Year: 1871

-


The passion for an active, rowing
life grew upon him as he indulged
it, while service on board ship pre-
sented new charms as he became
more skilled in his work.


As might be expected, Lord
Aberdeen's romantic story has cx-
cited a good deal oil vulgar amaze
ment. That q young noblcman,
who might have had fine house,
good dinners, the best bunting
ard shooting, "warm corners
wherever he went, servants to
wait on him and toadies to hattcr
who might any day have mar
ried pretty girl, picked from q
score, with aoother fortune to add
to his own, should renouucc all
the pleasures and advantages Of
such q position, and start for him.
self, unknown and unbefriended,
as 3 common sailor before the
mast, in dirty Yankee trading
bark, seems to son people SO ut
terIy iAexplicabIe that it must be
set down as sheer insanity. Ger
tainly the life Of young aristocrats,
who are described so rapturously
by Mr.. Disracli as living (, >stantly
in the open air, never reading, and
speaking only ono language, their
own. is in many ways q very
pleasant one; but its full enjoy
ment is reserved for those who
have no conception Of anything
beyond, and who give themselves
up to it with a serene simplicity
which knows no doubt or after
thought. If any scruples begin to
insinuate themselves, if the taintest
question arises whether, after all,
amusement is the sole duty Of man
and the proper and sufficient
fulfiIment OF existence, the charm
is broken. 1t is certainly possible
to conceive 4 young fellow OPP
pressed with a burden Of physical
enorgy which he finds it difficult
to work off so as to satisfy any
theory Of useful service in this
world. Field sports begin and
end with sport. AS relaxation for
q man who can show a good set
off Of other work they are all
very well, but they will hardly
boar reflection as in themselves
the be-all and end-all Of existence.
The destructive propcnsities so
bitterly satirzed in the saying
What q fine day, let US 80 and
kill something" have not been re-
duced to q system involving the
smallest conceivable amount Of
skill and trouble. There is a fan
tastic cruelty in the forpcries
OF Hulingham, where our golden
youth, in kid gloves and with ci-
gar IN mouth, beguile the summer
afternoons with killing pigeons to
the exhilarating strains Of the
Guards band, under the eyes Of
beauty. and sustained by frequent
draught's of gin and seltzer. The
best excuse for this w"etched ira
vesty Of sport is, perhaps, the in.
anity ofits votarics. 1t is easy to
understand .. young fellow OF
spirit revolving against the effe-
inmate slaughter of helpless and
bewi!dercd birds bat even the
more manly enterprises Of the
chase would fail 10 satisfy g. era
wing for real useful work, with e
definite object beyond that Of
mere amusement and some direct
practical results. a young lord
casting about for employment in
the service Of humanity might, in
deed, follow the example Of one
distinguished member ofhis order.
and become an amateur fireman:
ORION another in chasse hur gusur.
But the field Of activity is limited,
and it is not easy to strike out q
new line. A born legislator, it
may be said, should have no diff
Guilty il finding appropriate occa-
patton, since he can introduce bills
and make speeches and condemn
the poor Lord Chancellor 10 an
ovcr.done dinner any night he
plcascs but labors like these are
too barren to havo much relish,
and besides it is physical rather
than mental employment Of which
a young noble is usually most in
want, and for which, indeed, it
must be said he is by previous
training usually best fitted. In
another age he could have bucklcd
on his armor and slashed about
him to his hearts content on be-
half of distressed virgins and other
objects Of ofcompassion. But now
adays there is hardly any outlet
for importunate physical energies.
except in sport; and sport: in its
very nature, pals after = time on
. thoughtful, earnest nature, if
too exclusively pursued. 1t is
probable that something Of this
kind happened to Lord Aberdeen,
and many another young man in
similar circumstances perhaps en-
vies the mechanic or even the
navy his honest hard days work,
with the legitimate satisfaction
which attends it. In Germany