The Blackleg Keeper. 207 



tattle of envy ; for it is often an amiable weakness on 

 the part of masters who are really attached to their 

 servants to maintain a kind of partisanship on behalf 

 -of those whom they have once trusted. 



Such a servant finds plentiful occasions for dexte- 

 rously gratifying the love of admiration innate in us 

 all. The manliest athlete and frankest amateur — 

 who would blush at the praise of social equals — finds it 

 hard to resist the apparently bluff outspoken applause 

 of his inferiors bestowed on his prowess in field sports, 

 whether rowing or riding, with rod or gun. Of course 

 it frequently happens that the sportsman really does 

 excel as a shot ; but that in no degree lessens the 

 insidious effect of the praise which seems extorted in 

 the excitement of the moment, and to come forth 

 with unpremeditated energy. 



The next step is to establish a common ground of 

 indignation ; for it is to be observed that those who 

 unite in abuse of a third person have a stronger bond 

 of sympathy than those who mutually admire another. 

 If by accident some unfortunate contretemps should 

 cause a passing irritation between his master and the 

 owner of a neighbouring estate, the keeper loses no 

 opportunity of heaping coals upon the fire. He 

 brings daily reports of trespass. Now the other 

 party's keepers have been beating a field beyond 



