VICIOUS CIRCLES OF ACTION. 
41 
The game and plants suffer cruell}^ enough from the folly and 
improvidence of man, who governs them; it is just that man 
should be punished by the unwholesomeness of crops or of meats, 
for his numberless infractions upon the principle of universal So- 
lidarity. 
Solidarity, Association, only path of salvation for man and for 
the beast 1 So long as this saving principle shall not have pre- 
vailed in international policy, it is useless to expect the complete 
solution of any question of the chase. Of what use, for instance, 
for us to apply in France a just legislation to the quail, if the prin- 
ciples of this same legislation are not observed in foreign coun- 
tries— in Afi'ica, in Italy, in Sardinia, in Sicily, where the quail 
stops six months and more, as well as other species which are to 
bring us the precious tribute of their flesh? Out of unity, I 
can see only the vicious circle. The destruction of game has led 
to its dearness, high prices have incited to its destruction ; vicious 
circle. The law forbids poaching under severe penalties ; the 
poacher kills the forest guard to escape the rigor of the law ; the 
guard dares no longer become the agent of this I’igorous penalty ; 
vicious circle. 
The civilizees understand the necessity of associating themselves 
against the scourge of destruction by fires. They invent the sys- 
tem of insurances. Next day fire breaks out at all points of the 
territory, on which the insured person hastens to set fire to his 
barn and chattels, so as to get rid of them at an advantageous 
price ; vicious circle. Civilization turns in an eternal vicious circle. 
Why is not this sportsman tired of killing when his swollen game- 
bag refuses place to new victims ? Because this sportsman knows 
that the game he does not kill to-day, will be killed by some one 
else to-morrow, and it does not please him that this other person 
should profit by it. You complain of the spirit of destruction that 
seems to animate all the country people with respect to the game. 
I should really like to know why the man of the fields should 
interest himself in the preservation of game that eats his ci’ops, 
and that he never expects to see figuring upon his table ? The 
general selfishness which takes form in these acts, and which is the 
direct pivot of the seven lymbic plagues, of itself alone, opposes 
