-

them." Upon this I appealed to that which has often tempted greater men in more important affairs-money; intimating that if he would direct me to the game, I would reward him for his trouble; but no, I merely received an evasive answer as before. Thus baffled, I was going away in despair, when up came the countryman (whom I had procured to carry my game, and mark for me), and, shrewdly enough guessing the intention of the shepherd, went up to him, and, in a whisper, informed him that I was the nephew of the gentleman who owned the property. This had immediately the desired effect, and he readily gave us all the information in his power. The truth then became visible:this poor, but honest fellow, not knowing me, and at first not seeing any one with me whom he did know, took me for a trespasser, and therefore refused the bribe as sternly as ever did Fabricius of old. Such men are deserving of a little kindness and attention on the part of those whom fortune hath placed above them. It may be said that what I have related is merely an individual instance, but nevertheless experience is the best guide to go by. I will not, however, enter upon any lengthened encomium of the inhabitants of these mountainous districts, but will content myself with describing them in a few words: they are the peasantry of Britain, afar removed from the debasing and accursed influence of the ginshop.

I will now conclude this letter with a few observations respecting the comparative operation of our Game Laws in England and Wales. The opponents of our present system of magistracy point in triumph to Scotland, where, greatly

to the credit of that country, there were only six convictions under these laws during the last year. This certainly is a powerful argument; but an attentive comparison of the numbers convicted in England and Wales will show that, though in some cases our magistrates may have acted with too much severity, there must be other causes to have produced so deplorable an effect. In the "Abstracts of Parliamentary Documents," we find the following table:

Number of convictions under the Game Laws in England and Wales from 1827 to 1830, both inclusive: 1827. 1828. 1829. 1830. In England 2,127..1,985..2,214..1,949 41.. In Wales.. 37..

41.. 38

Now, as both the laws themselves, and the manner of administering them, are exactly similar throughout the whole of this island, south of the Tweed, these statements clearly prove that the evil cannot accrue from them alone. What then is the chief cause of it? I reply. the introduction of the foreign system of battu-shooting into this country. It is this that has filled our jails with poachers, and tended so much to demoralize the lower orders of the people. Even Lord Eldon, who will seldom acknowledge the aristocracy to be in fault, admitted the truth of this; but, better than the authority of any one man, is the plain statistical fact, that in the county of Hants alone, there were, during the last year, forty-three committals under the Game Laws, which is more than the average number for the whole of Wales. In few words, battushooting may be said to be a chief cause of these four evils:-the increase of crime, the destruction of foxes, ill-will between neighbours, and an impediment to agriculture.

There is Mr. Owl,-look at him, if you can bear the glance of that fascinating eye; there he sits, ruminating on his happy prospects, and suffering no shade of fear to fall on the sunshine of his beautiful landscape. No harrowing doubt of his lady's loyalty hath ever ruffled the feathers of his affectionate heart: no vision of Horned Owl hath ever interrupted the snores of his peaceful slumber. Honest himself, he harbours not a suspicion of deceit in others; contented with his own lot, he looks without envy on the winged world around him. 'Tis true, he is no singer, but he hath an excellent ear for music; and is, at this moment, listening to the chaunt of Philomela, that prima donna of the grove, who is entertaining him with a jug of her best. Neither can it be denied that he is no peacock in plumage; and if you had seen how he treated the silly goldfinch, whom he caught feathering himself in the fountain but an hour ago, you would have

NO. XIII.-VOL. III.

been convinced how little he regards the possession of fine feathers. Beauty," says the adage, goes butskin deep;"-with the feathered tribe it is still more superficial.

Then there is Dame Madge, looking not only "as well as can be expected," but much better than might have been hoped for a lady in her situation. She sits reckoning her chickens, as all fond mothers will do, and luxuriating in the pleasing expectation that each shell will produce its "pearl of price." I pray Minerva that none of them may prove addled!

I have always loved the owl with an ardent affection; and if I were a Pythagorean, should wish my soul to take up its abode in one. He is the Night-blowing Cereus of birds; and you may well say of him what Shakespeare says of the lovely Juliet, that

"Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do intreat his eyes
To twinkle in their spheres till they return."

He is a sort of winged cat, and the poor field-mice stand no chance with him in a race, for he always carries feather-weight. He is antipodean to the generality of birds, getting his breakfast when they are going to bed, and eating his supper when they are preparing for the dejeuné. Notwithstanding all this, however, he is most villainously treated by mankind; but, like a good soul as he is, repays their hostilities with valuable service. The destroyer of mice, and sworn enemy to numberless little mischievous birds, he saves the farmer many a sack of wheat every year of his life, and asks only, in return, permission to roost in his barn, or make his nest in some hollow tree. Yet who so obnoxious to the spite of every ignorant clodhopper from the Tweed to the

G

Land's End? Not a "stultus Amyntas" in the country but hath lifted his blundering blunderbuss to assail poor Bubo !-not a ragged hobbledehoy but hath clambered the old oak to rob the dear Howlet of his nest! Oh! muchto-be lamented depravity! Can it longer be matter of surprise that farmers are not so well off as they used to be! Will they never withdraw the hand of extermination;will they never learn to discriminate between their most valuable friends and their inveterate enemies!

I remember the time (and it is not long ago) when every village had its Owlery, and the snoring of these birds in the church tower helped to keep up the good old belief of ghosts. Our venerable minster was never without them; and I have often seen them, waked from their day-dreams by the curfew-bell of a summer's evening,

sally forth into the fields in search of food, or to visit some friendly bird in the woods below. Many's the time, too, that my ears have been assailed by the upbraiding tongues of a bevy of jack-squealers, tormenting some poor bewildered Owl, who had ventured out too early in the twilight, or had been surprised by Dan Phoebus at the bower of his fair one in the neighbouring forest.

But, alas! these days are gone by; and thy race, O Howlet, is nearly extinct! Your sun is already upon the horizon, and it will soon be set. Your hour-glass is no longer top-heavy; the sand is falling, falling, falling! You are even now a rara avis in terris," and ere long will be numbered with those semi-fabulous monsters the Mammoth, the Behemoth, and the Dudley Locust!

66

SYLVANUS SWANQUILL.

FRANCIS, or, as he was more commonly designated, Frank, Buckle, was born at Newmarket, but the day of his birth remained unknown to him. His baptism, however, took place on the 18th of July, 1766,

we have therefore reason to suppose that his birth did not long precede that period. His father was a saddler, and died when his son was about twelve years oldleaving five other children. His uncle (who was also his guardian) apprenticed young Frank to a saddler, but he seems to have had no fondness for the occupation of his father, and absconded from his master's service. His guardian subsequently remonstrating with

him on the rashness of his conduct, he replied, "that it was of no use apprenticing him again, for that nothing on earth would he follow but the horses and stables." Neither the controul of his legal protector, nor the obedience due to so near a relative, were sufficient to stifle those embryo powers which were destined, in a few years, to obtain him so much celebrity. It has been stated in a biographical sketch of him (in other respects extremely correct), "that he began to ride and exercise in the stable of the late Earl of Grosvenor at nine years of age"-it was not, however, until a much later period that he entered that nobleman's employ