THE LIFE OF A SrORTSISlAN 



the phenomena of his own theory, that, luckily perhaps for 

 him, his voice was so far drowned between the " hear, hear," of 

 his friends, and the coughs of his enemies, that not a syllable 

 he uttered could be heard by the House. Being a good plucked 

 one, however, he would not sit down until a friend in his rear 

 pulled him into his seat by his skirts, to the amusement of 

 those who witnessed it. Still,' continued Sir John, ' there 

 are striking exceptions to this rule — none, perhaps, more so 

 than in your own person in your maiden speech on the slave 

 trade.' 



' I thank you for the compliment,' observed Mr. Raby, 

 ' although I see in it an unintentional rebuke. I was certainly 

 successful in my first essay ; but being aware that to have 

 followed up this success would have imposed upon me labours 

 that a naturally indolent disposition was unwilling to submit to ; 

 and being averse to the attempt at doing anything by halves, I 

 gave up politics at once : and in one respect I am a gainer. 

 I have retained the friendship of men for whom I have the 

 highest regard, but which, being opposed to them in my views, 

 would have been endangered in the heat of political warfare and 

 debate. However, to return to the original object of introducing 

 the conversation respecting Frank. As you have decidedly an 

 influence over him, let me beseech you to use it in impressing 

 on him moderation in his pursuits, and not to forget tliat, one 

 day or another — and no one knows how soon— he may be called 

 upon to fulfil duties of no ordinar}^ kind. Again, I am rather 

 inclined to believe he has somewhat of an extravagant turn, 

 which may lead him into difficulties unexpectedly ; for I hear 

 he has already added two hunters to his stud — talks of pur- 

 chasing others — and has taken apartments and stables at 

 Melton for the forthcoming hunting season.' 



' Well, Raby,' said the Baronet ; ' you have now paid me 

 a compliment, in return for one which is justly your due. 

 With regard to expense, I have always instilled upon Frank's 

 mind — at least, whenever an opportunity otiered — the advan- 

 tage of living within one's income, inasmuch as the exceeding 

 it is the bane of all real comfort ; and, believing example to 

 be much better than precept, I have shown him, in black and 

 white, that I live considerably within mine. As to his stud, I 

 think that, with his allowance of £800 a year from his father, 

 the run of the Abbey for himself and his horses in the summer, 



219 



