liUli THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



With regard to earth-stopping, in the abstract, as 

 nothing is more mortifying than running constantly 

 to ground, it is obvious that where earths exist as 

 numerous as in Herts, and many other countries, no 

 expense can be spared in the labour of stopping them, 

 till the arrival of that Utopian sera, when all such mat- 

 ters shall be undertaken by the owner or occupier of 

 the soil : but setting aside any difficulties, as to the 

 proper attention to these earths, I am satisfied that 

 they are evils even when efficiently attended to. I have 

 considered Mr, Smith's plan of doing away with them 

 entirely by stopping them for the season, in all its bear- 

 ings, since he was good enough, verbally, to commu- 

 nicate the notion to me, and since I have seen the same 

 in print ; I believe that he is entitled to all the merit 

 of the idea, and I am convinced that it must answer 

 beyond all other methods yet proposed or practised. I 

 have listened to diversities of opinion upon tbis subject, 

 for even in this all are not unanimous. Some contend, 

 that the foxes, accustomed to lie under ground, would, 

 in severe weather, find exposure to the cold too much 

 for them, and would altogether shift their quarters, if 

 tbey did not fall victims to the want of shelter ; but 

 why should they be more sensible of cold than their 

 brethren, which are, what is called, stub-bred — strangers 

 to subterranean enjoyment, 



" For that delight they never knew, 

 And, therefore, never missed 1" 



If they are left tolerably quiet, that is, not routed out 



