DISCRETION. 127 



feel comfortable nowhere but in the high road; and 

 most of us, I dare say, can recall occasions on which 

 we have been so utterly discomfited by an early dis- 

 appointment (in plain English a fence we were afraid 

 to jump) as to give in without an effort, although the 

 slightest dash of valour at the right moment would 

 have carried us triumphantly out of defeat. 



Never mind. Like a French friend of mine, who 

 expresses his disinclination to our chasse au renard by 

 protesting, " Monsieur, je ne cherche pas mes emotions & 

 me casser le cou" when we are avowedly in pursuit of 

 pleasure we ought to take it exactly as suits us best. 

 There are two ends of the string in every run with 

 hounds. Wisdom pervades each of these, but eschews 

 the various gradations between. In front rides valour 

 with discretion ; in rear, discretion without valour ; and 

 in the middle a tumultuous throng, amongst whom 

 neither quality is to be recognised. With too little of 

 the one to fly, not enough of the other to creep, they 

 waver at the fences, hurry at the gaps, get in each other's 

 way at the gates, and altogether make exceedingly slow 

 progress compared to their efforts and their excitement. 



Valour without discretion, I had almost forgotten to 

 observe, was down and under his horse at the first 

 difficulty. 



