SECTION VIII. 



CLOSE-TIME. 



Let them alone : they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the 

 blind, both shall fall into the ditch. ST MATTHEW. 



THE present Act of Parliament relative to close-time, generally 

 called Mr Home Drummond's Act, possesses one merit, namely, 

 that of rendering the prosecution of poachers more simple 

 and easy, which, in the present miserable state of chicanery and 

 expense in the Scotch courts of law, is undoubtedly no small 

 advantage ; but this single merit is unfortunately accompanied 

 by great destruction of private property, and by many absurd- 

 ities most injurious to the fishery itself. 



We shall not inquire what right Parliament has to interfere 

 with the salmon-fishery any more than with any other species of 

 private property. That the public has an interest in the fish- 

 ery is granted : but has the public not an interest, and a much 

 greater interest too, in corn ? Why, then, does not Parliament 

 lay down regulations for corn farmers ? Why does it not enact 

 that they must all, from Caithness to Cornwall be the differ- 

 ence of soil and climate what it may commence and end 

 reaping their crops on the same day ? That would be too ridi- 

 culous ; every one would see at once the absurdity of it ; yet this 

 is the very thing that has been done relative to the salmon 

 rivers, by placing the early rivers and the late rivers on the 

 footing. The only difference between the cases is, that the 

 one is less palpable than the other, because it is less understood 

 and less visible to all ; but, in point of fact, there is no differ- 

 ence whatever between them. If it be said that the individual 



