GAME LAWS. 451 



cannot be made such perfect masters of every circum- 

 stance, as persons selected, who are ably versed in the 

 subject of dispute ; and especially as the final decision, 

 in a court of justice, may be liable to depend on the 

 judgment of a dozen poor men, who can scarcely read 

 or write, or even understand a single point of an 

 argument. 



If, therefore, people, who have the honesty to require 

 no more than what is just and fair, would also have the 

 good sense to withhold going to law on every trumpery 

 altercation, there would be much more happiness among 

 mankind ; and there could accrue but one evil, and this 

 of a minor consideration ; which is, that a certain pro- 

 portion (I mean the dross only) of hireling dons, instead 

 of being arrayed like demigods, with their notes of dis- 

 cord, would be obliged to resign the lion's skin for the 

 more certain revenue of a methodist preacher, or a 

 strolling player : and such of those blue-bag satellites, 

 as are scouted by all honourable branches of the law, 

 might be reduced to the appointment of carrying 

 parcels for a coach office, or wheeling gravel on a 

 turnpike road. 



G G 2 



