BOB CONYERS, AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 5 



the most particular pet of her father and brother, as well as of 

 Bob Conyers, to whom I must next introduce my readers. 



Bob (as he was usually called) was a bachelor, aged about 

 forty, tall, stout, of a merry countenance and goodly mien, pas- 

 sionately devoted to his favourite amusement of fox-hunting ; 

 and it may suffice to say of the individual man, that he had 

 the entree of nearly every gentleman's house in the county, in 

 which he was ever greeted with a most welcome reception from 

 the seniors, and with rapturous glee by the junior members of 

 the numerous families ; in short, no dinner party was considered 

 quite complete without the presence of this highly-favoured 

 son of Mmrod. He was also greatly patronised by the ladies, 

 having a good voice and tolerable ear for music, being also a 

 graceful dancer and cheerful partner in a ball-room ; and in lack 

 of other occupation during the dead months, that is (in Bob's 

 vocabulary) the summer season, he was occasionally seen patiently 

 sitting down at a lady's work-table, with a piece of worsted- 

 work in hand ! Bob possessed a most versatile genius. He 

 could discuss politics with the members of parliament, quote 

 Latin and Greek with the scholar, divinity with the clergyman, 

 small talk with the young ladies ; and drink tea and play cards 

 with the old ones. Shakespeare, Byron, and Moore, his favourite 

 poets, were ready at his beck and call ; — yet he was a first-rate 

 sportsman and rider notwithstanding, a capital shot, good 

 cricketer and billiard player, a formidable opponent with the 

 gloves, and perfect master of the broad-sword exercise. With 

 these and a few other accomplishments and embellishments of 

 mind and person, it was a matter of wonder to all his friends 

 that Bob remained still in single blessedness, particularly as 

 his penchant for women and children was so notorious. But 

 the secret lay here ; — Bob was too poor and considerate to 

 marry any woman without money, and too proud to marry any 

 one with. 



Opposite to Bob at the breakfast table (and opposite to him 

 in almost every particular) sat Richard Yernon, the eldest 

 son of Mr. Vernon, of Leighton Hall, the nearest neighbour, 

 although not the most agreeable one, to Mr. Beauchamp. 

 Richard, although at school and college with his son, was the 

 reverse of William in disposition and feelings ; and the two 

 young men, although from early acquaintance long and inti- 

 mately known to each other, could never be considered friends. 

 Richard was a man of the world — gay and dissipated ; insinu- 

 ating in manners, agreeable in conversation, and strikingly 



