THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 65 



CHAPTER 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 corroborative of the adage, that" as the twig is bent, 

 the tree's inclined." 



I HAVE already presented to the reader the character and 

 situation of the brother of Mr. Raby, uncle to the two 

 boys ; but it may be necessary further to observe that, 

 having made up his mind to remain a bachelor, as more 

 congenial to his unconquerable love of ease and quiet, as 

 well as to his generally epicurean habits, he had settled 

 in his own mind that Frank Raby should succeed to 

 his fortune, which, as I have already stated, was con- 

 siderable, and likely to increase, rather than diminish 

 in his hands. This being the case, it is but reasonable to 

 suppose that he interested himself in everything relating 

 to the formation of the character of his intended heir, who, 

 although he rather encouraged than checked his desire to 

 become a sportsman, he was very anxious should become 

 a scholar, to fit him for that place in society it was his 

 intention to have occupied himself, but which constitu- 

 tional indolence put a bar to. With this view, then, he 

 paid a visit to the Abbey, to talk over matters with his 

 brother, respecting the future education of his nephew ; 

 it having been communicated to him, that, after the 

 midsummer holidays, both Frank and his brother Andrew 

 were to be sent to a public school. The result of this 

 visit, as regarded the point in question, will be seen in the 

 following dialogue : 



" Well, brother,' 1 said Mr. Andrew Raby, " I find the 

 boys make their debut in the world after midsummer ; 

 have you determined on Eton ? " 



" Why, as we were Etonians ourselves," replied Mr. 

 Raby, " and have had no cause to repent of having been 

 so, I see no objection to Eton ; but have you yourself 

 any?" 



" None, whatever, to the school. Dr. George Heath 

 who is at the head of it, and Dr. Goodall, the second 

 master, are both scholars ; although the first, in spite of 

 his witty translation of the celebrated line 

 ' Ille dolet vere, qui sine teste dolet.' 



