DEER STEALING. 15 



exhibited, as served the country people for matter of talk and 

 wonder for years afterwards. I saw myself one of the yeomen 

 prickers single out a stag from the herd, and must confess that 

 it was the most curious feat of activity I ever beheld, superior 

 to any thing in Mr Astley's riding-school. The exertions 

 made by the horse and deer much exceeded all my expecta- 

 tions, though the former greatly excelled the latter in speed. 

 When the devoted deer was separated from his companions, 

 they gave him, by their watches, law, as they called it, for 

 twenty minutes ; when, sounding their horns, the stop-dogs 

 were permitted to pursue, and a most gallant scene ensued. 



LETTER VII. 



TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQ. 



THOUGH large herds of deer do much harm to the neigh- 

 bourhood, yet the injury to the morals of the people is of more 

 moment than the loss of their crops. The temptation is 

 irresistible ; for most men are sportsmen by constitution, and 

 there is such an inherent spirit for hunting in human nature, 

 as scarce any inhibitions can restrain. Hence, towards the 

 beginning of this century, all this country was wild about deer- 

 stealing. Unless he was a hunter, as they affected to call 

 themselves, no young person was allowed to be possessed of 

 manhood or gallantry. The Waltham Blacks at length com- 

 mitted such enormities, that government was forced to interfere 

 with that severe and sanguinary act called the Black Act,* 

 which now comprehends more felonies than any law that ever 

 was framed before. And, therefore, a late bishop of Win- 

 chester, when urged to re-stock Waltham Chase, refused, from 

 a motive worthy of a prelate, replying, that " It had done 

 mischief enough already." f 



Our old race of deer-stealers are hardly extinct yet. It was 

 but a little while ago that, over their ale,* they used to recount 

 the exploits of their youth ; such as watching the pregnant hind 

 to her lair, and, when the calf was dropped, paring its feet, 

 with a penknife, to the quick, to prevent its escape, till it was 

 large and fat enough to be killed ; the shooting at one of their 

 neighbours with a bullet, in a turnip field by moonshine, 

 mistaking him for a deer ; and the losing a dog in the following 



* Statute 9 Geo. I, c. 22. 



f This Chase remains unstocked to this day : the bishop was Dr 

 Hoadley. 



