450 GAME LAWS. 



Except that these, and what few other laws it may be 

 necessary to extract from the old statutes, should be 

 taken from the chaos in which they are at present 

 immured ; made as clear as possible ; and compressed 

 into one act in the present reign. But let all the con- 

 tradictory nonsense about Henry, James, Anne, &c., be 

 thrown into the fire, as being so complex as often to 

 confuse even lawyers themselves, and therefore calcu- 

 lated only to ensnare the unwary, and be a subject of 

 ridicule to every man of common sense. 



Game laws, or any other laws, admitting them to be 

 the best measures ever adopted, may, for want of being 

 consistently arranged, and justly modified, be com- 

 pletely changed in their features, and laid fairly open, 

 not only to the tap-diverting sarcasms of travesty 

 patriots, but to the just criticism of respectable people. 

 Yet, however judgematically the game laws might be 

 arranged, it becomes highly necessary, that these laws, 

 as well as every concern, if rendered of a serious nature, 

 should be supported by such gentlemen as are an orna- 

 ment to a most honourable profession, and who are 

 always the first to open for their clients the doors of 

 reconciliation. But with regard to the frivolous points 

 that are repeatedly contending, how sincerely is it to be 

 regretted, that so many expensive lawsuits should be 

 for ever taking place, and particularly about the game ! 

 How easily, in many cases, might they be avoided to the 

 greatest interest of both parties ! For instance, if any 

 little difference occurred, why not have it decided by a 

 certain number of gentlemen chosen by each party? 

 To the decision of other persons it must come at last! 

 though most likely before a less competent tribunal ! for 

 it stands to reason, that a promiscuously assembled jury 



