THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 169 



As may be imagined, the contents of this letter, as far 

 as they related to the offer of the borough, and the hopes 

 of the uncle for the future renown of his nephew, were 

 by no means agreeable to Mr. Beaumont Raby ; but 

 enough has been said of his character to make it apparent 

 that he did not take the trouble to renew his solicitation 

 by letter. In mere acknowledgment, then, of our hero's 

 determination to refuse the proffered boon, he thus 

 expressed himself in return : 



" Your letter, my dear Frank, which I received yester- 

 day, was to me rather an annoyance than a matter of 

 surprise. I now plainly see through all your distant 

 views ; that you are determined to be a sportsman, and 

 to lead a country life. "Well, I know not how I can 

 blame you on the principle of Horace, who, with his 

 usual good discretion, tells us, that we should neither 

 commend our own tastes, nor censure those of others ; 

 neither will I blame you, provided you bear in mind that 

 the alternate pleasure of reading and recreation is the 

 happy privilege of retired leisure. That you will descend 

 so low in the scale of intellectual beings, whose minds 

 have been cultivated, as to assume the character of the 

 mere sportsman, I cannot, for a moment, induce myself 

 to suppose : such a person is now happily becoming 

 scarce ; and the badge of a liberal education is not, as 

 it was used to be, all at once thrown aside. Let me, 

 however, as you are about to launch into what may be 

 called promiscuous society, which that of sportsmen must 

 generally be termed, offer to your notice a few hints, a 

 close attention to which may turn to your account, as 

 you pass through life. 



"Civility and good breeding are generally considered 

 synonymous terms, but they are not such. Good breeding 

 implies civility, but civility does not reciprocally imply 

 good breeding. Good breeding is the middle point 

 between two extremes, between flattery and sincerity. 

 It is to be acquired partly by a knowledge of the world, 

 but chiefly by keeping good company. It is, I admit, 

 difficult to be defined, inasmuch as it consists in a fitness 

 and propriety of words, actions, and looks, adapted to the 

 variety and combination of persons, places, and things ; 



the Speaker observed, that he believed "the mouth of February 

 was the best hunting month in the year." 



