iscovered, 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
horse-stealing 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 galleys 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 offense, for
that would be grieving because you are not as 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 it 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."

Here the good justice left off speaking, and no one could contradict
the truth of what he had said. Weston humbly submitted to his
sentence, but he was very poor, and knew not where to raise the
money to pay his fine. His character had always been so fair, that
several farmers present kindly agreed to advance a trifle each to
prevent his being sent to prison, and he thankfully promised to work
out the debt. The justice himself, though he could not soften the
law, yet showed Weston so much kindness that he was enabled before
the year was out, to get out of this difficulty. He began to