32 HAMPSHIRE DAYS 



make it a summer holiday resort, may say that this 

 abuse is one which might and should be remedied. 

 They would be mistaken. What I and a few others 

 who use their senses see and hear in this or that spot, 

 is, in every case, a very small matter, a visible but 

 an infinitesimal part of that abuse of the New Forest 

 which is old and chronic, and operates always, and 

 is common to the whole area, and, as things are, irre- 

 mediable. To discover and denounce certain things 

 which ought not to be, to rail against Verderers, who 

 are after all what they cannot help being, is about as 

 profitable as it would be to " damn the nature of things." 

 It must be borne in mind that the Forest area has 

 a considerable population composed of commoners, 

 squatters, private owners, who have inherited or pur- 

 chased lands originally filched from the Forest ; and 

 of a large number of persons who reside mostly in 

 the villages, and are private residents, publicans, shop- 

 keepers, and lodging-house keepers. All these people 

 have one object in common to get as much as they 

 can out of the Forest. It is true that a large propor- 

 tion of them, especially those who live in the villages, 

 which are now rapidly increasing their populations, 

 are supposed not to have any Forest rights ; but they 

 do as a fact get something out of it; and we may 

 say that, generally, all the people in the Forest dine 

 at one table, and all get a helping out of most of the 

 dishes going, though the first and biggest helpings 

 are for the favoured guests. 



