MODERN BEAGLING 231 



Mr. Gladstone's diary, by the way, is a mine of information, and 

 all old beaglers should be grateful that it has been placed at our 

 disposal, as it is more intimate than any of the other documents 

 that have come into our hands. It shows how a Whip feels under 

 reproof, the nerves of a Master when he first takes command in the 

 field, and that jealousy and irritation are not unknown. AVe do not 

 absolutely need to be told this, because wherever human beings 

 are gathered together, there these things must of necessity crop up. 

 And the test of a gentleman is not that he never has angry passions, 

 or at least never lets them rise, and is therefore the complete Stoic 

 (if he were so he would be a prig and no gentleman), but that if he 

 does let those passions rise, soon gets them under control again, and 

 has the grace to be ashamed of himself, as in one case the diarist 

 confesses himself to be. Here is the case in point : — 



" Mr. A. B. C. has resigned his place on the Committee. He did 

 so as he thought he had been badly treated ; doubtless the appoint- 

 ment of Mr. D. E. F. as Master came as a blow to him, and I fear 

 that Messrs. G. and H. showed scant regret for him. Be this as it 

 may, I do not think our lost friend should do and say the various 

 things he has done and said ; which I expect, by the time this book ^ 

 becomes interesting, he will be ashamed of." 



These are just the knocks which hurt most when we are young. 

 There is nothing so vexing as finding that others don't take us quite 

 at our own valuation, and the fact that though our own estimate may 

 err on the side of optimism, yet the judgment of others may none 

 the less be erroneous and unjust, makes the situation no pleasanter. 

 However, " A. B. C. and I are still friends." So the matter reveals no 

 more than wholesome friction, by which we learn not to think of 

 ourselves more highly than we ought to think. Here are the diarist's 

 first experiences in office : — 



Thursday, Oct. 14, 1897. — Found at Fulbourne. This was 

 nothing more than a prehminary meet to get ourselves into training, 

 and as I for the first time hunted in pink (I mean green) I practised 

 hard to try and crack my whip, and at any rate look as if I knew how. 



E. F. Allgood, who had been a Whip for two years and then 



1 i.e. the dial'}'. 



