256 THE COMPLETE SPORTSMAN 



name of Horace, and has never risen beyond the 

 lowest rung of the domestic ladder. Many a 

 " tweeny " named Hermione has started cheer- 

 fully enough in the scullery of some ducal man- 

 sion, never to attain the coveted post of kennel- 

 maid. One has but to look around one to note 

 the truth of this statement; for though one may 

 meet many a Horace cleaning the boots and 

 sleeping in the bicycle-shed, many a Hermione 

 washing the dishes in the scullery, no one has 

 ever yet encountered a Horace in livery or a 

 Hermione dusting the legs of the grand-piano 

 in the drawing-room. 



Some sociologists have been known to pro- 

 pound a theory to the effect that the degree of 

 sympathy or dislike -with which one instinctively 

 regards a particular name corresponds exactly 

 with the feelings inspired by some individual 

 of one's acquaintance who may happen to bear 

 it. With this I cannot pretend to agree. The 

 name of Albert, for instance, is one that I 

 especially abominate, and yet I am not con- 

 scious of entertaining a grudge against any 

 particular Albert in the flesh. Indeed, I am 

 only personally acquainted with three Alberts, 

 of whom one is a hairdresser, another a Memorial, 

 and the third a biscuit. I confess that I like 

 the biscuit best, but my sentiments towards 

 the other two are perfectly amicable. Again, I 



