CHAPTER XX. 



THE game laws have for ages past been a 

 miserable source of contention between those 

 rendered unqualified by severe and even cruel 

 game laws, and parties who had influence to 

 get these laws enacted for their own exclusive 

 privilege of killing the game. To convince the 

 intelligent poor man that the fowls of the air were 

 created only for the rich is impossible, and will 

 for ever remain so. If it be pleaded that, because 

 the game are fed on the lands of the latter, they 

 have the exclusive right to them, this would 

 appear to be carrying the notions of the sacred- 

 ness of property too far ; for even this ought to 

 have its bounds; but were this conceded, as pro- 

 perty is enjoyed by a rental, and as the farmers 

 feed the game, they would appear to belong to 

 them more properly than to any one else. I own 

 I feel great repugnance in saying anything that 

 might have a tendency to curtail the healthy 

 enjoyments of the country gentleman, in his field 

 sports, which his fortune and his leisure enable 

 him so appropriately to pursue ; at the same time 

 it is greatly to be regretted that anything any 

 overstretched distinctions should ever happen to 

 make a breach between the poor and the rich. 

 It is, however, to be wished that the unqualified 

 man may find his attention engaged, and his mind 

 excited in some other way (or by his business) 

 than that of becoming a poacher. The strange 



