FIELD SPORTS OX CHARACTER 17 



ence, and tlieir very looks and demeanour made much 

 of as the deliberate expressions of men great in their 

 generation. Again, see the reception at Kenning- 

 ton Oval of a " Surrey pet " or a popular amateur, 

 or the way in which " W. G." Grace is treated by 

 the undemonstrative aristocracy of " Lord's," and 

 agree with me that cricket teaches hero-worship in 

 its full. What power the captain of the Eton or 

 the Winchester eleven has, what an influence over 

 his fellows, not merely in the summer when his 

 deeds are before the public, but always from a 

 memory of his prowess with bat or ball. There is 

 one awkward point about this ; there are many 

 cricket clubs, and therefore many captains, and 

 when two of these meet a certain amount of diffi- 

 culty arises in choosing which is the hero to be 

 worshipped. In a match where the best players 

 of a district are collected, and two or more good 

 men, known in their own circle and esteemed highly, 

 there play together, who is to say which is the best ; 

 who is to crown the real king of Brentford ? Each 

 considers himself superior to the other, each re- 

 members the plaudits of his own admirers, forgets 

 that it is possible that they may be prejudiced, and 

 ignores the reputation of his neighbour. The result 

 is a jealousy among the chieftains which is difficult 

 to be overcome, and which shows itself even in the 

 best matches. 



