THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 139 



that I referred her to the book of Genesis, to show that 

 hunting was ordained by the Almighty Himself, and also 

 pursued by the best of men. Then I must not shoot, for 

 my neighbour, Lord Longden, did not like it, and it 

 would prevent his giving me the living of Branton, which, 

 you well know, he gave to a distant relation only last 

 year, although I hung up my gun, and gave away my 

 dogs, seven years back. My case, therefore, is that more 

 from the fear of displeasing a great man, than offending 

 my God for I cannot look upon Him as so severe a judge 

 I have done myself all this disservice. I am punished 

 in this world, from a vain apprehension of being punished 

 in the next ; I am become a cripple, by disease produced 

 by an inactive life, and am, half my time, useless to my 

 parishioners from that cause alone. It is now too late to 

 remedy all this ; but rather would I incline to the senti- 

 ment of Confucius, that he who finds out a new pleasure, 

 provided it be harmless, is one of the most useful members 

 of society, in a highly civilised country like our own." 

 The ball commenced ; 



" Music arose, with its voluptuous swell ; 

 Soft eyes look'd love to eyes which spoke again ; " 



and our hero was not long in selecting the partner of his 

 choice. Like Merion, in the Iliad, also, he distinguished 

 himself by his dancing, a qualification hardly to have 

 been looked for in one who might have been disposed to 

 have held that accomplishment cheap. But such was not 

 the case. It was enough for him that it was an accomplish- 

 ment, and one necessary for a gentleman ; and although 

 it could not have been said of him, what Shakspeare says 

 of the dancing-master, that " his grace was only in his 

 heels, 1 '' he had taken some pains to improve himself in the 

 elegant and fascinating art. But who was the object of 

 his choice at this gay ball, where were assembled all the 

 youth and beauty of the neighbourhood, that the higher 

 class of society could boast of? Was it a young lady in 

 her teens, about his own age, and one who, like himself, 

 had just made her debut in the world 1 It was not. He 

 had selected a young and beautiful married woman for his 

 partner, and who, although of character pure and spotless, 

 seemed somewhat pleased by the choice. The dance con- 

 cluded, he led her to her seat, and again made his election. 

 But there was something in his manner,at this moment, that 



