The School of Recreation | Page 3

tell me
the Reasons that induced him take pleasure in Hounds, whether it be he
fancies Cunning in Hunting? Or Sweetness, Loudness, or Deepness of
Cry? Or for the Training his Horses? Or for the Exercise of his Body
only?
If for Cunning Hunting; breed your Dogs from the slowest and largest
of the forementioned Northern Hounds, and the swiftest and slenderest
of the West Country, of both Kinds, approved to be not given to lie off,
or look for Advantages, but staunch, fair, even running, and of perfect
fine Scent. These will make a Horse gallop fast, and not run; being
middle-siz'd, not too swift as to out-run, or too slow as to lose the Scent;
are the best for the true Art and Use of Hunting.
If for Sweetness of Cry; compound your Kennel of some large Dogs, of
deep solemn Mouths, and swift in spending, as the Base in the Consort;
then twice so many roaring, loud ringing Mouths, as the Counter-Tenor:
And lastly, some hollow plain sweet Mouths, as the Mean: So shall
your Cry be perfect. Observe that this Composition be of the swiftest
and largest deep Mouth'd Dog, the slowest and middle-siz'd, and the
shortest Legged slender Dog. For these run even together.
If for Loudness of Mouth, choose the Loud clanging (redoubling as it

were) Mouth, and to this put the roaring, spending, and Whining Mouth,
which will be loud, smart, and pleasant: Such are for the most part your
Shropshire, and Worcestershire Dogs.
If (lastly) for deepness of cry, the largest dogs having the greatest
Mouths, and deepest flews, are the best; such are your West-Country,
Cheshire, and Lancashire Dogs.
But if you have your Kennel for Training Horses only; then compound
your Kennel of the lightest, nimblest, and swiftest Dogs, such as your
Northern Hounds are. For the strong and violent Exercises of their
Horses, through the Natural Velocity of their Hounds, in the North
parts, have render'd them famous for Truth and Swiftness above all
other parts of England.
Lastly, If for the Maintenance of your Health, by preventing Infirmities
and Grossness of Humours, you compose your Kennel; consult first
your own Ability for this Exercise; and if you think you are able to foot
it away, then the Biggest and slowest Dogs you can get are best. But if
you would pad it away through an Unability of footing it, than choose
the slowest or middle-siz'd Hounds, of good Mouths and Noses, for
loud Cry, and ready Scent.
Thus far for the Composing a Kennel: I come now to the Kennel it self,
of which I need say little, as indeed unnecessary, leaving that to the
Discretion of the Huntsman; only I would have him observe, that it be
built some pretty way distant from the Dwelling-House, in a warm dry
Place, free from Vermine, and near some Pond or River of fresh Water;
and so placed, that the Morning Sun may shine upon it. Be sure to keep
it clean, and let them not want fresh Straw every day. Feed them early
in the Morning at Sun-rising, and at Sun-set in the Evening. As for the
Meat, I leave to the ingenious Huntsman to get when they come from
Hunting; after you have fed them well, let them to their Kennel, and
wash their Feet with Beer and Butter, or some such thing, and pick and
search their Cleys, for Thorns, Stubs, or the like: If it is in Winter, let a
Fire be made, and let them beak and stretch themselves for an hour or
so at the fire, and suffer them to lick, pick, and trim themselves; hereby
to prevent the Diseases incident to them, upon sudden Cooling, as the

Mange, Itch, Fevers, &c.
But before I treat of the keeping your Hounds in Health by curing their
Diseases, I must speak a Word or two of the way to Breed good Whelps,
viz. Having a Hound and a Bratch of that general Goodness in Size,
Voice, Speed, Scent, and Proportion you like, put them together to
ingender in January, February, or March, as the properest Months for
Hounds, Bitches, and Bratches to be Limed in; because of not _losing
time_ to enter them. When you put them together, observe, as near as
you can, if the Moon be in Aquarius or Gemini; because the Whelps
will then never run Mad, and the Litter will be double as many Dogs, as
Bitch-Whelps. When your Bitch is near her Whelping, separate her
from the other Hounds, and make her a Kennel particularly by her self;
and see her Kennell'd every Night, that she might be acquainted and
delighted with it, and so not seek out unwholsom Places; for if you
remove the Whelps after they are Whelp'd, the Bitch