216 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



may afford to increase it to six, and a hack or two ; and 

 without that number he would cut a very poor figure at 

 Melton, and not a good one with it. And as for his 

 going to Melton, why I " 



" Yes, but, my good Inkleton, he has, I hear, taken stalls 

 for ten," interrupted Mr. Beaumont Raby. 



" Has he ? still it does not exactly follow that, because 

 a man takes a ten-stalled stable, he is obliged to put a 

 horse into every stall," replied Sir John; "nor has he 

 intimated as much. But since you have mentioned the 

 subject to me, Raby, permit me to deliver my opinion on 

 it, and that without reserve : Let him have his ten hunters, 

 if such be his wish ; and do you help him to buy and keep 

 them. You will not, I am certain, have occasion to repent 

 of the act. If a young man attempt anything, let him 

 try to do it well ; and this, I am sure, is a maxim which 

 you must approve. It equally applies to hunting, as to 

 any other pursuit ; and let me advise you, as you helped 

 to send your nephew to the fountain-head of learning, 

 where the best society was likely to be met with, to send 

 him to the fountain-head of fox-hunting, which Melton 

 surely is, and where advantages are to be looked for 

 similar to those thought so much of at Oxford. You 

 know you doat on Frank ; he is a noble-hearted fellow ; 

 you will be delighted in making him happy ; so at once 

 open your purse-strings, and do so. Give him a few 

 hundreds towards purchasing his horses, and add another 

 hundred or two to his allowance." 



"Your logic, Inkleton, is certainly good," said the 

 uncle ; " you have taken it from a great authority : Dr. 

 Johnson has told us, that whatever is worth doing at all, 

 is worth trying to do well. I confess I like what I have 

 seen of the Melton men ; they are sportsmen and gentle- 

 men ; and although I could have wished to have seen 

 Frank a little higher up in the tree of life, I will 

 endeavour that he shall preserve the place he has allotted 

 to himself. I will, then, yield to your suggestions ; I 

 will give him 500 towards purchasing his horses, and 

 will add 200 a year to his allowance." 



As may be imagined, the Baronet was not slow in 

 communicating this good news to his young friend, who 

 felt, as he ought to have felt, the kindness of both parties. 

 Nor was it without its good effect on Frank Raby, inas- 

 much as, in the overflow of his heart, he determined upon 



