“John,” said he, “I am surprised that you could for a moment forget that I never accept any gift which causes the giver to break a law.  On Sunday I teach you from the pulpit the laws of God, whose minister I am.  At present I fill the chair of the magistrate, to enforce and execute the laws of the land.  Between these and the others there is more connection than you are aware.  I thank you, John, for your affection to me, and I admire your gratitude; but I must not allow either affection or gratitude to be brought as a plea for a wrong action.  It is not your business nor mine, John, to settle whether the game-laws are good or bad.  Till they are repealed we must obey them.  Many, I doubt not, break these laws through ignorance, and many, I am certain, who would not dare to steal a goose or a turkey, make no scruple of knocking down a hare or a partridge.  You will hereafter think yourself happy that this your first attempt has proved unsuccessful, as I trust you are too honest a fellow ever to intend to turn poacher.  With poaching much more evil is connected:  a habit of nightly depredation, a custom of prowling in the dark for prey, produces in time a disrelish for honest labor.  He whose first offence was committed without much thought or evil intention, if he happens to succeed a few times in carrying off his booty undiscovered, grows bolder and bolder; and when he fancies there is no shame attending it, he very soon gets to persuade himself that there is also no sin.  While some people pretend a scruple about stealing a sheep, they partly live by plundering of warrens.  But remember, that the warrener pays a high rent, and that therefore his rabbits are as much his property as his sheep.  Do not then deceive yourselves with these false distinctions.  All property is sacred; and as the laws of the land are intended to fence in that property, he who brings up his children to break down any of these fences, brings them up to certain sin and ruin.  He who begins with robbing orchards, rabbit-warrens, and fish-ponds, will probably end with horsestealing, or highway robbery.  Poaching is a regular apprenticeship to bolder crimes.  He whom I may commit as a boy to sit in the stocks for killing a partridge, may be likely to end at the gallows for killing a man.

“Observe, you who now hear me, the strictness and impartiality of justice.  I know Giles to be a worthless fellow, yet it is my duty to take his information; I know Jack Weston to be an honest youth, yet I must be obliged to make him pay the penalty.  Giles is a bad man, but he can prove this fact; Jack is a worthy lad, but he has committed this fault.  I am sorry for you, Jack; but do not let it grieve you that Giles has played worse tricks a hundred times, and yet got off, while you were detected in the very first offence, for that would be grieving because you are not so great a rogue as Giles.  At this moment you think your good luck is very unequal; but all this will one day turn out in your favor.  Giles is not the more a favorite of heaven because he has hitherto escaped Botany Bay or the hulks; nor is it any mark of God’s displeasure against you, John, that you were found out in your very first attempt.”