32 ANCIENT WOODS. 



in order to satisfy himself as to what ought to be 

 done; and this he must do immediately when the 

 underwood is cut, or rather, as soon as any con- 

 siderable portion is done, so that he may have 

 hefore him all the time which he can possibly 

 command, for carrying on, and completing, his 

 improvements. He must not he deterred from 

 commencing them by any consideration of the 

 remoteness of the prospect of return upon his out- 

 lay ; but, instead of visiting the sins of his fathers 

 upon the generations following him, he must, if 

 the case demand it, make a present sacrifice, for 

 the benefit of his posterity : I say if the case 

 demand it, but this will not very frequently hap- 

 pen, as there are very few instances of "mis- 

 management" where the fear of cutting timber 

 has not been one of the principal causes of that 

 mismanagement ; and where this is so, there is at 

 once found a source from whence may be obtained 

 the means of amply paying for any outlay that 

 may be required. I have thus far remarked only 

 on what may, and what ought to be done, when 

 Ancient Woods come to be felled in the regular 

 way, and at the usual time and age ; but there 



