THE SMUGGLER. 21 



Nine times out of ten, from mere inanition, they fall into every 

 sort of vice ; forget that they have duties as well as privileges, 

 think that the slice of the world that has been given to them 

 is entirely at their own pleasure and disposal, spend their for- 

 tunes, encumber their estates, bully their wives and their ser- 

 vants, indulge their eldest son till he is just such a piece of 

 unkneaded dough as themselves, kick out their younger sons 

 into the world without a farthing, and break their daughters' 

 hearts by forcing them to marry men they hate. That's what 

 elder brothers are made for; and to be one, I say again, is 

 the greatest curse that can fall upon a man. But come, now I 

 have told you my name, tell me yours. That's but a fair 

 exchange you know, and no robbery, and I hate going on 

 calling people ' sir' for ever." 



"Quite a just demand," replied the gentleman whom he 

 addressed, " and you shall immediately have the whole par- 

 ticulars. My name is Digby, a poor major in his majesty's 

 regiment of dragoons, to whom the two serious misfortunes 

 have happened of being born an eldest son, and having a 

 baronetcy thrust upon him." 



"Couldn't be worse; couldn't be worse I" replied the old 

 gentleman, laughing. "And so you are Sir Edward Digby! 

 Oh, yes! I can tell you you are expected, and have been so 

 these three weeks. The whole matter's laid out for you in 

 every house in the country. You are to marry every unmar- 

 ried woman in the hundred. The young men expect you to 

 do nothing but hunt foxes, course hares, and shoot partridges 

 from morning to night; and the old men have made up their 

 minds that you shall drink port, claret, or madeira, as the case 

 may be, from night till morning. I pity you; upon my life, I 

 pity you 1 What between love, and wine, and field sports* 

 you'll have a miserable time of it. Take care how you speak 

 a single word to any single woman. Don't even smile upon 

 Aunt Barbara, or she'll make you a low curtsey, and say, 

 'You must ask my brother about the settlement, my dear 

 Edward.' Ha, ha, hal" and he laughed a long, merry, 

 hearty peal, that made the rumbling vehicle echo again* 

 Then putting the gold-headed cane to his lips, he turned a sty 

 glance upon the other traveller, who was only moved to a 

 very faint smile by all the old gentleman's merriment, asking, 

 "Docs this gentleman come with you? Are you to bo- made 



