CHRISTOPHER IN HIS SPORTING JACKET 



heir — the blended image of his mother's loveHness 

 and his father's manly beauty — to be a smug, smooth, 

 prim, and proper prig, with his hair always combed 

 down on his forehead, hands always unglaured, and 

 without spot or blemish on his white-thread stock- 

 ings? You would not wish him, surely, to be always 

 moping and musing in a corner with a good book 

 held close to his nose — botanizing with his maiden 

 aunts — doing the pretty at tea-tables with tabbies, in 

 handing round the short-bread, taking cups, and at- 

 tending to the kettle — telling tales on all naughty 

 boys and girls — laying up his penny a- week pocket- 

 money in a penny pig — keeping all his clothes neatly 

 folded up in an untumbled drawer — having his own 

 peg for his uncrushed hat — saying his prayers precisely 

 as the clock strikes nine, while his companions are yet 

 at blind-man's buff — and puffed up every Sabbath - 

 eve by the parson's praises of his uncommon memory 

 for a sermon — while all the other boys are scolded 

 for having fallen asleep before Tenthly? You would 

 not wish him, surely, to write sermons himself at his 

 tender years, nay — even to be able to give you chap- 

 ter and verse for every quotation from the Bible? No. 

 Better far that he should begin early to break your 

 heart, by taking no care even of his Sunday clothes — 

 blotting his copy — impiously pinning pieces of paper 

 to the Dominie's tail, who to him was a second father 

 [24] 



