvidenceforhappinessonearthinadegreesufficienttoraisethemaliceandenvyofalltheworldaround。
AnEnglishcountrygentlemanwithtenthousandayearmusthavebeensoselected。MembersofParliamentwithseatsforcountieshavebeenexaltedafterthesameunjustfashion。Popularmastersofold—establishedhuntssinagainsttheirfellowsinthesameway。ButwhenitcomestoamantofillupallthesepositionsinEngland，envyandmalicemustbedeadinthelandifhebeleftalivetoenjoytheirfruition。
HOWTORIDETOHOUNDS
Nowattendme，DianaandtheNymphs，Pan，Orion，andtheSatyrs，forIhaveataskinhandwhichmayhardlybeaccomplishedwithoutsomedivineaid。AndthelessonIwouldteachisoneastowhichevengodsmustdiffer，andnotwomenwilleverholdexactlythesameopinion。Indeed，nowrittenlesson，nospokenwords，nolectures，betheyeversooftenrepeated，willteachanymantoridetohounds。Theartmustcomeofnatureandofexperience;andOrion，werehehere，couldonlytellthetyroofsomefewblunderswhichhemayavoid，orgivehimahintortwoastothemannerinwhichheshouldbegin。
LetitbeunderstoodthatIamspeakingoffox—hunting，andlettheyoungbeginneralwaysrememberthatinhuntingthefoxapackofhoundsisneeded。Thehuntsman，withhisservants，andallthescarlet—coatedhorsemeninthefield，candonothingtowardstheendforwhichtheyareassembledwithouthounds。HewhoasyetknowsnothingofhuntingwillimaginethatIamlaughingathiminsayingthis;but，afterawhile，hewillknowhowneedfulitistobearinmindthecautionIheregivehim，andwillseehowfrequentlymenseemtoforgetthatafoxcannotbehuntedwithouthounds。Afoxisseentobreakfromthecovert，andmenrideafterit;thefirstman，probably，beingsomecunningsinner，whowouldfaingetoffaloneifitwerepossible，andstealamarchuponthefield。Butinthiscaseoneknavemakesmanyfools;andmenwillrush，andridealongthetrackofthegame，asthoughtheycouldhuntit，andwilldestroythescentbeforethehoundsareonit，following，intheirignorance，thefootstepsofthecunningsinner。Letmebegmyyoungfriendnottobefoundamongthisodiouscrowdofmarplots。Hisbusinessistoridetohounds;
andlethimdosofromthebeginningoftherun，perseveringthroughitall，takingnomeanadvantages，andallowinghimselftobebetrayedintoasfewmistakesaspossible;butlethimnotbeginbeforethebeginning。Ifhecouldknowallthatisinsidethebreastofthatmeanmanwhocommencedthescurry，thecunningmanwhodesirestostealamarch，myyoungfriendwouldnotwishtoemulatehim。Withnine—tenthsofthemenwhoflutterawayafterthisillfashionthereisnodesignoftheirownintheirsoriding。Theysimplywishtogetaway，andintheirimpatienceforgetthelittlefactthatapackofhoundsisnecessaryforthehuntingofafox。
Ihavefoundmyselfcompelledtobeginwiththispreliminarycaution，asallridingtohoundshangsonthefactinquestion。
Mencannotridetohoundsifthehoundsbenotthere。Theymayrideoneafteranother，andthat，indeed，sufficesformanyakeensportsman;butIamnowaddressingtheyouthwhoisambitiousofridingtohounds。ButthoughIhavethusbegun，strikingfirstattheveryrootofthematter，ImustgobackwithmypupilintothecovertbeforeIcarryhimonthroughtherun。Inridingtohoundsthereismuchtodobeforethestraightworkcommences。Indeed，thestraightworkis，fortheman，theeasiestwork，orthework，Ishouldsay，whichmaybedonewiththeleastpreviousknowledge。Thenthehorse，withhisqualities，comesintoplay;andifhebeuptohisbusinessinskill，condition，andbottom，amanmaygowellbysimplykeepingwithotherswhogowellalso。Straightriding，however，istheexceptionandnottherule。Itcomessometimes，andisthecreamofhuntingwhenitdoescome;butitdoesnotcomeasoftenastheenthusiasticbeginnerwillhavetaughthimselftoexpect。
Butnowwewillgobacktothecovert，andintothecovertifitbealargeone。Iwillspeakofthreekindsofcoverts，thegorse，thewood，andtheforest。Thereareothers，butnoneothersodistinctastorequirereference。Asregardsthegorsecovert，whichofallisthemostdelightful，you，mydisciple，needonlybecarefultokeepinthecrowdwhenitisbeingdrawn。Youmustunderstandthatiftheplantationwhichyouseebeforeyou，andwhichisthefox\'shomeandhomestead，besurrounded，theownerofitwillneverleaveit。Afoxwillrunbackfromachildamongapackofhounds，somuchmoreterribleistohimthehumanraceeventhanthecanine。Theobjectofallmenofcourseisthatthefoxshallgo，andfromagorsecovertoffiveacreshemustgoveryquicklyordieamongthehounds。Itwillnotbelongbeforehestartsiftherebespaceleftforhimtocreepout，ashewillhope，unobserved。Unobservedhewillnotbe，fortheaccustomedeyeofsomewhiporservantwillhaveseenhimfromacorner。Butifstrayhorsemenroamingroundthegorsegivehimnoroomforsuchhope，hewillnotgo。Allwhichissoplainlyintelligible，thatyou，myfriend，willnotfailtounderstandwhyyouarerequiredtoremainwiththecrowd。Andwithsimplegorsecovertsthereisnostrongtemptationtomoveabout。Theyaredrawnquickly，andthoughtherebeascrambleforplaceswhenthefoxhasbroken，thewholethingisinsosmallacompassthatthereisnodifficultyingettingawaywiththehounds。Infindingyourrightplace，andkeepingitwhenitisfound，youmayhavedifficulty;butingoingawayfromagorsethefieldwillbeopenforyou，andwhenthehoundsarewelloutanduponthescent，thenrememberyourLatin;Occupetextremumscabies。
Butforonefoxfoundinagorseyouwill，inordinarycountries，seefivefoundinwoods;andastotheplaceandconductofahuntingmanwhilewoodsarebeingdrawn，thereisroomformuchdoubt。Ipresumethatyouintendtorideonehorsethroughouttheday，andthatyouwishtoseeallthehuntingthatmaycomeinyourway。Thisbeingso，itwillbeyourstudytoeconomizeyouranimal\'spower，andtokeephimfreshfortherunwhenitcomes。
Youwillhardlyassistyourobjectinthisrespectbyseeingthewooddrawn，andgallopingupanddowntheridesasthefoxcrossesandrecrossesfromonesideofittoanother。Suchridesaredeepwithmud，andbecomedeeperastheworkgoeson;andfoxesareveryobstinate，running，ifthecovertbethick，oftenforanhourtogetherwithoutanattemptatbreaking，andbeingdrivenbackwhentheydoattemptbythehorsemenwhomtheyseeonallsidesofthem。Itisverypossibletocontinueatthiswork，seeingthehoundshunt，withyourearsratherthanyoureyes，tillyournaghasnearlydonehisday\'swork。Hewillstillcarryyouperhapsthroughoutagoodrun，buthewillnotdosowiththatelasticitywhichyouwilllove;andthen，afterthat，thejourneyhomeis，itisoccasionallysomethingalmosttoofrightfultobecontemplated。Youcan，therefore，ifitsopleaseyou，stationyourselfwithotherpatientlong—suffering，mindfulmenatsomecorner，oratsomecentralpointamidsttherides，bidingyourtime，consolingyourselfwithcigars，andnotswearingatthevileperfidious，unfoxlikefoxmorefrequentlythanyoucanhelp。Forthefoxonsuchoccasionswillbeabusedwithallthecalumniousepithetswhichtheingenuityofangrymencandevise，becauseheisexercisingthatingenuitythepossessionofwhichonhispartisthefoundationoffox—hunting。
Thereyouwillremain，nursingyourhorse，listeningtochaff，andhoping。Butevenwhenthefoxdoesgo，yourdifficultiesmaybebutbeginning。
Itispossiblehemayhavegoneonyoursideofthewood;butmuchmoreprobablethatheshouldhavetakentheother。Helovesnotthatcrowdthathasbeenabusinghim，andstealsawayfromsomesilentdistantcorner。You，whoareabeginner，hearnothingofhisgoing;andwhenyourushoff，asyouwilldowithothers，youwillhardlyknowatfirstwhytherushismade。Butsomeonewitholdereyesandmoreexperiencedearshasseensignsandheardsounds，andknowsthatthefoxisaway。Then，myfriend，youhaveyourplacetowin，anditmaybethatthedistanceshallbetoogreattoallowofyourwinningit。Nothingbutexperiencewillguideyousafelythroughthesedifficulties。
Indrawingforestsorwoodlandsyourcourseismuchclearer。
Thereisnoquestion，then，ofstandingstillandwaitingwithpatience，tobacco，andchaffforthecomingstart。Theareatobedrawnistoolargetoadmitofwaiting，andyouronlydutyistostayasclosetothehoundsasyourearsandeyeswillpermit，rememberingalwaysthatyourearsshouldserveyoumuchmoreoftenthanyoureyes。Andinwoodlandhuntingthatwhichyouthusseeandhearislikelytobeyouramusementfortheday。
Thereis\"ampleroomandvergeenough\"torunafoxdownwithoutanyvisittotheopencountry，andbydegrees，asatrueloveofhuntingcomesuponyouinplaceofaloveofriding，youwilllearntothinkthatadayamongthewoodlandsisadaynotbadlyspent。Atfirst，whenafteranhourandahalfthefoxhasbeenhuntedtohisdeath，orhassucceededinfindingsomefriendlyhole，youwillbewonderingwhenthefunisgoingtobegin。Ahme！howoftenhaveIgonethroughallthefun，haveseenthefunfinished，andthenhavewonderedwhenitwasgoingtobegin;andthat，too，inotherthingsbesideshunting！
Butatpresentthefunshallnotbefinished，andwewillgobacktothewoodfromwhichthefoxisjustbreaking。You，mypupil，shallhavebeenpatient，andyourpatienceshallberewardedbyagoodstart。OnthepresentoccasionIwillgiveyoutheexquisitedelightofknowingthatyouarethere，atthespot，asthehoundscomeoutofthecovert。Yoursuccess，orwantofsuccess，throughouttherunwilldependonthewayinwhichyoumaynowselecttogooverthethreeorfourfirstfields。Itisnotdifficulttokeepwithhoundsifyoucangetwellawaywiththem，andbewiththemwhentheysettletotheirrunning。Inalongandfastrunyourhorsemay，ofcourse，failyou。Thatmustdependonhispowerandhiscondition。But，presumingyourhorsetobeabletogo，keepingwithhoundsisnotdifficultwhenyouareoncefreefromthethickthrongoftheriders。Andthatthickthrongsoonmakesitselfthin。Thedifficultyisinthestart，andyouwillalmostbeoffendedwhenIsuggesttoyouwhatthosedifficultiesare，andsuggestalsothatsuchastheyareeventheymayovercomeyou。Youhavetochooseyourlineofriding。Donotletyourhorsechooseitforyouinsteadofchoosingitforyourself。Hewillprobablymakesuchattempts，anditisnotatallimprobablethatyoushouldlethimhavehisway。Yourhorsewillbeasanxioustogoasyouare，buthisanxietywillcarryhimaftersomeotherspecialhorseonwhichhehasfixedhiseyes。Theriderofthathorsemaynotbetheguidethatyouwouldselect。Butsomehumanguideyoumustselect。Notatfirstwillyou，notatfirstdoesanyman，chooseforhimselfwithsereneprecisionofconfidentjudgmentthelinewhichhewilltake。Youwillbeflurried，anxious，self—diffident，consciousofyourownignorance，anddesirousofaleader。Manyofthosemenwhoarewithyouwillhaveobjectsatheartverydifferentfromyourobject。Somewillrideforcertainpoints，thinkingthattheycanforetelltherunofthefox。Theymayberight;butyou，inyournewambition，arenotsolicitoustorideawaytosomeothercovertbecausethefoxmay，perchance，begoingthere。Somearethinkingoftheroads。Othersarerememberingthatbrookwhichisbeforethem，andridingwideforaford。Withnonesuch，asI
presume，doyouwishtoplaceyourself。Letthehoundsbeyourmark;andif，asmayoftenbethecase，youcannotseethem，thenseethehuntsman;or，ifyoucannotseehim，follow，atanyrate，someonewhodoes。Ifyoucanevendothisasabeginner，youwillnotdobadly。
But，wheneveritbepossible，letthehoundsthemselvesbeyourmark，andendeavourtorememberthattheleadinghoundsarethosewhichshouldguideyou。Asinglehoundwhoturnswhenheisheadingthepackshouldteachyoutoturnalso。Ofallthehoundsyouseethereintheopen，probablynotone—thirdarehunting。
Theothersaredoingasyoudo，followingwheretheirguidesleadthem。Itisforyoutofollowtherealguide，andnotthefollowers，ifonlyyoucankeeptherealguideinview。Tokeepthewholepackinviewandtorideamongthemiseasyenoughwhenthescentisslackandthepaceisslow。Atsuchtimesletmecounselyoutoretiresomewhatfromthecrowd，givingplacetothoseeagermenwhoarebreakingthehuntsman\'sheart。Whenthehoundshavecomenearertotheirfox，andthepaceisagaingood，thentheywillretireandmakeroomforyou。
Notbehindhounds，butalongsideofthem，ifonlyyoucanachievesuchposition，itshouldbeyourhonourandglorytoplaceyourself;andyoushouldgosofarwideofthemasinnowaytoimpedethemordisturbthem，oreventoremindthemofyourpresence。Ifthusyoulivewiththem，turningastheyturn，butneverturningamongthem，keepingyourdistance，butlosingnoyard，andcandothisforsevenmilesoveragrasscountryinforty—fiveminutes，thenyoucanridetohoundsbetterthannineteenmenoutofeverytwentythatyouhaveseenatthemeet，andwillhaveenjoyedthekeenestpleasurethathunting，orperhaps，Imaysay，thatanyotheramusement，cangiveyou。