A DISCOURSE ON SCREECH OWLS. 243 



But, I may be asked, if this be all so certain, why 

 interfere at all with it? why should not these ugly 

 birds enjoy their own discordant notes, and appal and 

 terrify their neighbours, since no permanent evil can 

 be engendered by their hooting? The evil, Sir, is not 

 of the nature I have hitherto alluded to, but is not less 

 pregnant with misfortune to society in general. Man- 

 kind seem to have still to learn the powerful influence 

 of public opinion on any given measure ; it is admitted 

 that the public funds are as sensitive to it, as the ba- 

 rometer is to the weight of the atmosphere. But we 

 stop here, and do not admit its power over the various 

 articles of agricultural produce, or mechanical labour, 

 and yet fluctuations of price take place without any 

 satisfactory grounds being adduced for them by the 

 best informed persons. There are, at this moment, 

 branches of trade which are exceedingly prosperous, 

 whilst others are almost in a state of ruin, without any 

 adequate cause being assigned. Does it not arise, 

 therefore, from our not sufficiently attending to the 

 progress and spread of any particular opinions, from 

 individuals to small societies, and from them to larger 

 communities : for instance, from an individual to a 

 family, from it to a parish, from the latter to a district, 

 thence to a county, and so onwards until the whole 

 kingdom is affected. The consequence silently ope- 

 rating on the great mass of the public is, to spend 

 as little as possible, and save all they can, this is in- 

 stantly felt by every butcher, brewer, baker, taylor, 

 shoe-maker, and all persons employed in providing the 

 food and clothes for mankind ; the evil is endured, but 

 the cause is not seen. 



In like manner, are these brother-owls the Trades' 

 unionists acting ; they may have wrongs for ought I 

 know, but I feel assured, that whatever these evils are 

 they will bring down an incalculably greater number 

 of them on themselves, by alarming the public mind 

 in the way they have been and are doing. They will 

 feel the effect, but they will not know where the with- 

 ering blast comes from. Their .revenge may be grati- 



