LEX TALIONIS 147 



are. I am sorry that it is otherwise with you ; and that your old gouty 

 neighbour should destroy your foxes, I must own, concerns me. I know 

 some gentlemen, who, when a neighbour had destroyed all their foxes, 

 and thereby prevented them from pursuing a favourite amusement, loaded 

 a cart with spaniels, and went all together and destroyed his pheasants. 

 I think they might have called this very properly, lex talionis ; and it 

 had the desired effect ; for, as the gentleman did not think it prudent 

 to fight them all, he took the wiser method he made peace with them : 

 he gave an order, that no more foxes should be destroyed ; and they never 

 afterwards killed any of his pheasants. 



