The Life of a Great Sportsman 



This talent for music was inherited by our eldest brother, 

 who could play practically any instrument. As children we 

 suffered much from his cornet, flute, and such-like ear-splitting 

 torments, but eventually he settled down to the viola, and in 

 later life discoursed sweet music upon that instrument. To 

 his youngest son he has transmitted the full harmony of sound 

 that his soul possessed, but for which, in the absence of 

 adequate study of the technique of music, he could find no 

 outward expression. It is good to know that in that son his 

 family possess a musical genius of no common type, who has 

 had the chance his father never enjoyed of a musical education. 

 To Maunsell, on the other hand, music never came naturally, 

 though in later life the singing of hymns in church gave him 

 infinite delight. Indeed, his widow tells me that she had 

 sometimes to restrain his ardour. 



My father possessed a fine vein of humour, and could 

 see the funny side of a thing, turning what might prove a 

 serious matter, causing unnecessary inconvenience and possibly 

 grave consequences, into a laughable and easily forgiven 

 circumstance, leaving no ill-will on either side. He had a 

 capital manservant once, called Dent, whose one fault was a 

 great weakness for sweets, more particularly the creams and 

 jellies left from the dinner- table. Being told of this, Mr. 

 Richardson hit upon a plan. He chose the moment when he 

 knew Dent was in the kitchen, talking to Mrs. Killick the 

 cook, and coming in, observed, as the man was in the act of 

 making off — u Don't go, Dent, I want to speak to Mrs. Killick, 

 and tell her how pleased you are with her cooking, and how 

 much you appreciate her sweets in particular. And now, Mrs. 

 Killick," he said, " I want you, whenever you make us that " 

 (naming a very delightful cream mould that had disappeared 

 in much too rapid a manner), "to put some of it into a special 



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