what to make of it. Coming up to them, I was greatly
surprised. The hare had littered in running; the same had happened to
my bitch in coursing, and there were just as many leverets as pups. By
instinct the former ran, the latter coursed: and thus I found myself
in possession at once of six hares, and as many dogs, at the end of a
course which had only begun with one.

I remember this, my wonderful bitch, with the same pleasure and
tenderness as a superb Lithuanian horse, which no money could have
bought. He became mine by an accident, which gave me an opportunity
of showing my horsemanship to a great advantage. I was at Count
Przobossky's noble country-seat in Lithuania, and remained with the
ladies at tea in the drawing-room, while the gentlemen were down in
the yard, to see a young horse of blood which had just arrived from the
stud. We suddenly heard a noise of distress; I hastened down-stairs, and
found the horse so unruly, that nobody durst approach or mount him.
The most resolute horsemen stood dismayed and aghast; despondency was
expressed in every countenance, when, in one leap, I was on his back,
took him by surprise, and worked him quite into gentleness and obedience
with the best display of horsemanship I was master of. Fully to show
this to the ladies, and save them unnecessary trouble, I forced him to
leap in at one of the open windows of the tea-room, walked round several
times, pace, trot, and gallop, and at last made him mount the tea-table,
there to repeat his lessons in a pretty style of miniature which was
exceedingly pleasing to the ladies, for he performed them amazingly
well, and did not break either cup or saucer. It placed me so high in
their opinion, and so well in that of the noble lord, that, with his
usual politeness, he begged I would accept of this young horse, and
ride him full career to conquest and honour in the campaign against the
Turks, which was soon to be opened, under the command of Count Munich.

I could not indeed have received a more agreeable present, nor a
more ominous one at the opening of that campaign, in which I made my
apprenticeship as a soldier. A horse so gentle, so spirited, and so
fierce--at once a lamb and a Bucephalus, put me always in mind of the
soldier's and the gentleman's duty! of young Alexander, and of the
astonishing things he performed in the field.

We took the field, among several other reasons, it seems, with an
intention to retrieve the character o