382 REMINISCE^'CES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



pose that public opinion, or any sense of propriety, 

 Avill rule the low and vile mind, and force an absti- 

 nence from wrong, any more than it will correct the 

 pickpocket, or restrain the burglar from entering the 

 houses of unprotected old people. There are men 

 whose minds are assailable to nothing, save a whole- 

 some sense of personal danger ; and such men as 

 these, be they of what rank they may, are but too 

 happy, under the Peace Society, to free themselves 

 from the only alternative that made them gentlemen, 

 or kept them within the rules of courtesy. " Peace 

 Society " is an exceedingly catching title, as it seems 

 to enlist in its sphere each dove-like sentiment, religion, 

 and Christian virtue — everything, in short, that is 

 gentle or delightful ; but I am perfectly convinced that 

 the present state of society is just as fit to be freed 

 from tlie possibility of the duel, as our shores and seas 

 are of our army and fleet, or as Turkey was from an 

 army of five hundred thousand men. As long as 

 there exists a warlike emperor or an ambitious nation, 

 so long- must Eno;land retain her forces ; and in the 

 same ratio so long as there exists a host of ungen- 

 tlemanly inclined minds or men, there must be, in 

 matters over which the statute book has no control, 

 some way of keeping them in order, or society in the 

 midst of progress and boasted increase of intelligence, 

 Christianity, and civilisation, will be deteriorated. 



It has been one of the great faults of recent legis- 

 lation, to take away an old system before a new code 

 was well digested to fill up the vacancy, and to meet 

 the fresh state of affairs so broudit about. When 

 the appeal to arms was decried, its peaceful advocates 

 did not attempt to deny that certain abuses would 

 have no actual remedy; so to meet the obvious error. 



