Page:Cynegetica.djvu/72

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56
Coursing,

run well. I myſelf often, when I have followed the courſe on horſeback, and have come up time enough to ſave the Hare alive, have taken her from the dogs, and tied them up, and let her go: and ſometimes, when I have come up too late to ſave her, I have not been able to avoid ſtriking the dogs on the head for killing ſo good an antagoniſt. In this alone I cannot agree with [1] Xenophon. I will allow, indeed, that whoever ſees this animal either found, or running, or purſued, may forget any thing elſe he is moſt attached to; but to ſee it taken, is neither pleaſing, nor a ſtriking fight, but rather diſguſting, and by no means likely to produce the forgetfulneſs of any thing elſe one is fond of. But is it excuſable for Xenophon, who was ignorant of the uſe of ſwift dogs, to think the taking the Hare alſo an agreeable fight. I know alſo, that it is impoſſible for thoſe who ſee a courſe, to avoid hollowing, without any advice being given for it, ſince it would al-

  1. Τῶ έμαυτοῦ ὅμωνύμαι. See Xenophon's Treatiſe on Hunting, p. 31.
moſt