GAME LAWS. 



There could then be no complaints about the 

 " liberty of the subject," more than his paying for 

 any other diversion. If he can afford to carry a gun 

 for his amusement, let him assist the revenue by 

 paying for it. 



This duty would only operate on the mere idlers 

 of the country, who, in winter, neglect their work to 

 go about with a gun to the ruin of themselves, and 

 risk of their own, as well as other people's, lives. 

 Lest it should be argued, however, that this might 

 throw on the parish-books those fishermen on the 

 coast, who could, otherwise, support their families by 

 shooting, I must beg to inform you, that these are 

 the very men who are most anxious that a duty 

 should be laid on guns, in order to prevent their being 

 constantly annoyed by the idle. I am credibly in- 

 formed, that, a short time ago, a petition to this 

 effect would have been presented to the House of 

 Commons by (I think) a Mr. B , from the fisher- 

 men on the coast of Essex, had they not disobliged 

 this gentleman by poaching, or some other improper 

 conduct 



Let farmers' bird-keepers be confined to the use of a pistol, or 

 fire-arms not exceeding a foot in length, and be liable to a sur- 

 charge if they shoot at game or water-fowl. 



Many a "bird-keeper!" have I caught, both at 

 dusk, and at dawn, crawling behind a hedge after a 

 covey of partridges that were feeding on a barley 

 stubble. Such little' exercises in rural sports fre- 

 quently go on, either in the morning, before sports- 



