THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



and healthy parents, and a perfect and well-shapen infant, soon 

 struggled into what may be called life ; that is to say, the 

 ' mewling and puking in the nurse's arms ' was, in due time, 

 succeeded by a strong desire to get upon his legs and amuse 

 himself. In fact, althouo-h to declare the end from the bec«;in- 

 ning is not within the scope of human power, there was some- 

 thing about this boy, at the end of his third year, wdiich 

 indicated that, one day or another, in one pursuit or other, he 

 was likely to overtop the crowd. It is true the human mind 

 is made for action ; but this child was as active and restless 

 as the hy^na, and showed a desire to pry into everything 

 within his reach ; and the predominance of his taste was not 

 long in displaying itself. If he found a stick, he w^anted a 

 string to tie to the end of it; and if he found a string, he 

 wanted a stick to tie the string to. In fact, a whip was his 

 delight, but the sight of a horse transported him ; and from 

 morninp; to nio-ht did his little toncrue rino- the chano-es of horse 

 and whip, whip and horse, varied only by an occasional notice 

 of a favourite dog, that was allowed to make its domicile in the 

 nursery. In short, as the dawn of morning generally show^s 

 the day, it was evident that Francis Raby was to be a sports- 

 man. 



As may be imagined from their situation in life, Francis 

 Raby and his brother (who was named after his father) had 

 every care taken of them in their infancy ; and, before they 

 were eight years of age, their characters were pretty clearly 

 developed. But as ' one star diftereth from another in glory,' 

 so did the characters of these brothers vary in a very unusual 

 degree. Andrew w^as always in the house, and with his mother 

 wdien he could be ; Francis out of doors, and about the stables 

 as soon as he could break loose and steal away. Andrew 

 delighted in a book ; Francis ajDpeared to have an antipathy 

 to one. Andrew was pale and sickly, and subject to infantine 

 diseases ; Francis was a miniature waggoner in frame and 

 constitution. In one respect, however, they assimilated. Both 

 showed indications of talent, and, in their exercises with their 

 tutor, who prepared them for Eton, 'the promise of a goodly 

 day to-morrow.' 



There is nothing more certain than that all things must have 

 a beginning; and what may be called the sporting career of 

 Francis Raby commenced about his tenth year, when he became 



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