THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



asserted of him, tliat he could produce good runners from very 

 inferior bitches. This was a pleasing reflection to our hero, 

 inasmuch as it showed that, so far in life as he had gone, he 

 had more or less succeeded in whatever pursuit he had 

 engaged in ; and in the fly-leaf of his greyhound book, in 

 which the pedigree and performance of each dog were very 

 accurately entered, were the following remarks, written with 

 his own hand : — ' Although many kinds of dogs are as long 

 as the greyhound, yet, from the many curves and circles 

 which he describes in his shape, he excels all in his 

 strides. 



' Fine greyhounds, like fine horses, have a general propor- 

 tion, and a certain elegance of parts ; they abound in muscle, 

 have great length for their height, have their hocks let down 

 to the ground, behind, and standing from them, which greatly 

 increases the angle, have the muscles of the thigh remarkably 

 broad and expanded, with great strength of back, and to supply 

 the want of a long pastern-joint — which speedy horses have — 

 their feet and toes are longer than those of any other dogs. 

 They also resemble the hare in the declivity of the shoulders, 

 and length and strength of the hinder legs, as well as the 

 development of muscle in the loins. In fact, were their frame 

 to be put to the test of geometrical science, I know not in what 

 respect it could be improved as regards the united faculties of 

 speed and endurance.' 



Two things will have been observable in the progress of this 

 history — if history it can be called : one, that our hero, 

 although occasionally running riot a little, like a well-bred 

 young hound just entered to his game, possesses an amiable 

 disposition, a feeling heart, and strictly honourable principles, 

 early inculcated in him by his father, his uncle, and Mr. 

 Egerton, which could not fail to guide his conduct through 

 life. The other, that Sir John Inkleton has been, from the 

 first — although perhaps the encourager by his example of too 

 expensive pursuits, namely, the coach-box and fox-hunting — a 

 kind friend to him, by giving him the benefit of his experience 

 in several worldly matters, as likewise in now and then 

 checking the ardour of a youthful mind, conscious that, one 

 day or another, gratification, to almost any extent, would be 

 within his reach. Instances in proof of each of these positions 

 are now about to appear. 



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