CONCLUSION 321 
ferocity born of primeval instincts and of novelty. 
As he grows older he becomes more merciful, till 
at last intimate acquaintance conduces to sym- 
pathetic affection. He may still feel his blood boil 
with the excitement of a tiger-hunt, for here is a 
pastime that never stales with its monotony, pro- 
vided that man and tiger meet with some pretence 
of equality ; but, for the rest, the wild beasts afford 
a companionship that is fully recognized in the 
feeling of solitude experienced when living in a 
forest devoid of animal life. To read by day on 
the ground the circumstances and occupations of 
his neighbours, to interpret by night the cries that 
tell of their passions and dangers, supplies that 
added interest which brings vigour to the con- 
tinuous labour of the forester. For that labour he 
will find his reward in the generous response of the 
forest to his fostering care, and in results that will 
endure for generations after he has completed the 
short work of a lifetime. 
