CHAPTER III 



RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 



HOWEVER skilful and energetic a keeper may be, how- 

 ever brilliant his qualifications, or original his ideas, he 

 will find himself considerably handicapped unless he be 

 able to keep at peace with his neighbours. It is not 

 only the cantankerous flathead or the uncouth barbarian 

 who tilts against the susceptibilities and prejudices of 

 others. It is often the man of character and ideas. 

 Knowledge is apt to breed impatience with stupidity 

 and irritation against ignorance, and the clever man is 

 by no means the most popular one. The one thing to 

 remember is that every man looks out upon the world 

 from an absolutely distinct and individual point of view, 

 and that to earn friendship and sympathy it is necessary 

 to gauge your opponent's standpoint when dealing 

 with what may seem his prejudices and wrong-headed 

 convictions. As in heaven, so on earth, there are more 

 mansions than one, and the keepers who start with the 

 motto, "We are the people, and wisdom will die with 

 us," will soon find that they are going to have a very 

 poor time of it indeed. Let them remember the old 

 definition: "A gentleman is a man who combines a high 



