Cynegetica

by William Blane

CYNEGETICA;

OR,

ESSAYS ONSPORTING:

CONSISTING OF

OBSERVATIONS

ON

HARE HUNTING:

CONTAINING,

An Account of the Hare Hunting; and Courſing of the Ancients, from Xenophon and Arrian:—A Philoſophical Enquiry into the Nature and Properties of the Scent:—Remarks on the different Kinds of Hounds, with the Manner of training them:—Directions for the Choice of a Hunter:—The Qualifications requiſite for a Huntſman:—And other general Rules to be obſerved in every Contingency incident to the Chace.

Together with

An Account of the Vizier's Manner of Hunting in the Mogul Empire.

By WILLIAM BLANE, Eſq.

To which is added,

THE CHACE: A POEM.

By WILLIAM SOMERVILE, Eſq.

A new Edition, embelliſhed with an elegant Frontiſpiece and a Vignette.

Οὑτω δὲ ἐπιχαρι ἐϛι το θηριόν, ὥϛε οὐδεὶς ὀϛις οὐκ ἂν ἰδών ἰχνευόμενον, εὑρισκόμενον, μεταθεόμενον, ἁλισκόμενον, ἐπιλάθοιτ᾽ ἂν εἴτȣ ἐρωη.

Xenoph. Cyneg.

My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind.
So flew'd, ſo ſanded, and their heads are hung
With ears that ſweep away the morning dew;
Crook-knee'd, and dew-lap'd, like Theſſalian bulls;
Slow in purſuit, but match'd in mouth like bells.
Each under each. A cry more tuneable
Was never halloo'd to, nor cheer'd with horn.
Shakespeare's Midſumrmer Night's Dream.

 

TO

 

EDWARD LOVEDEN LOVEDEN, Eſq.

 

THESE ESSAYS,

 

ON A FAVOURITE DIVERSION,

 

WHICH HAVE OFTEN AMUSED HIM IN MANUSCRIPT,

 

ARE, AS A TOKEN OF ESTEEM AND REGARD,

 

DEDICATED

 

BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND,

 

AND OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT,

 

THE EDITOR.

 

CONTENTS.

	Page
Introduction	1
Greek Method of Hare Hunting, from Xenophon	19
Ancient Method of Courſing, from Arrian	47
Eſſays on Hunting.
Obſervations on Hare Hunting	65
Hounds	82
the Horse	94
the Huntsman	97
Six Letters upon hare Hunting.
Letter I. The Art and Pleaſure of Hunting	107
II. Concerning the Sorts of Harriers, and Difference	114
III. The Sorts and Difference of Hares	125
IV. Some Perfections of the Hare, and remarkable Qualities of other Creatures	140
V. Of Trailing and Starting, with Directions to the Huntſman	156
VI. Of the Default with ſome Cautions; alſo of marvellous Tales of Hares at Default	172

Account of the Hare Hunting Excursions of Aſoph Ul Doulah	185
The Chace: A Poem	203
Method of deſtroying Hares by the Hare-Pipe	291