Frank Fairlegh

.. you are

my blessi

w precepts i

u chara

youth have eve

uld entreat

nders of the

ully, sluggar

outh with shap

d youth, with u

mbs, there golden

ksp

o think and act like a gentleman, and don

mber what I told you about wearing

!" still ringing in my ears, I found myself

at being forced both to set at nought so laudable an established precedent, and to expose my own degeneracy. But the truth must be told at all hazards. The only feeling I experienced, beyond a vague sense of loneliness and desolation, was one of great personal discomfort. It rained hard, so that a small stream of water, which descended from the roof of the coach as I entered it, had insinuated itself between one of the flannel wa

ral delight which a boy always takes in everything at all likely to injure his health, or endanger his existence, and the pain arising from the knowledge that there was now no one near me to care whether I was comfortable or not. Again, these speculations merged into a sort of dreamy wonder, as to why a queer little old gentleman opposite (my sole fellow-traveller) was grunting like a pig, at

a lower tone, "Wonder why I called him my boy,

y dignity)-but that, having been up to the present time educated at home by my father, I was now on my way to complete my studies unde

n when you are a boy; that's the only difference I can see:" then came the asid

anging horses, when he produced a flask with a silver top, and, taking a sip himself, asked me if I drank brandy. On my s

doesn't; how shoul

h then ran to Helmstone, the watering-place where my future tutor, the Rev. Dr. Mildman, resided. My first impressions of London are scarcely worth recording, for the simple reason that they consisted solely of intense and unmitigated surprise at everything and every

y with my fellow-traveller,

ph! don't forget what your parents told you"; then adding, "Of course he will, what's the use o

rable day, as, in my way from the coach-office to Langdale Terrace, where Dr. Mildman resided, I beheld, for the first time, that most stupendous work of God, the mighty Ocean; which, alike in its wild resistless freedom

hand I did so) it was opened by a man-servant, whose singularly plain features were characterised

nd asking if Dr. Mildman

ted); "hope you'll be comfortable, sir" (here he nearly burst into a laugh); "show you into master's study, sir, directly" (

at finding myself tête-à-tête with a real live tutor, was written in very legible characters on my countenance. Dr. Mildman, whose appearance I studied with an anxious eye, was a gentlemanly-looking man of five-and-forty, or thereabouts, with a high bald forehead, and good features, the prevailing expression of which, naturally mild and benevolent, was at times chequered by that look which all schoolmasters sooner or later acquire-a look which seems to say, "Now, sir, do you intend to m

chose to hold its near fore-leg up in the air, and slightly advanced, thereby impressing the beholder with the idea that it was about to trot into the middle of the room. On an unpainted deal table stood a looking-glass, which, from a habit it had

ts of importance, are uneasy and suspicious about the things from the wash having been properly aired, and become low and anxious as the dreadful time approaches when clean sheets are inevitable! My ideas of a private tutor, derived chiefly from Sandford and Merton, and Evenings at Home, were rather wide of the mark, leading me to expect that Dr. Mildman would impart instruction to us during long rambles over green fields, and in the form of moral allegories, to which we should listen with respectful attention and affectionate esteem. With regard to my outward man, or rather boy, I should have been obliged to confine myself to such particulars as I could remember, namely, that I was tall for my age, but slightly built, and so thin, as often to provoke the application of such epithets as "hop-pole," "thread-paper," etc., had it not been that, in turning over some papers a few days since, I stumbled on a water-colour sketch of myself, which I

her like "Amenities of Literature," being the things that came to hand most readily. Scarcely had I contrived to discover a wearable suit when I was informed that dinner was on the table; so, hastily tumbling into my clothes, and giving a final peep at the face

is Fairlegh; he can sit by you, Coleman;-'For what we

esisting by a powerful act of self-control a sudden impulse which seized me to bolt out of the room, and do something rash but indefinite, between going to

ey, had you?" inq

iged to you," I replied

he pupils exchanged glances, and Thomas conce

very grave and deliberate manner, "does y

it up of late years, as the

-at Oxford; I could hit a-mashed potato-bird as well as most men

features faintly characterised by an indefinite expression, long ringlets of an almost impossible shade

l the wa

's gown so, unless it is a merino or mousseline-d

nies of which I seized and drank off Dr. Mildman's tumbler of ale, mistaking it for my own small beer. The effect of this, my crowning gaucherie, was to call forth a languid smile on the countenance of the senior pupil,

id Dr. Mildman, with a forced attempt at drollery; but Thomas had evaporated suddenly, leaving no clue to his whereabouts, unless sundry faint

cover of the book containing his history, did not appear. This conversation lasted about ten minutes, at the expiration of which the senior pupil "grinned horribly a ghastly smile" at the others, who instantly rose, and conveyed themselves out of the room with such rapidity that I, being quite unprepared for such a proceeding, sat for a moment in silent amazement, and then, becoming suddenly alive to a sense of my situation, rushed frantically after them. My speed was checked somewhat abruptly by a door at the

he catalogue. Mr. Richard Cumberland, the senior pupil, was lounging in an easy attitude on one side of the fireplace; on the other stood, bolt upright, a lad rather older than myself, with a long unmeaning face, and a set of arms and legs which appeared not to belong to one another. This worthy, as I soon learned, responded to the name of Nathaniel Mullins, and usually served as the butt of the party in the absence of newer or worthier game. Exactly in front of the fire, with his coat-tails under his arms, and his legs extended like a pair of compasses, was stationed Mr. George Lawless, who, having been expelled from one of the upper forms at Eton for some heroic exploit which the head ma

e from you," said Lawless, without, however, showing t

e boys to do so, and even the Athenians, a much more luxurious people, always had their pinafores made of asbestos, or some such fireproof stuff. You are well read in Walker's History of Greece, I hope?" I replied that I was afraid

but did not exactly u

ich enabled them to give their friends a warm reception; so much so, indeed, that their friends found it too warm sometimes, and latterly

embled as I stood-plain, unhonoured "Sam," as though he had spoken of a footman! The room

e you in form to your companions, and to enter your name in the boo

to solve that problem about bisecting the Siamese twins-you know it, Lawless?

r," inter

already trying, with his usual benevolence, to supply a few of your deficiencies; he is, if he will allow me to say so, one o

ngue, Freddy: little boys should be seen and not hea

ich sounded to me like a muttered reference to the Greek historian Wa

e habit of making ['an ass of himself,' suggested Coleman]-really, Freddy, I am surprised at you-of making two bites at a cherry-you will be better able to appreciate when you know more of him. As to my young friend Freddy here, his naturally good abilities and amiable temper ['Draw it mild, old fellow!' interrupted the young gentleman in question] have intere

ished manners, I think mine take the shine out of them, rather." "I assure you," int

pale ale for Muddytub's swipe

you," repli

ant, you know," said Lawless; "you had better ri

ishment, which I begged he would bring for that purpose. A look of bewilderment that came over his face on hearing

yes, sir; bring '

m, opened with much ceremony, and, covering the upper part of the page with a bit of blotting paper, pointed to a line, and de

k, 25s.; cap ribbon for Sally Duster, 2s. 6d.; box of cigars, ￡1 16s. (mem. shocking bad lot)-5th Nov., Francis Fairlegh, aged 15'.-So much for that;

ng which the true state of the case dawned upon me, viz.-that I had, with much pomp and ceremony, ente

elcome. Now, however, this last hope had failed me; for, innocent (or, as Coleman would have termed it, green) as I then was, I could not but perceive that the tone of mock politeness assumed towards me by Cumberland and Lawless was merely a convenient cloak for impertinence, which could be thrown aside at any moment when a more open display of their powers of tormenting should seem advisable. In fact (though I was little aware of the pleasures in store for me), I had already seen enough to prove that the life of a private pupil was not exactly "all my fancy painted it"; and, as the misery of leaving those I loved proved in its "sad reality" a much more seri