VALOUR. 123 



the universal rink has brought skating into fashion, the 

 " many-twinkling feet," that smoothest glide and turn 

 most deftly, are shod with such dainty boots as never 

 could be worn by the clumsier sex. At lawn-tennis the 

 winning service is offered by some seductive hoyden in 

 her teens ; and, although in the game of cricket the 

 Graces have as yet been males, at no distant day we 

 may expect to see the best batsman at the Oval bowled 

 out, or perhaps caught by a woman ! 



Yes, the race is in the ascendant. It takes the 

 heaviest fish, I mean real fish with a rod and line. 

 It kills its grouse right and left in the moor among 

 the heather. It shoulders a rifle no heavier than a 

 pea-shooter, but levels the toy so straight that, after 

 some cunning stalk, a " stag of ten " goes down before 

 the white hand and taper finger, as becomes his antlers 

 and his sex. Lastly, when it gets upon Bachelor, or 

 Benedict, or Othello, or any other high-flyer with a 

 suggestive name, it sails away close, often too close, to 

 the hounds, leaving brothers, husbands, even admirers 

 hopelessly in the rear. 



Now, I hope I am not going to express a sentiment 

 that will offend their prejudices, and cause young 

 women to call me an old one, but I do consider that, 

 in these days, ladies who go out hunting ride a turn 



