THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 339 



his way, but of tastes somewhat uncongenial with those of 

 his young guest, and twice his age withal being one 

 merely of business, and the object of it being attained, 

 Frank Raby was in London again as soon as four posters 

 could convey him, and hailed amongst his acquaintance as 

 the new M.P. 



" I would rather be M.F." said he, to some of his friends 

 who were jeering him ; and amongst the hardest hitters of 

 them all was his dear friend Hargrave, who cast these 

 lines in his teeth : 



" Go on, brave youths ! till, in some future age, 

 Whips shall become the senatorial badge : 

 Till England see her jockey senators 

 Meet all at Westminster, in boots and spurs ; 

 See the whole House, in mutual frenzy mad. 

 Her patriots all in leather breeches clad : 

 Of bets, not taxes, learnedly debate, 

 And guide with equal reins a steed and state." 



"But, jesting apart," resumed Hargrave, "how did you 

 get on upon the hustings 1 " 



" Tipped them ' a little jaw,' as we used to say at Eton. 

 I meant to have said less than I did say, but one or two of 

 my constituents, as I suppose I must now call them, would 

 not be satisfied till they had tried me on a point or two 

 touching my principles, as they are called, but they did 

 not get much by it. I only advised them to be quiet and 

 good subjects, and mind the main chance ; and I might 

 have added, mind their own business. For my part, I 

 cannot think what a fellow with a leathern apron before 

 him can know about politics ; but this I do know, that if 

 power were to get into the hands of such fellows, the 

 tyranny of a Nero or a Caligula would be a trifle to it. At 

 all events, the natural form of society would be reversed. 

 The bad would usurp the place of the good, the young of 

 the old, the weak of the strong, the foolish of the wise, the 

 poor of the rich, the servant of his master, and the subjects 

 of their sovereign." 



" And did no metaphorical application of the study and 

 science of coachmanship or race-riding escape you?" slid 

 Sir John Inkleton jocosely ; " nothing about holding the 

 reins of government with a steady hand, clogging the wheels 

 of administration, or of other nations outstripping us in 

 the race of glory ? But tell me, Frank, how did your 



