In his moral character he was a bon Vivant, as far as wine is concerned; for choice _eating_ he cared nothing.

He was good-natured, but close; brave enough to fight a duel, if necessary; and religious enough to go to church once a week--in the country.
So far Lord Erpingham might seem modelled from one of Sir Walter's heroes: we must reverse the medal, and show the points in which he differed from those patterns of propriety.
Like the generality of his class, he was peculiarly loose in his notions of women, though not ardent in pursuit of them.

His amours had been among opera-dancers, "because," as he was wont to say, "there was no d--d bore with _them._" Lord Erpingham was always considered a high-minded man.

People chose him as an umpire in quarrels; and told a story (which was not true) of his having held some state office for a whole year, and insisted on returning the emoluments.
Such was Robert Earl of Erpingham.

During dinner, at which he displayed, to his mother's great delight, a most excellent appetite, he listened, as well as he might, considering the more legitimate occupation of the time and season, to Lady Erpingham's recitals of county history; her long answers to his brief inquiries whether old friends were dead and young ones married; and his countenance brightened up to an expression of interest--almost of intelligence--when he was told that birds were said to be plentiful.