THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



' Do you recollect what arf^umcnts he made use of ? ' inquired 

 Haroi'ave. 



' Why,' answered Jem, ' if you can take them in my homely 

 language, they were much after this fashion. He said he did 

 not think cock-tighting equal as to cruelty to horse-racing, 

 in which poor animals are forced, against their nature, to 

 performances beyond their strength, with whips and spurs, 

 which jockeys call, cutting up. And this uow happens only 

 a few months arter tlie poor sufferer has been taken from the 

 side of its dam. But in the fighting of game-cocks, the case 

 is different; for instead of a force against nature, it is an 

 indulgence of nature.' 



' Of natural propensities, you mean, Jem,' said Frank 

 Raby. 



' I shouldn't wonder,' resumed Jem ; 'but this is my clumsy 

 way of telling the story, " Cocks at their walks," he said, " and 

 at full liberty, will seeh each other for battle, as far as they 

 can hear each other's crowing, and the putting spurs on their 

 heels, when brought into the pit to fight, is quite contrary 

 to cruelty, for the battle is sooner over, and what they suffer 

 is nothing, or next to nothing, to what they would suffer, were 

 they to tight with their own natural heels, bruising each other, 

 in every tender part — killing each other, in short, by inches. 

 Then here," he said, " is the comparison between the man who 

 fights a duel, and him who fights for money in the ring. The 

 one meets his man like the game-cock, of his own free will, and 

 with artificial weapons : but the other is made to fight merely 

 for the sake of money, and as he fights with natural weapons, 

 he receives blows and bruises, almost to the point of death, just 

 to amuse idle lookers-on, and for the purpose of gambling on 

 the event." ' 



' Did your friend say anything about hunting ? ' asked 

 Hargrave. 



' Yes, Mr. Hargrave,' replied Jem, ' he compared it in one way 

 to cock-fighting. " Hounds and greyhounds," said he, " are 

 formed for the pursuit of their respective game ; they are guided 

 by nature." ' 



'By natural instinct, you mean, Jem,' interrupted Hargrave. 



' Just so,' said Jem ; ' they acts of their own accord, he told 

 me ; the whole is an indulgence of their natural propensities, as 

 you call 'em.' 



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