OF SELBORNK. 35 



nies than any law that ever was framed 

 before. And, therefore, a late bishop of 

 Winchester, when urged to re-stock 

 Waltham- chase* refused, from a motive 

 worthy of a prelate, replying that *' It 

 had done mischief enough already." 



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 watch- 

 ing 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 ex- 

 traordinary manner: — Some fellows, sus- 

 pecting that a calf new-fallen was depo- 

 sited in a certain spot of thick fern, went 

 with a lurcher, to surprise it ; when the 



* This chase remains un-stocT^ed to this day ; the 

 - -bishop was Dr. Hoadletf. 



VOL, I. D 



