CONTENTS 



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 "..... 1 



II. The first great step in the life of our "Sportsman :" 

 he is entered at hare The chapter concludes with 

 many choice aphorisms concerning the noble 

 science, and sundry anecdotes, worthy of being 

 recorded in letters of gold 22 



III. Devoted to rural scenes and characters, and combin- 



ing matter of amusement and instruction, with 

 maxims of sound theory, and examples well 

 worthy of imitation .54 



IV. The hero enters upon the stage of life, and also on 



another stage, which, with various incidents 

 narrated in this chapter, will be found corrobora- 

 tive of the adage, that "as the twig is bent, the 

 tree's inclined " 65 



V. Christmas at the seat of "a fine old English gentle- 

 man," with its appropriate accompaniments good 

 company, good cheer, and good sport ... 78 



VI. College life, with some sketches of men and manners 

 at Oxford, in the latter part of the last century 

 Bibury Meeting in its palmy days . . 87 



VII. A trip to Ascot races, succeeded by an inquiry into 

 the systems and methods of travelling, from the 

 earliest ages to the golden age of the road in England 108 



VIII. Rural life in hall and field ; a ball and a wound 



(consequences alike common in love and war) . 136 



