‘And if Pride was not forbidden,’ ſaid Thwackum, ‘I might boaſt of having taught him that Duty which he himſelf aſſigned as his Motive.’
‘So between you both,’ ſays the Squire, ‘the young Gentleman hath been taught to rob my Daughter of her Bird. I find I muſt take Care of my Partridge Mew. I ſhall have ſome virtuous, religious Man or other ſet all my Partridges at Liberty.’ Then ſlapping a Gentleman of the Law, who was preſent, on the Back. He cried out, ‘What ſay you to this, Mr. Counſellor? Is not this againſt Law?’
The Lawyer, with great Gravity, delivered himſelf as follows:
‘If the Caſe be put of a Partridge, there can be no Doubt but an Action would lie: For though this be feræ Naturæ, yet being reclaimed, Property veſts; but being the Caſe of a Singing Bird, though reclaimed, as it is a Thing of baſe Nature, it muſt be conſidered as nullius in Bonis. In this Caſe, therefore, I conceive the Plaintiff muſt be nonſuited; and‘I
