THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



similar one to another who wished to cut his throat for a mere 

 lapsus lingtica over a bottle of" wine, or a hasty expression in 

 the moment of argument, he would deserve well of society. 

 Then look closer into the system, and observe the incon- 

 sistency of it. A man inflicts upon you the severest possible 

 injury to begin with. Well, you call him out, as the phrase 

 goes, and he finishes by shooting you. Then, although public 

 opinion may be in favour of this private appeal to arms, the 

 punishment by law is equal towards the injured and the 

 injurer: whereas, in strict justice, the latter is the sole insti- 

 gator, if not perpetrator of the crime. At all events, the laws 

 should be lenient to the man who accepts the challeno-e, 

 because he act.s under an opinion of honourable self-defence, 

 against the evil influence of which the law cannot protect him.' 



'Then I perceive,' resumed Hargrave, 'you are a decided 

 enemy to duelling, which I am, indeed, myself, and I often 

 think of the question Fielding makes Partridge put to Tom 

 Jones on the subject : " Is not courage forbidden by Iieaven ? " 

 said Partridge. " Yes," replied Jones, " but enjoined by the 

 world." ' 



' Then,' said our hero, ' which is the greater authority of the 

 two ? Heaven or the world ? ' 



' No question on that point,' continued Hargrave. ' " // it 

 be possible," says St. Paul, " as much as lieth in you, live peace- 

 ably with all men." ' 



' Yes,' observed Raby, ' and in the next verse he adds — 

 " avenge not yourselves ; it is written, vengeance is mine." ' 



The hounds appearing in sight, the subject was dropped, 

 and there is good reason to believe that, as this was the first, 

 so was it the last appearance of our hero on this stao-e. Nemo 

 debet bis vexari, is not a bad proverb for a man to keep in his 

 pocket; but despicable as is the character of a quarrelsome 

 man, and still more so the professed duellist, there is too much 

 reason to fear that some young men think it a feather in their 

 cap, with the female sex especially, to have fought a duel. It 

 is true, Virgil makes Dido fall in love with ^neas, because he 

 is a fighting man. There is reason to believe, however, that, 

 ere long, this pernicious rule, by which society in the upper 

 classes has hitherto been governed, will be made to yield its 

 sway to a more rational tribunal. This would be a reform 

 worth}' of an enlightened people. 



365 



