360 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



you the severest possible injury to begin with. Well, 

 you call him out, as the phrase goes, and he finishes by 

 shooting you. Then, although public opinion may be in 

 favour of this private appeal to arms, the punishment by 

 law is equal towards the injured and the injurer ; where- 

 as, in strict justice, the latter is the sole instigator, if not 

 perpetrator of the crime. At all events, the laws should 

 be lenient to the man who accepts the challenge, because 

 he acts under an opinion of honourable self-defence, 

 against the evil influence of which the law cannot pro- 

 tect him." 



" Then I perceive," resumed Hargrave, " you are a 

 decided enemy to duelling, which I am, indeed, myself, 

 and I often think of the question Fielding makes 

 Partridge put to Tom Jones on the subject : ' Is not 

 courage forbidden by heaven?' said Partridge. 'Yes,' 

 replied Jones, ' but enjoined by the world.' " 



" Then," said our hero, " which is the greater authority 

 of the two ? Heaven or the world ? " 



"No question on that point," continued Hargrave. 

 " ' If it be possible,' says St. Paul, ' as much as lieth in you, 

 live peaceably with all men.' " 



" Yes," observed Raby, " and in the next verse he adds 

 ' avenge not yourselves ; it is written, vengeance is 

 mine.' " 



The hounds appearing in sight, the subject was 

 dropped, and there is good reason to believe that, as this 

 was the first, so was it the last appearance of our hero on 

 this stage. Nemo debet bis vexari is not a bad proverb for 

 a man to keep in his pocket ; but despicable as is the 

 character of a quarrelsome man, and still more so the 

 professed duellist, there is too much reason to fear that 

 some young men think it a feather in their cap, with the 

 female sex especially, to have fought a duel. It is true, 

 Virgil makes Dido fall in love with ^Eneas, because he is 

 a fighting man. There is reason to believe, however, that, 

 ere long, this pernicious rule, by which society in the 

 upper classes has hitherto been governed, will be made 

 to yield its sway to a more rational tribunal. This would 

 be a reform worthy of an enlightened people. 



Two rather interesting incidents have been overlooked 

 during the sojourn of Frank Raby at Melton, extending, 

 as has been observed, over a period of nine years. The 

 first has its origin in an extraordinary run, in which two 



