250 THE COMPLETE SPORTSMAN 



of a mere flower, that smiles to-day and to- 

 morrow dies, how much truer must it be with 

 reference to a human being, one who can justly 

 say: " Je ne suis pas la rose, mais j'ai vecu avec 

 elle !" 



" He that hath an ill name is half -hanged," 

 says the proverb, accurately enough, as many a 

 -wretched man has discovered who is burdened, 

 like Amos Cottle, with an appellation little fitted 

 to " fill the speaking- trump of future fame." 

 How often has some inherited patronymic proved 

 an insuperable obstacle to success ? How often, 

 through the carelessness or cruelty of his nearest 

 and dearest, has a man been so ridiculously 

 christened that he may justifiably complain in 

 after life that his godfathers and godmothers 

 " did for him " at his baptism ! 



I myself, alas! have discovered by painful 

 experience that my most unfortunate surname 

 stands as an impassable barrier between me 

 and the attainment of my loftiest ideals. 



" When I die," I often remark with ill- 

 concealed emotion, as I help myself liberally 

 to a fourth glass of my light Australian 

 malmsey, " you will find the word ' Biffin ' 

 engraved upon my heart in letters of blood !" 

 And in spite of the entreaties of a succession 

 of importunate washerwomen I have obstin- 

 ately refused to allow my handkerchiefs to be 



