151 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



Magiftracy, to check thefe infernal practices, 

 have done them immortal honour; the regula- 

 tions they have caufed to be put up in Smith- 

 field, are excellent, and have no doubt been 

 attended with confiderable good effect.. But 

 it is impoflible, in the beginning, to do more 

 than barely check fo inveterate a difeafe, even 

 with the bed remedies. To declare the facl, 

 the fault by no means lies with the drovers 

 exclufively, but is to be attributed to thofe 

 relics of barbarity, which are (till latent in 

 the minds of the people. How indeed are 

 they to difcriminate? Since the mofl exquifite 

 pleafure is fuppofed by their betters, to be 

 derived from hunting, worrying, and tearing 

 the living members of the molt harmlefs and 

 timid animals, why not hunt bullocks as well 

 as hares and deer? I have heard of a fellow 

 belonging to one of the public offices, who is 

 fo enamoured with this humane, innocent, and 

 delectable fport of bullock-hunting, over the 

 plains of London, that he has not miffed any 

 eminent opportunity for years ; and who, upon 

 the firit intelligence, will leave the molt im- 

 portant bufinefs of his life, his wife in the 

 pains of child-birth, his books unmade up, or 

 his prayers unfinifhed, to follow the bullock, 

 and the jolly cry of, " D — n my eyes ! why 

 don't you hox him?" from the Change to Hyde 

 Park Corner, from that to Limehoufe Hole, 



and 



