130 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



tunities of dispensing much pleasure amongst our friends 

 and acquaintances." 



" And what think you of racing, now you have seen it 

 in perfection ? " asked the uncle, with some expression of 

 anxiety on his countenance. 



" I like racing much," replied Frank ; " as Mr. Egerton 

 says, ' it is a stimulus, acting on the generous ambition 

 of men and horses, and, as regards the latter, most 

 serviceable to the country, but only a fit pursuit for 

 persons of large means ; ' consequently it will be out of 

 my power to indulge myself in it. As an object of gain, 

 I think very lightly of it ; I have been told there is no 

 instance on record of a gentleman getting money by it, on 

 the long-run ; and we have one instance to the contrary, 

 at this time, at Christchurch ; at least, there is a very 

 good fellow, by the name of Fairfax, who says he shall be 

 100,000 a worse man for his father having been all his 

 life on the turf." 



Mr. Raby looked serious at the conclusion of these 

 remarks ; but there was something in the expression of 

 his features which implied dissatisfaction, if not disgust, 

 at the idea of a young man, who had gone through Eton 

 school, laying his account in driving four horses on a 

 turnpike road in which the most ignorant fellow in 

 the country might excel him as a means of employment 

 in after-life ; or, to use his nephew's words, to prevent his 

 lounging away his time in idleness at some watering-place 

 in the summer. He remained silent, however, perhaps 

 from the recollection of the little use he himself had made 

 of a first-rate education, and of first-rate talents as well. 



The arrival of the postman with some letters put an 

 end to the conversation. One of them was from Mr. 

 Raby to his brother, who read the following extract from 

 it to his nephew : " Frank has informed me of the 

 pleasant manner in which he has passed his time in 

 London, Ascot, &c. ; and likewise of the high treat you 

 afforded him, by asking those Leicestershire sportsmen 

 to meet him at dinner. As for Ascot, the less practical 

 information he brings with him from thence, the better, 

 for it is not my wish that he should attain a relish for 

 the turf ; but, as he is bent on being a fox-hunter, I am 

 glad you have exhibited to him, in the persons of your 

 Melton friends, some of the best specimens of that class 

 of men. I knew Mountford's father well, and there was 



