266 THE GAME LAWS. 



before I describe my plan for preventing this infraction of 

 the law so uniformly deplored, although from very different 

 motives. 



In the first place, it will be readily admitted that there is an 

 inherent attachment to field sports in human nature, but par- 

 ticularly in this country ; so much so, indeed, that even the well- 

 Jed citizen is observed, occasionally, to quit the solacing and 

 balmy comforts of a snug fire side and domestic ease, and exert 

 himself beyond his usual custom, merely to enjoy the diversion of 

 shooting a Jew sparrows ! The rustic seems to imbibe a relish 

 for the chase from the earliest period of life ; but his desire, in 

 the first instance, arises much less from a wish to be possessed of 

 the game than from a thirst to enjoy the pleasure of pursuing it ; 

 nor is it till after an enticing lure has been repeatedly exhibited 

 to his view, that he even contemplates the union of profit with 

 pleasure ; and no one follows a profession with more delight than 

 the poacher. 



Persons in the middle classes of life, as tradesmen in large towns, 

 who are attached to field sports, as well as those who are fond of 

 the pleasures of the table, but chiefly the former, look with an 

 envious eye upon those privileges and distinctions, which the 

 rich, as it respects game, have appropriated to themselves : not 

 one amongst the numerous enactments on this head, however, 

 excites such unmingled disgust as that which relates to qualifi- 

 cation. On this account, therefore, since these persons are 

 thus unjustly excluded, as they conceive, from a little rational 

 enjoyment, they encourage poaching, not only without the least 

 hesitation, but as a kind of duty ; and instances are not wanting 

 where they have accompanied the poachers to the borders of 

 the identical domain, and have even shared, occasionally, in the 

 forbidden pleasure of nocturnal havock. 



Hence it will be readily seen that they who follow the business 

 of poaching have always the advantage of a willing market, good 



