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my Arm; but to no Purpose, till Sir ROGER, who knows that none of my extraordinary Motions are infignificant, rode up to me, and asked me if Pufs was gone that Way? Upon my answering Yes he immediately called in the Dogs, and put them upon the Scent. As they were going off, I heard one of the Country Fellows muttering to his Companion, That 'twas a Wonder they had not loft all their Sport, for want of the filent Gentleman's crying STOLE AWAY.

THIS, with my Averfion to leaping Hedges, made me withdraw to a rifing Ground, from whence I could have the Pleasure of the whole Chase, without the Fatigue of keeping in with the Hounds. The Hare immediately threw them above a Mile behind her, but I was pleased to find, that inftead of runring strait forward, or in Hunter's Language, Flying the Country, as I was afraid The might have done, the wheeled about, and described a fort of Circle round the Hill where I had taken my Station, in fuch manner as gave me a very diftinct View of the Sport. I could fee her first. pafs by, and the Dogs fome time afterwards unravelling the whole Tract the had made, and following her thro' all her Doubles. I was at the fame Time delighted

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delighted in obferving that Deference which the rest of the Pack paid to each particular Hound, according to the Character he had acquired amongst them: If they were at a Fault, and an old Hound of good Reputation opened but once, he was immediately followed by the whole Cry; while a raw Dog, or one who was a noted Liar, might have yelped his Heart out, without being taken Notice of.

THE Hare now, after having squatted two or three Times, and been put up again as often, came ftill nearer to the Place where fhe was at first started. The Dogs pursued her, and these were followed by the jolly Knight, who rode upon a white Gelding, encompaffed by his Tenants and Servants, and chearing his Hounds with all the Gaiety of Five and Twenty. One of the Sports-men rode up to me, and told me that he was fure the Chafe was almost at an End, because the old Dogs, which had hitherto lain behind, now headed the Pack. The Fellow was in the right. Our Hare took a large Field juft under us, followed by the full Cry in View. I must confess the Brightness of the Weather, the Chearfulness of every thing around me, the Chiding of the Hounds, which was re

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turned

turned upon us in a double Eccho from two neighbouring Hills, with the Hollowing of the Sports-men, and the Sounding of the Horn, lifted my Spirits into a moft lively Pleasure, which I freely indulged because I was fure it was innocent. If I was under any Concern, it was on. the Account of the poor Hare, that was now quite spent, and almost within the Reach of her Enemies; when the Huntfman getting forward, threw down his Pole before the Dogs. They were now within eight Yards of that Game which they had been pursuing for almoft as many Hours; yet on the Signal beforementioned they all made a fudden stand, and tho' they continued opening as much as before, durft not once attempt to pass beyond the Pole. At the fame Time Sir ROGER rode forward, and alighting, took up the Hare in his Arms; which he foon after delivered to one of his Servants with an Order, if she could be kept alive, to let her go in his great Orchard; where, it feems, he has feveral of these Prisoners of War, who live together in a very comfortable Captivity. I was highly pleafed to fee the Difcipline of the Pack, and the Good-nature of the Knight, who could not find in his Heart

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to murther a Creature that had given him fo much Diverfion.

AS we were returning home, I remembered that Monfieur Pafchal, in his moft excellent Difcourfe on the Mifery of Man, tells us, That all our Endeavours after Greatness proceed from nothing but a Defire of being furrounded by a Multitude of Perfons and Affairs that may hinder us from looking into our felves, which is a View we cannot bear. He afterwards. goes on to fhew that our Love of Sports comes from the fame Reason, and is particularly fevere upon HUNTING. What, fays he, unless it be to drown Thought, can make Men throw away fo much Time and Pains upon a filly Animal, which they might buy cheaper in the Market? The foregoing Reflection is certainly juft, when a Man fuffers his whole Mind to be drawn into his Sports, and altogether lofes himself in the Woods but does not affect those who propofe a far more laudable End from this Exercife, I mean, The Prefervation of Health, and keeping all the Organs of the Soul in a Condition to execute her Orders. Had that incomparable Person whom I laft quoted been a little more indulgent to himfelf in this Point, the World might probably have enjoyed him much longer; whereas,

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whereas, thro' too great an Application
to his Studies in his Youth, he con-
tracted that ill Habit of Body, which,
after a tedious Sickness, carried him off
in the fortieth Year of his Age; and
the whole History we have of his Life
till that time, is but one continued Ac-
count of the Behaviour of a noble Soul
ftruggling under innumerable Pains and
Distempers.

FOR my own Part, I intend to hunt
twice a week during my Stay with
Sir ROGER; and fhall prefcribe the
moderate use of this Exercife to all my
Country Friends, as the beft kind of
Phyfick for mending a bad Conftituti-
on, and preferving a good one.

I cannot do this better, than in the
following Lines out of Mr. Dryden.

The firft Phyficians by Debauch were made;
Excefs began, and Sloth fuftains the Trade.
By Chafe our long-liv'd Fathers earn'dtheir Food,
Toil ftrung the Nerves, and purify'd the Blood:
But we their Sons, a pamper'd Race of Men,
Are dwindled down to threefcore Years and ten.
Better to hunt in Fields for Health unbought,
Than fee the Doctor for a nauseous Draught.
The Wife for Cure on Exercife depend:
God never made his Work for Man to mend. X
INDEX

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