He was a stout, florid man, of about forty-five, a bachelor, apparently much attached to ladies' society, bearing no sign of age except that he was rather bald, and that grey hairs had mixed themselves with his whiskers, very fond of his farming, and yet somewhat ashamed of it when he found himself in what he considered to be polite circles.

And he was, moreover, a little inclined to seek the honour which comes from a well-filled and liberally-opened purse.

He liked to give a man a dinner and then to boast of the dinner he had given.

He was very proud when he could talk of having mounted, for a day's hunting, any man who might be supposed to be of higher rank than himself.

"I had Grimsby with me the other day,--the son of old Grimsby of Hatherwick, you know.