48 DOLCE FAR NIENTE. 



hours of such men as though they were in Portsmouth, 

 Plymouth, or some other well-peopled town. 



" How do you pass your time ?" I asked of an jntellec- 

 tual looking gentleman with whom I dined soon after 

 landing. 



" Oh, I backy a good deal, and bathe sometimes, but 

 it is too hot to do much," was his answer. 



"Do you sketch?" 



" Well, I'm no hand at that." 



" Is there no game about ? I have heard that bucks 

 were numerous and elephants very near." 



" Well, if you bother about them, I dare say you may 

 see lots ; but it's too much trouble for me, and I am no 

 shot." 



Poor miserable man ! he took no interest in anything ; 

 he had no pleasure in viewing the most wonderful and 

 beautiful works of nature, and had no gratification in 

 placing on paper even a poor representation of the scenes 

 before his eyes, for the future amusement of friends less 

 favoured by locality. No ! there was trouble or bother 

 in it ; there was neither, he thought, in smoking tobacco, 

 and drinking brandy-and-water : the first habit, however, 

 has ruined his health, the latter his prospects and 

 character. 



I know many men who through their devotion to field- 

 sports have avoided many of those evils which others, 

 through nothing but a life of idleness, have incurred. 



I was soon fortunate enough to purchase a very useful 

 second pony, which was an accomplished animal in every 

 way: he would stop immediately when I dropped the 



