It is his maxim that "he that works hard can afford to play." He is,
therefore, an attendant at all the country fairs and wakes, and has
signalized himself by feats of strength and prowess on every village
green in the shire. He often makes his appearance at horse-races, and
sports his half guinea, and even his guinea at a time; keeps a good
horse for his own riding, and to this day is fond of following the
hounds, and is generally in at the death. He keeps up the rustic
revels, and hospitalities too, for which his paternal farm-house has
always been noted; has plenty of good cheer and dancing at
harvest-home, and, above all, keeps the "merry night,"[2] as it is
termed, at Christmas. With all his love of amusement, however, Jack is
by no means a boisterous, jovial companion. He is seldom known to
laugh even in the midst of his gayety; but maintains the same grave,
lion-like demeanour. He is very slow at comprehending a joke; and is
apt to sit puzzling at it with a perplexed look, while the rest of the
company is in a roar. This gravity has, perhaps, grown on him with the
growing weight of his character; for he is gradually rising into
patriarchal dignity in his native place. Though he no longer takes an
active part in athletic sports, yet he always presides at them, and is
appealed to on all occasions as umpire.
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