From Reading I was sent to the Rev. Mr. Fountain's, at Mary-le-bone; the

pre

sent Doctor Fountain was under-master

to his father. This was certainly the best school for little boys that ever was. They were treated with the utmost kindness and attention; and with proper correction, but only when it appeared to be absolutely necessary. Mrs. Fountain was the best and most attentive of women to the small boys; she had them every morning in her own room, and made them learn their lesson to her, which prepared them before they went into the school-room to the Doctor. She used to coax them to learn by giving them biscuits and milk, and shewing them various other kindnesses. She might rather be considered as a mother than a schoolmistress 'to the children under her care.

What

ever I learned was from kind and gentle

VOL. I.

C

treatment; for beating would not go down

with me. A kind word, and my lesson explained to me, had more effect than all the sticks and rods in Christendom; for I was bold and daring even at that early age.

Before I quit my worthy friends, the Fountains, whom I shall never cease to remember with regard, I must relate a very ludicrous scene between me and the celebrated French tooth-drawer, (or dentist, as I suppose he must now be called,) Monsieur Laudomier, who used to attend at certain times in the course of the year, to examine the boys' teeth, and take out such as were defective.

$

He had drawn out one of mine, which gave me great pain; and wanted to draw another, a ceremony which I did not approve but the more teeth he drew, the more guineas in his pocket.

Perceiving, however, that I was resolute, and would not consent to a repetition of his operation, he endeavoured to play me a trick, by concealing his instrument in his handkerchief. He accordingly pre

vailed on me to open my mouth, that he might feel with his finger and thumb -whether the tooth was loose or not; but the moment he got his thumb on my under jaw, he attempted to hold my mouth open by force, and had nearly fixed the instrument on my tooth; but I gave him a violent kick on the shins, which rather deranged him, and at the same instant caught his thumb fast between my teeth, and gave him a small item to remember me as long as he lived. I then ran off, leaving him jumping about the room, from excessive pain; and I shall probably be believed when I assert that he never

after that attempted to draw any teeth of

mine.

From Mary-le-bone I went to Eton, where I really made considerable progress in my learning; and, by the time I got into the fifth form, I was a very tolerable Latin scholar, and could construe most books with sufficient readiness. But I took a most decided aversion to the Greek language, and never would learn

it.

My studies, however, after some time, had a different direction; for, from the moment I came into the fifth form, I studied every thing but my book. My hours out of school in the day were employed in the sports of the field, being already very fond of my dog and gun. By

night, game of another kind engrossed my whole attention. At that early period I had a most decided preference for female society, and passed as much time in the company of women as I have ever done since. A carpenter's wife was the first object of my early affections; nor can I well express the nature of my obligations to her. Frequently have I risked breaking my neck in getting over the roof of my boarding house at night, to pass a few hours with some favourite grizette of Windsor. During the latter part of my time at Eton, to perfect my education, I became attached to, and was much enamoured of the daughter of a vender of cabbages. Ovid's Epistles were totally laid aside for his Art of Love, in which we made a very considerable progress. The big boys had a very wicked custom every Sunday of resorting to Castle prayers