THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



connnand than I myself haxe done. But he who tastes nothing 

 but the sweet poison of prosperity, which hithei'to has been my 

 case ' 



Here the feelings of the sutterer overcame him, and, con- 

 cealing his brow witli his hand, he remained silent for a short 

 time; but having recovered his self-possession thus continued 

 to speak : — 



' I am weak, my dear Frank, as you must perceive ; but let 

 us look on a brighter picture. In addition to what you will 

 receive from me, you may one day inherit the large possessions 

 of your father. Endeavour, then, to tread in his steps, rather 

 than in mine. The reigning error of my life has been tlie 

 mistaking the love for the practice of virtue, and being the 

 friend of goodness, rather than a good man. In your father, 

 the union is accomplished ; and whilst I have been amusing 

 myself with a phantom of happiness which has been always 

 dancing before my eyes — turning them, alas ! from the light 

 of Reason which would have discovered the illusion, and shown 

 me what, perhaps, I never wished to see, my own real case — 

 he has possessed himself of the reality, by fulfilling every duty 

 incumbent upon an English gentleman, and, I may safely add, 

 the Christian. Compared with his, then, mine has been a 

 solitary, a barren, and a cheerless existence, and my name will 

 be forgotten ere my remains are cold. As the shadow waits 

 on the substance, Frank, even so true honour follows virtuous 

 actions, and not merely the profession of them.' 



The natural strength of Mr. Beaumont Rab^-'s constitution 

 had, to a certain extent, rallied after passing a tranquil night, 

 in which sleep — that vis medicatrlx naturoi — had come to his 

 relief ; and it was not until the eighth day after this interesting 

 conversation took place between himself and his nephew, that 

 death came to his relief — on the very day, indeed, on which he 

 had arrived at his fifty-third year : On his will being opened, 

 matters stood thus : — He bequeathed £1000 to Mr. Egerton, 

 ' as a mark of gratitude for his having instilled those notions 

 of propriety into his nephew that would not fail to benefit him 

 through life ' ; £100 to one of his oldest friends, and the same 

 to his brother, to pur-chase mourning rings ; annuities of fifty 

 pounds to three of iiis own servants, ' wlio had served him 

 faithfully in their respective situations ' : and the rest of 

 his fortune, without any stipulation whatever, ' to his dearly 



269 



