" from time to time, when a particular hard 66 day was expected, a chapter was held; "the crane was filled with claret, and, in "imitation of the Goths of old, passed "about to the gods of the Consistory, "whilst many a grim joke was cut at its "expense." "You seem," said I, "to have had a particular predilection for skulls and crossbones: a friend of mine, Mr. told me he took some home for you from Switzerland." 66 They were from the field of Morat," said he; a single bone of one of those "heroes is worth all the skulls of all the 66 priests that ever existed." "Talking of Morat," said I, "where did you find the story of Julia Alpinula ? M and I searched among its archives in vain." "I took the inscription," said he," from "an old chronicle; the stone has no exist 66 66 a ence. But to continue. You know the 66 story of the bear that I brought up for "a degree when I was at Trinity. I had great hatred of College rules, and con66 tempt for academical honours. How many "of their wranglers have ever distinguish"ed themselves in the world? There was, "by the bye, rather a witty satire founded 66 66 on my bear. A friend of Shelley's made an Ourang Outang (Oran Hauton, Esq.) "the hero of a novel, had him created a "baronet, and returned for the borough of "One Vote-I forget the name of the * Melincourt. "novel. I believe they were as glad to 66 * get rid of me at Cambridge as they "were at Harrow. 66 66 66 66 66 "Another of the wild freaks I played during my mother's lifetime, was to dress and to pass her off as my up say Mrs. "brother Gordon, in order that my mother "might not hear of my having such a fe"male acquaintance. You would not think me a Scipio in those days, but I can safely I never seduced any woman. I will give you an instance of great forbearance : "Mrs. L. G wrote and offered to let me "have her daughter for 1007. Can you fancy "such depravity? The old lady's P. S. was "excellent: With dilicaci every thing may "be made asy.' But the same post brought *He remained at Cambridge till nineteen. "me a letter from the young one deprecating 66 my taking advantage of their necessities, "and ending with saying that she prized her "virtue. I respected it too, and sent her some money. 66 66 "There are few Josephs in the world, and many Potiphar's wives. A curious thing happened to me shortly after the honeymoon, which was very awkward at the "time, but has since amused me much. It 66 so happened that three married women 66 were on a wedding visit to my wife, (and "in the same room, at the same time,) whom "I had known to be all birds of the same Fancy the scene of confusion that "nest. ❝ ensued! 66 "I have seen a great deal of Italian so ciety, and swum in a gondola, but nothing "could equal the profligacy of high life in 66 England, especially that of "I knew it. 66 own age, when "There was a lady at that time, double my the mother of several children "who were perfect angels, with whom I had "formed a liaison that continued without "interruption for eight months. The au"tumn of a beauty like hers is preferable to "the spring in others. She told me she was "never in love till she was thirty; and I "thought myself so with her when she was 66 forty. I never felt a stronger passion; "which she returned with equal ardour. "I was as fond of, indeed more attached "than I ought to have been, to one who had "bestowed her favours on many; but I was "flattered at a preference that had led her to “discard another, who in personal attractions |
