166 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



and, situated as you now are, I consider it little short of a 

 point of duty that you should avail yourself of this offer. 



" I fancy that I may be met with some objections from 

 yourself ; indeed, I will at once anticipate them, at the 

 same time endeavour to remove them. You may tell 

 me, you have no oratorical talent, but you must allow 

 me to tell you what you have been before told (nascimur 

 poetce,fimus oratores), that every highly-educated man has 

 it in his power to speak well. To become a perfect orator, 

 perhaps, one must be endued by nature with a genius 

 superior to the bulk of mankind ; yet pains and industry 

 may make any person possessing a good jxidgment and 

 ordinary imagination, a tolerable speaker, especially if 

 he set about improving himself when young by making 

 himself master of the great events, and of the principal 

 characters which are handed down to us in history, and 

 thus laying in such a store of knowledge as will be ready 

 at hand on almost all occasions. And history will not 

 only furnish you with the best materials and ground- 

 work of public speaking, but it will also furnish you 

 with the best models. To imitate the brightest examples, 

 and to follow the steps of those who have been ornaments 

 of human nature, and an honour to their country, should 

 be the study and desire of every English gentleman. 

 Your first attempt may fail, as did that of the greatest 

 orator the world ever saw ; but, like him, do not be 

 discouraged ; and remember that my first attempt was 

 crowned with complete success. The effects of a good 

 classical education shine brilliantly when least expected, 

 which, I believe I may say, was my own case : a scripture 

 expression has weight in a popular assembly, but nothing 

 impresses so strongly as a highly classical allusion. 



" As to the line of conduct you may choose to adopt 

 in other words, as to which side of the House you may 

 give your support I leave that to your own discretion. 

 Sly own politics are soon told. I would support the 

 rights of the people to their full extent, without losing 

 sight of the principles of the constitution, and my duty 

 to my king and country. We want not another Theseus 

 here, who, as Aristotle says, ' parted with regal power for 

 popular favour ; ' nor would I recommend you to press 

 any political point further than is consonant with the 

 general sense of the community. And here I speak from 

 what I have read or seen. If any state has happened to 



