16 
NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
der 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 expectations, 
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 T. PENNANT, Esa. 
Though large herds of deer do much harm to the neighbour- 
hood, yet the injury to the morals of the people is of more mo- 
ment 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 themxSelves, no you.ng 
person was allowed to be possessed of manhood or gallantry. 
The Waltham blacks at length committed such enormities that 
government was forced to interfere with that severe and san- 
guinary act called the black act,* which now comprehends more 
felonies than any law that ever was framed before. And, there- 
fore, a late bishop of Winchester, when urged to re-stock 
W^altham-chase,t 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 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 extraordinary man- 
* Statute 9 Geo. I. c. 23. 
t This chase remains unstocked to this day ; the bishop was Dr. Hoadly. 
