264 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



by an accident that occurred to him as he was stepping 

 into his carriage to go to the opera. The extent of it was 

 a mere simple fracture of the left leg, which, had it 

 happened to his brother, instead of himself, would have 

 shortly yielded to common medical treatment ; but it was 

 not so with the indolent and highly fed Mr. Beaumont 

 Eaby. Unpleasant symptoms appeared about the fifth 

 day ; and by the time his nephew arrived in London, 

 having been sent for by express, at the earnest desire 

 of the sufferer, he was considered to be beyond the 

 reach of all human aid. Moreover, he was himself 

 aware that his hour was near at hand ; but, having a 

 perfect command over his intellectual faculties, he thus 

 addressed his nephew, at the second interview between 

 them : 



" Now, my dear Frank, having recovered myself from 

 the emotion which your presence occasioned, ' Richard is 

 himself again.' Draw a chair towards my bed, and not 

 only hear, but mark what I am about to say. But why do 

 you weep, my dear boy ? If tears were becoming, they 

 should fall from me, inasmuch as I have reason to believe 

 I am about to quit a world with which I have no small 

 cause to be satisfied, and I should be a hypocrite to say 

 I shall not leave it with regret. But shall we receive 

 good, and shall we not receive evil ? Vain hope ! and 

 such I now find it. I have, however, one consolation in 

 this evil hour, and that is in the station I now hold in 

 society being about to be filled by yourself. You will 

 succeed to all I possess, beyond a few legacies to friends, 

 and annuities for their lives to old and faithful servants ; 

 and I pray to God, that you may make a better use of the 

 means at your command than I myself have done. But 

 he who tastes nothing but the sweet poison of prosperity, 

 which hitherto has been my case " 



Here the feelings of the sufferer overcame him, and, 

 concealing his brow with his hand, he remained silent for 

 a short time ; but having recovered his self-possession thus 

 continued to speak : 



" I am weak, my dear Frank, as you must perceive ; but 

 let us look on a brighter picture. In addition to what you 

 will receive from me, you may one day inherit the large 

 possessions of your father. Endeavour, then, to tread in 

 his steps, rather than in mine. The reigning error of my 

 life has been the mistaking the love for the practice of 



