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Defence of the Game Laws.

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of our government, no man can be of confequence without spending a large portion of his time in the country, and every additional inducement to this mode of life is an additional fecurity to our freedom and independence. much question whether our morals, or even our manners, are greatly improved by that style of living which empties our country feats to fill the metropolis, or the large provincial towns; and whether the manly character, which once diftinguished the Englishman, has not fuffered more on the fide of firmness and integrity, than it has gained on that of politenefs and elegance, by facrificing the rough sports of the field to the fofter amufements of the affembly and card-table..

I know the laws which are în force to preferve thofe animals which are the object of this diverfion, are feverely attacked by the fentimental novel-writers of the prefent time; writers who, without invention, honour, or real knowledge of mankind; drefs up fome improbable tale with af. fected maxims of fine feelings, and exquifite fenfibility; and endeavour to weaken the hearts, inflame the paffions, and mislead the understandings of the rifing generation. These abound with horrid flories of the young and ingenuous peafant torn from his weeping parents, and his dif tracted bride; and either hurried into a loathfome dungeon, or banished to an unhealthy climate, only for the murder of a hare or a partridge.

But I will venture to fay, there is hardly a day-labourer in the kingdom that may not, in a rea. fonable manner, be indulged with the use of these animals by a proper application; and if he is

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fond of the diverfion they afford, and chufes to be rather idly bufy, than induftriously fo, he may perfectly fatisfy himself by attending the hounds or grey. hounds of the 'fquire, or affifting the game-keeper with his gun. But that laws fhould be made to prevent the man, whofe family depends entirely on his labour for fupport, from quitting his fail, his plough, or his fpade, to range the woods for the deftruction of animals which afford a noble and manly diverfion to their proprietor, I can conceive more inconfiftent with juftice, than that he should be prevented from entering the orchard. or the hen-rooft.

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As the beasts of the foreft, and the fruits of the foil, are equally common in a state of nature, so I fee no reason why they may not be equally appropriated in a state of civil fociety: and I appeal to any perfon really converfant in thefe kinds of facts, if he knows a fingle inftance of one of those men, commonly called poachers, whofe profeffion is a violation of the game laws, and against whom alone they are ever executed with any feverity, whofe character and fufferings could entitie him to a tear, even from that most fentimental of all fentimental he roes, "the man of feeling" himfelf."

While I am thus defending the general principle of our game laws, I do not mean to ftand forth as their champion in every refpect: they want great alteration, as to the objects both of their penalties and exemptions; and I truft the time is not far diftant when they will receive it from the wisdom and authority. of parliament.

4 SPORT

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A.Sporting General's Dispatches.

SPORTING GENERAL'S DISI judged an escape, wholly im

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GENTLEMEN,

F.

practicable. The enemy finding every retreat cut off by this more, than trio of Chevaux-de-frize, preferved a profound filence, fo as to leffen my belief of the truth. of Hector's report, whofe age and

IF you think the following let-length of fervices have rather

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obfcured his fagacity; I however began firing fome fmal hot, though rather from a motive to terrify, than any intent of carnage; this had an effect inimical to my wifhes, for fome rebel inhabitants in my rear, (confifting of a fow and nine pigs) left their dwelling with fuch velocity as, (by a coup-de-main) to divert the attention of Brutus and Cæfar, by which two retreats were vacated, the enemy

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I HAVE the honour to inform you, that I moved with the detachment you were pleased to in-efcaped, and thereby a glorious trust me with, confifting of three greyhounds, two fetters, and four couple of harriers, at day-break of the 18th inftaut, the weather being rather unfavourable, prevented my reaching Hare Hill till feven A. M. where I received information from Hector (whom I had previously difpatched on a reconnoitering expedition), of the enemy being lodged in a large thicket, frongly defended by gorze, enormous bushes, a large ditch in front, and other redoubtabled entrenchments. As I wished to difpofe of the force you had entrusted me with to the beft advantage, I commanded the veteran Cæfar to watch an entrance into the redoubt; Alexander to fecure a retreat that feemed very eligible down a narrow lane, while Nero, Clytus and Brutus formed a fimilar defence in an oppofite quarter; the rest headed by old Ventidius, I placed as a 66 corps de referve" to the whole, at the fame time forming a very formidable circumvallation; and thus arranged,

opportunity of doing honour to the Nimrodian arms was unfor tunately loft. However, while I regret the failure of this mancuvre, it is fome confolation to find, that had it fucceeded, the achievement would have been nothing more than an ancient rabbit, the calloufnefs and pufillauimity of which would have difgracedyour table, and degraded my arms. After annihilating the pig-ftye (which I fhould be forry you would deem lefs reconcileable with humanity than the love of the chace), I detached Hector on a defultory expedition towards the weft of ReynardWood, with a view of diflodging an old fox, who has long baffled the united efforts of horfe, dog, and gun; and whofe ftrength and cunning feem to increafe with his fuccefs. In this I was alfo unfuccefstul, for his firmness is of that tenacious nature, as muft render him invincible; in vain I tried every means human wif dom could fuggeft, in order to allure him to an open decifive

attack,

Deaths of celebrated Stallions.

attack, and at laft called in my advanced and flanking parties, and marched them off the ground in good order, with no other acquifitiou than this leffon, that lenient, not compulfive meafures, feem most likely to facilitate the defired purpose.

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hope, will be equally speedy,
with an opportunity of reftoring
verdure to Laurels that have
been tinged only from the phy-
fical and untoward incidents of
the day. It would be a want of
gratitude not to exprefs my hearty
commendations of the zeal and
avidity fhewn by every dog under
my command; if there was any

tural impulfe, a becoming emu-*
lation in the chafe, which fhould
be moft forward in obeying him,

who has the honour to be

Sir, Yours, &c.
NAT. NIMROD.

A combination of difficulties then fucceeded; a diluvion fhower added to bad and almoft inac-contention, it arofe from a na◄ ceffible roads, to increase which poor Hector grew almost blind by fatigue and want of food, (it being then three and a half P. M.) Cæfar in a fimilar predicament, Nero with a thorn in his foot, Alexander and Clytus in ftrong contention for an almost flefhief's" bone the former had accidentally picked up; my ammunition nearJy exhaufted, and what was left rendered useless by the late heavy rains; to complete which, my Rofinante was become fpiritlefs and tired, when luckily I efpied a manfion, apparently a mile from my then fituation, but on enquiry found there was no other accefs to it then by a circumjacent road, at least three miles by computation. Night appear

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P.S. I fend this difpatch by an old tenant of yours, to whofe ricare and attention (as guide), I am indebted for our preservation; and while I recommend him to your notice, inuff alto refer you to him for farther information.

DEATHS of CELEBRATED STAL

LIONS.

ing, and myfelf thus fituated, i Bonfire's thu, ake of the

I

found a guide would be effential to my own and dogs prefervation, therefore engaged a ftranger then fortunately paffing, the fmall expence of which, when weighed with the neceffity, cannot but

year 1723.

about

Bay Bolton, at Bolton Hall, Yorkshire, 1736, aged 31.

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Fox, in Loid Portmore's ftud, in 1738, aged 23.

The Belgrade Turk, in poffef

about the year 1740.

Hartley's blind horfe at Middleton Tyas, Richmond, York. fire, about the year 1741.

meet your concurring acqui-fion of S. Marmaduke Wyvill, efcence. Thus affifted and fupported, by an infuperable perfeverance and magnanimity, we reached the defired abode about nine at night, after having furmounted innumerable and moft ineffable impediments. Our fojourn in these quarters will not be any longer than the return of our ability to renew the chace which, I have every reafon to VOL. IV. No. XIX.

Childers, in the Duke of Devonshire's ftud, about the year 1741.

Partner, at the latter end of the year 1747, aged 29.

Crab, on Chriftimas Day 1750, aged 28.

The

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The Godolphin Arabian, at
Hogmagog, 1753, aged 29.
Cade, at Eaftby, Richmond,
Yorkshire, 1756, aged 22.
Bolton Starling,
Milford, Yorkshire, March 24,
1756, aged 29.

at North

Snip, at Kenton Northumberland, May, 8, 1757, aged 21.

Young Cade, at Middleton Tyas, Richmond, Yorkshire, Nov. 27, 1764, aged 17.

Tortoife, at Scarbro', by a mare breaking his leg, 1776, aged 14.

Ampheon, about the year 1777. Le Sang, about the year 1777. Marfke, in July 1779, aged 29, Herod, at Newmarket, May 12, 1780, aged 21.

Matchem, at Bywell, Hexham, Northumberland, Feb. 21, 1781, aged 33.

Morwelk Ball, at Mr. Pevers's. Scholes Park, Aberford, Yorkhire, Jan. 4, 1787. aged 25. Chryfolite, at York, in the fummer 1788, aged 25.

Eclipfe, at Cannon's, Surry, Feb. 26, 1789, aged 25.

Goldfinder, in 1789, aged 25 Conductor, in Auguft, 1790, aged 23.

Taggergill in Auguft, 1791, aged 25.

Paymayfter, at Field Houfe, Darlington, Durham, in 1791, aged 25.

Florizel, the latter end of the year 1791, aged 23.

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A VERY few years has conftituted a contraft of a different kind, for whilft we contemplate the ftrange viciffitudes that establifh one part of the picture of life, an inftantaneous tranfpofition of the eye comes into immediate contact with Agamemnon, who within the memory of hundreds now living, vifited the various races in the vicinity of the metropolis by no other conveyance than his pedeftrian indefatigability; where covered with duft, and most wretchedly apparelled, he preyed upon the lower claffes of indigence and rufticity, by pricking in the belt, hustling in the hat, flipping a card, and every fpecies of deception. His induftry, aided by a rigid adherence to fobriety, and an introduction to company (with an improved addrefs) by the vaHighflyer Hall, Ely, Cambridge.riety of Jackalls retained for the shire, Oct, 18, 1793, aged 19.

S. Pepper, at Mr. Robfon's, Brumpton, Richmond, Yorkshire, Jan. 15, 1793.

Mercury, in the fpring, at Ld. Egremont's, Petworth Hali, Suffex, 1793, aged 15.

Tandem, at Mr. Tatterfall's, Highflyer Hall, Ely, Cambridge, in February, 1793. aged 20.

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Highflyer, at Mr. Tatterfall's,

felection of Pigeons, has, with the advantage

Sporting Contrafts."

advantage of fuperior penetration, and manual dexterity at certain fashionable games, (with an accurate and fuccefsful calculation of the odds in private and public) amaffed a mine of wealth, that is very generally eftimated at no lefs an aggregate, than one hundred thousand pounds: "Oh fhame, where is thy blufh!" And who fhall dare arraign the difpenfations of PROVIDENCE, when hundreds of industrious mechanics, the fathers of wretched families, are lingering within the dreary walls of various prifons in this LAND OF LIBERTY for debts of ten pounds. "The wretch of today may be happy to-morrow," was never more truly verified than in a recent inftance of notoriety. But a very short time fince, (for it is alive in every memory) a fuit was inftituted in one of the courts to obtain fatiffaction in damages for the feduction of, and elopement with the wife of a most intimate friend, who had admitted the delinquent to all the comforts of domeftication, all the humane and gentle offices of HOSPITALITY. The fentiments of an IMPARTIAL jury coincided with the general opinion of an INDIGNANT public, and national plaudits fucceeded a VERDICT for the PLAINTIFF with ten

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THE WHEEL of FORTUNE is fo eternal in its revolutions, and the WOMB of TIME fo inceffantly pregnant and replete with unexpected events, that it can create but little furprise to fee one who was but a very few years a performer upon the boards of a theatre, now a performer in one of the greatest offices under adminiftration, with a falary of five hundred pounds per annum; or that his then MANAGER, (who before practifed the vocation of a tallow chandler) fhould now roll in his carriage with a penfion from GOVERNMENT, for inventing a plan for the more Speedy deftruction of the most vaLUABLE and ill-ufed part of the

CREATION.

IT is not an eafy task to decide whether the fchool of PROSPERITY or adverfity affords the most expreffive leffons for inftruction. So various are our purfuits, fo variegated our paffions, and fo very verfatile our difpofitions, that many who can bear with ferenity the chilling blasts of adverfity, become preternaturally exhilirated to a threatning degree of infan ity, by a powerful ray of approaching PROSPERITY. recent inftance! A noble earl kiffing the hand of his KING in the morning, and boxing at a tavern in the evening. ARTES HONORABIT!

Concife and

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