238 THE HUNTING FIELD 



glory. Tuft Hunting, however, is always more offen- 

 sive than what is called keeping "low company," 

 because, in the first place, some people have a secret 

 pleasure in seeing others do wrong, while the protege 

 of the nobleman is lifted, as it were, over the heads 

 of his companions, and thus made an object both for 

 envy and ridicule. 



Let no modest, unopinionated youth, then, be de- 

 terred, from fear of incurring the old charge of Tuft 

 Hunting, from paying proper respect to great men. 

 It is their due. The omission of it is rudeness, and 

 it is only by carrying it to excess converting respect 

 into servility that it becomes ridiculous. 



