THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING: IN A SERIES OF FAMILIAR LETTERS TO A FRIEND
London, England: J. Debrett, Opposite Burlington-House, Piccadilly, 1802. Fourth edition. Leather-bound. Square Quarto, in contemporary spotted calf, with some evidence of past reinforcement. Lighter spine with simple paper label, and compartments ruled in (now faded) gilt. Bookplate of Bayard Tuckerman Jr., to front pastedown, and inscription to front free endpaper reading: "Richard Morrtimer Jr., Esq. from Bayard Tuckerman, Jr. Esq. June 20th, 1916.
A series of letters from a more experienced hunter, to a friend, covering all aspects of fox hunting, with attention paid particularly to care of the all important hounds. Some uneven trimming to bottom edges of several pages, and one 2" x 1/2" chip missing from very bottom margin of p. 264. Frontis portrait, and one of a kennel, at rear. MISSING second plate at rear, depicting elevation of a kennel. Clean pages. Nice, thick, high-quality paper, wide margins, quite bright. Very Good. Item #84992
Letters include information on Hunting in general, The Kennel and all its parts, Hounds in General (Feeding, Breeding, Coupling, Entering, Diseases, Placing, Casting, etc.), Hare-Hunting, Hare catching, Bad Sportsmen described, Killing a Fox, Treeing a Fox, The Whipper-in, Hounds that Kill Sheep, Wanton Destruction of Foxes Censured; Bag-Foxes, How Cubs should be Treated; Badgers Objected to; Management of a Hunter, Quotations from other authors.
Peter] "...Beckford's reputation rests largely on the two works he issued in 1781, Thoughts upon Hare and Fox Hunting in a Series of Letters and Essays on Hunting: Containing a Philosophical Enquiry into the Nature of Scent....Beckford's works were remarkable because they detailed the grubby nitty-gritty of animal husbandry in a light, eloquent prose. Clearly an expert in every aspect of managing hunting animals, Beckford offered detailed advice on all aspects of animal welfare, specializing at various periods in the breeding of harriers, foxhounds, and buck-hounds.." (ODNB).
Price: $200.00