I do not lament your non-arrival, because I have that pleasure to come, and should now, perhaps, have been on the point of losing it; beside, possibly each may have more and more interesting matter to communicate next Saturday I hope.
“I admire your just and manly compliment to our friend
Dr. Parr, and your luminous and able
law history and deductions from the game laws. Your remedy is certainly an
improvement upon existing laws. But there is now an additional grievance upon
the community in some districts, that I think will be likely, like many other
grievances, to supply the means of its own cure. The game on some estates is
eating a fourth of the husbandman’s crop, to his own ruin and the public
privation. The question will arise whether the land is to be considered as the
supporter of game or man, and which shall be reckoned the most valuable
creature. If the philosophers carry the point, of the equal animality of the
two species, I vote for the preservation of the game and the destruction of
man, who if more powerful, is the more miserable of the two, and, therefore, it
is but wise to kill off as many of the species as are unnecessary to the
preservation of hares, partridges, and pheasants from foxes and weasels. This
being the employ to which the great so willingly devote themselves, and they of
necessity being the wisest, because they are the first of their kind, the earth
should be voided for the support of game alone, and a suitable number of
sportsmen. Seriously, however, I think all game beyond the precincts of a
gentleman’s own demesne, which ought not to be more than from five
| LITERARY AND PERSONAL. | 153 |
“I have been thinking of, but have not yet matured my plan, of fowl and game farms. Perhaps the latter may be impracticable, if not, it may come to the price per weight of the former, for it costs no more to rear. The other and heavier business I have just now on the anvil, may overthrow my consideration of this subject entirely. But I have no objection to communicate my conceptions to any who may think it an object worth pursuit.
“My best respects to Mr. S., I shall be happy if the old gentleman, or any of the young ones will accompany you, and your horse or horses. If you come on horseback, when you reach Hockley turn down the road for Stratford, and the first lane or turn to the right, about three hundred yards from Hockley House, is the turn for Tanworth. Keep that lane for about a quarter of a mile, and turn down the greater and plainer road to the left, and it will bring you to Umberslade Park gate. Skirt the outside of the park, till through an opening you see the church, which will be your guide. This opening is about a mile and a quarter from the park lower gate.
“If you come on foot, make the most practicable way you can see from Umberslade House, a large house like Stoneleigh Abbey. Having attained that, the church will guide you.
