THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



lastly, your zeal for the welfare and credit of all that relates 

 to the noble science. A country, which you once hunted, is 

 now offered to me, and I feel disposed to take it ; nor is fJds 

 all ; I have flattered myself into the belief that I can hunt a 

 pack of foxhounds, and intend trying my hand at it. What 

 think you ? Pray give me a candid answer, and, if favourable 

 to my views, I shall trespass on your kindness for a little advice 

 and instruction. By following your precepts in part, it is 

 possible I may succeed ; but, if to the full extent, there would 

 be little doubt of it. Homer, you know (for you look into books 

 as well as into kennels), makes Achilles a clever fellow. " No 

 wonder," says Eustathius, " he had Chiron for his tutor, and a 

 goddess for his mother." For myself, I cannot claim such high 

 origin, but I have reason to hope that, te duce, I may, sooner 

 or later, fulfil the highest object of my ambition — that of keeping 

 and liunting a pack of foxhounds with credit to myself, and 

 satisfaction to my field. 



' Believe me, dear Sir, faithfully yours, • 



' Francis Raby.' 



The answer to this letter, received by return of post, ran 

 thus : 



' Dear Raby, — 



' I am always glad to hear of young men of fortune wishing 

 to keep foxhounds, and especially when the^ have been well 

 educated for the task, which I consider you to have been, by not 

 merely serving an apprenticeship at Melton, but by having 

 gone about the country seeing all the best establishments, and, 

 of course, the best huntsmen. From reports that have reached 

 me of your performance in the field — I do not mean merely 

 riding to break your neck — I am proud to acknowledge the 

 compliment you pay me, of considering me as your tutor, and 

 it will give me much pleasure to offer you the result of my 

 experience as far as the management of hounds both in the 

 field and in the kennel ; but, mind me, oiily as a master of 

 hounds and a sj^ortsman. I never hunted hounds in my life ; 

 it was not the fashion, in early days, for gentlemen to fill the 

 office of huntsman, which was left to servile hands, and I do 

 not think that, all things considered, the noble science — as you 



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