te butt, both at school
and college, I never quarrelled with him in my life. I always let him
ridicule my dress, manners, and habits in his own reckless, boisterous
way, as if it had been a part of his birthright privilege to laugh at me
as much as he chose.

Thus far, my father had no worse anxieties about him than those
occasioned by his high spirits and his heavy debts. But when he returned
home--when the debts had been paid, and it was next thought necessary
to drill the free, careless energies into something like useful
discipline--then my father's trials and difficulties began in earnest.

It was impossible to make Ralph comprehend and appreciate his position,
as he was desired to comprehend and appreciate it. The steward gave up
in despair all attempts to enlighten him about the extent, value, and
management of the estates he was to inherit. A vigorous effort was
made to inspire him with ambition; to get him to go into parliament. He
laughed at the idea. A commission in the Guards was next offered to
him. He refused it, because he would never be buttoned up in a red
coat; because he would submit to no restraints, fashionable or military;
because in short, he was determined to be his own master. My father
talked to him by the hour together, about his duties and his prospects,
the cultivation of his mind, and the example of his ancestors; and
talked in vain. He yawned and fidgetted over the emblazoned pages of his
own family pedigree, whenever they were opened before him.

In the country, he cared for nothing but hunting and shooting--it was as
difficult to make him go to a grand county dinner-party, as to make him
go to church. In town, he haunted the theatres, behind the scenes as
well as before; entertained actors and actresses at Richmond; ascended
in balloons at Vauxhall; went about with detective policemen, seeing
life among pickpockets and housebreakers; belonged to a whist club,
a supper club, a catch club, a boxing club, a picnic club, an amateur
theatrical club; and, in short, lived such a careless, convivial life,
that my father, outraged in every one of his family prejudices and
family refinements, almost ceased to speak to him, and saw him as rarely
as possible. Occasionally, my sister's interference reconciled them
again for a short time; her influence, gentle as it was, was always
powerfully felt for good, but she could not change my brother's nature.
Persuade and entreat as anxiously as she might,