2 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



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spacious apartments within. Planned after the fashion 

 of the Elizabethan age, Amstead Abbey stood on an 

 island, formed by a deep moat, and within the palings 

 of an extensive and finely timbered park, containing a 

 herd of deer sufficiently ample for the use of a private 

 gentleman ; the gardens, too, were large, no less than 

 three hundred yards of "glass" as forcing houses are 

 technically denominated being visible in them, exclusive 

 of hot walls. A farm of three hundred acres of the best 

 staple land of the county was in occupation, under the 

 eye of a Scotch bailiff; and, having been conducted on 

 improved principles, it greatly outstripped its neighbours 

 in its produce, and turned to a very profitable account : 

 the surrounding country was also of the richest and 

 most valuable description. 



Mr. Raby's establishment consisted, indoors, of a butler 

 and two footmen, with all the requisite females, and was 

 only deficient in one respect it wanted the man cook to 

 aid the English kitchen-maid ; but against this there was 

 a prejudice which time has since removed. At the period 

 to which I allude, there was an objection against these 

 chefs of the kitchen, on the score of wasteful extravagance 

 in their operations ; experience, however, has since shown 

 that their art is practised to advantage in all large 

 establishments. By the almost magical power of the 

 rechauffoir, the remains of yesterday's dinner instead of 

 being looked lightly upon, if not in great part cast to 

 the dogs, are sent smoking and savoury into the servants' 

 hall, and so disguised as to leave the inmates of it in 

 doubt whether the dishes are rechauffes or not. His 

 woman cook, however, was as good as high wages could 

 procure, and his guests had no cause for complaint. But 

 the style of living was truly English, and, as such, the 

 assistance of Monsieur was less necessary ; the consumption 

 of animals was prodigious from the numbers of comers 

 and goers, in addition to the family itself; and did a 

 sirloin of beef make its appearance on a Sunday, and a 

 round on the Monday, they might be looked for in vain 

 on the Tuesday. 



There was one species of luxury refinement, indeed, 

 it may be termed, in reference to those times in which 

 Mr. Raby indulged ; and this was the selection of his 

 footmen and postillions. The first were London-bred ; 

 he declared that he never saw a country-bred footman 



