It seems likely that the ...
It scerns likely that the rew Game Act wrill pass the C'ommons. IVre feel a certain degree of timidity in speak- ing on this subject, and shall tell our readers the reason. fe have often observed in common life,how very little un.- derstanding will suffice to render a man excessively know- ing, and really quite II up to" that subject, whatever it may be, upon which lie thinlks alvays. And as the sporting gentry but rarely suffer their attention to be divcrted to other subjects, and are almost exelusively eccupied. (we were going to sayl body and s ul) in the preservation and destruction of ganme, the right of manors, leave to sport, qualifications, licences, and deputations, we know that if we were to malke the slightest mistake, we shoul(i be ex- posecd to the detection, of not the brightest or most intel- lectual portion of our fellow-subjects, but to one perfectly au fait to the present question. \Ve confess, howvever, in spite of this disclaimer, that the act seems to us to be a very monstrous one. It makes the game-(un.ler which name is includled several species not before acknowledged as such)-it makes the game, we say, 'under this sweeping denomination, property ; but property to whom? llWhy, to the landlord-exclusive property to the landlord! and that, after lie has let the lan(d en wlich it is reare(d and fed to the tenant. W1'e really should begin to suspect, ihat the next step in legislation, upon the same principle, might be to enable the lan(lord to pursue, take, and destroy, the calves and lambs of the occupier of the land, or to let that right of destroying them to others. ''he third clause seems to 'tus a direct invasion of property; for it ordains, that where the landlord has, by lease, conceded to another the full and exclusive possession and enJoyment of what becomes by that aet the leasehold property of the tenant, the landlord may invade or enter that property pendling the exising lease; and he may not only so invade ai(l enter it himself, but may transfer that right of invas on and entry, either gratuitously or for a Ya- luable consideration, to another. I We cannot exactly see how poaching is to be prevented by the bill as it stands at pressnt. To the sale of game there can be no objection; for to allow of it is only to le- galize that which is in as full practice as any thle most ordinary transaction of human life.