SPORT, AND WILD LIFE 199 



keeper's gun. Such are the mole-eyed sheer necessity that even a child might 

 priests in the service of Moloch, who have foreseen it. The baleful influ- 

 prevail, because they are stronger, and ence is even more apparent in the forms 

 deserve like measure if they were which are spared. Possibly, this is not 

 weaker. Men who deny freedom, and a surprise to those who brought it 

 take life ; and who would clear field and about ; but they are alone in their 

 woodland, and breezy hill slopes of all satisfaction. Sport found its quarry 

 save themselves and their prey. Why wild and wary, alert and hard to 

 should beauty pass because men are approach. In this shyness and aloof- 

 blinded by self-interest ; or lights be ness is the charm of wild life. At any 

 put out by lovers of darkness ; and moment a shadow with a hooked bill 

 the heritage of all be bought up by might fall from overhead ; or the rustle 

 a few full purses. We are a long- of an approaching enemy might sound 

 suffering and, to tell the whole truth, on the dry heather or in the under - 

 a somewhat stupid people, who need growth. The fear passes with the 

 a rough shaking up. cause of it. In the absence of enemies, 



And this is sport. This destruction watchfulness is remitted. In ceasing 



of kindly relations, this breaking of to be wary, the creature ceases to be 



early contracts, which ought to be wild. 



revised, this gloating over advantages. Protection is only another name 

 To stalk into the wild garden of the for taming. It is on the way to domes- 

 land, where charming forms, from all tication. And the pursuit approaches 

 time, have been free to live and follow a raid on the farmyard. On both 

 their instincts, and turn it into a sides, is our wild life being blotted 

 shambles, that shooting may be easier out : the butchery of the greater 

 and results more certain. And they mammals and birds of prey, and the 

 are sportsmen who forget so much, and taming of the rest. A spirited bird 

 do such things. Who make sport would rather be killed, with all its 

 naturally so bright and charming wild instincts at play. I have no 

 hateful. quarrel with grouse, poor things : 



Nor does the evil stop with the it is not their fault. Only they are 

 killing out of creatures of prey, so much of little further account to any ; ex- 

 more interesting than their human cept the traders who go out on the 

 rivals. Something follows ; of such twelfth of August. Those who care 



