MATURED ADVICE 145 



into these episodes of school life, but it must be remem- 

 bered that the ego was one about whom I who write can 

 now deal quite impersonally. We are living in spacious 

 and stirring times, when a record of the trifling career of 

 a boy is perhaps out of place ; and yet I think that from 

 my life, as thus far disclosed, there is much of what Mr 

 Jorrocks would have called "good avoidance" to be 

 learned by youngsters of the present day. True, I cannot 

 be blamed for being left at such an early age with a guardian 

 who was no guardian and a doctor who would always 

 certify that I was ill. The circumstances were peculiarly 

 trying ; but we know that boys have now taken to the 

 responsibilities of life much earlier than they did then, 

 and many have been at the front and many have met 

 death at an earlier age than I was when I left school, 

 being then nineteen years old. 



The trend of strenuous events now is towards the quicker 

 development of character, but nothing will ever alter the 

 lesson which I have ventured to illustrate in some measure 

 viz. that mere ability and talent may be wasted wasted 

 almost utterly unless some sort of reasonable respect is 

 paid to the opportunities which may be granted us for 

 developing those qualities. A flash-in-the-pan effort 

 now and again may seem brilliant and even achieve its 

 immediate object, but it is not the real thing and does 

 not carry on. 



I am going to show before the end of this book that, so 

 far from a love of bloodstock and racing having injured 

 my career, it has proved to some extent my salvation. 



Of the famous men that were at Rugby in my day I 

 cannot but again mention Selous, who, after a life that 

 will never be forgotten, sleeps well under one of the 

 battle-fields of East Africa, where he met with a soldier's 

 death in the cause of his king and country. I have 

 mentioned also Lord Ranksborough, and of him it should 

 be added that, as General Brocklehurst, he was in command 

 of the Cavalry Brigade at Ladysmith, which is enough 

 for the fame of anyone, though it is but one of his many 



