THE 



LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



CHAPTEE I 



Introductory The hero presented Items of his birth, parentage, 

 and education, together with traits of his idiosyncrasy, whereby 

 "coming events cast their shadows before." 



IX the latter part of the last century, in one of the 

 finest of the midland counties of England, lived 

 Andrew Raby, a commoner, of large possessions, and of 

 very old English blood. When, however, I use the 

 term "large possessions," I do not desire to convey the 

 idea of his having an income sufficient to keep up a 

 degree of pomp and dignity equal to that of his titled 

 superiors, but such as enabled him fully to support the 

 respectable and honourable station of an English country 

 gentleman, and to indulge in all those pursuits which 

 were congenial to his own taste, and, likewise, to exercise 

 almost unbounded hospitality towards his friends. In 

 fact, his rental was a little above ten thousand pounds 

 per annum ; which, when the usual drawbacks of agencies, 

 repairs, and other heavy outgoings attendant on landed 

 property, in addition to an annuity he paid to a sister, 

 were deducted, left him for he had no interest of money 

 to pay to mortgagees (indeed it was his boast, that no 

 lawyer held as much parchment security of his as would 

 cover a crown piece) a clear annual income of seven 

 thousand pounds ; at least he reckoned not on more, on 

 a fair average of years. With this comparatively limited 

 income, he inhabited a house suitable for a man of twice 

 his means. It covered three sides of a quadrangular 

 court ; displaying a sumptuous character in its archi- 

 tectural ornaments without, and containing elegant and 



