again; at twelve the hall was open for half an hour, and those who chose it, and had leisure, might get some bread and cheese. At this time, also, was carried about a small quantity of beef, which was seldom or ever touched, and then thrown into a large tub, which was emptied of its contents daily, for the benefit of the prisoners one week, and the poor another: indeed, this beef exhibition was merely a matter of form; for it was such abominable carrion, that even little, hungry, nearly starving juniors, as we were, could not touch it. At this hour I never ascended. the hall once in a month, but was constantly employed in some business; and happy was I if it were an errand into the town, though always at the hazard of being seen by the fellows, or master, whose habita

tions surrounded all the outlets of the college, and whose aspect was always the harbinger of an argumentum a posteriori,' that I might be enabled to call in at some pastry cook's shop, and purchase tarts, or apples, gingerbread, or any thing to deaden and allay the pangs of an unsatisfied appetite, always kept keen and hungry by continued

bodily exercise. Till half past two o'clock, in the afternoon, I was kept incessantly moving, and then had the satisfaction of incurring the danger of an inquiry into the state of my lesson, and a consequent flogging for not being prepared; a danger often realized, for not seldom have I been punished twice in one day, for not doing what it was absolutely impossible for me to perform. At six in the evening hot boiled and roast mutton was prepared, a certain allowance, called a dispar, for each boy; the choice of these disparswas made according to seniority, so that what fell to the junior's share was, for the most part, merely bone, or skin, or gristle, or fat, and not too great a quantity even of these materials: but before I could obtain this, whenever I obtained it at all, which was not five times during the first seven months I was at ................, I was necessitated to carry books, and ink, and paper, and writing-desks, belonging to the præpositors, from the school to the chamber, which last I was obliged to sweep out, and put in order for the scene which it was to witness that evening, whe ther of study, of cards, of drinking, of strum

petizing, &c. After this, if I could steal up into the hall, I generally found my portion of meat gone, it had been devoured by some one else, was thrown down and trodden under foot, had been tossed into the tub, or never left for me, or no one knew any thing about it. For the most part something or other had happened, which deprived me of the opportunity of tasting any animal food; I was then fain to swallow some bread and butter, for the cheese I could never abide, it was so filthy. I had now to scamper down into the chamber, lest any surly præfect might chance to enter it, and, not finding the junior there, greet me, on my entrance, with a violent horse-whipping. The whole evening, till eight, the chapel hour, was consumed in watching lest any master might chance to visit the chamber, and detect a card, or drinking, or still more improper party; or if, which was sometimes the case; the head boys affected to be reading, I was continually exercised in errands, or some business or other; such as getting water, or ale, or receiving and delivering messages, or making beds, or being tossed in a blanket,

or being beaten, and oftentimes kicked into the fire, for some offence then committed, or at some prior period, for which I had on the spot received chastisement; as being too slow in running on a message, spilling some. water out of a cup, lighting the fire too soon or too late, having fallen asleep during the time of my supposed watching, not blacking and shining the shoes sufficiently, not having a good broom to sweep out the chamber, not having my blacking, and brushes, and basins, and tumbler-glasses, and wash-balls, &c. in proper order, and a multitude of similar misdemeanors. Now it often happened, that it was morally impossible I could act otherwise than I did; because the candles, soap, brooms, basins, blacking, brushes, &c. I was obliged to buy out of my own pocket-money, which was often low, or exhausted, and then I was unable to purchase them; but no matter, these brutes never listened to reason, they heard nothing but the dictates of senseless passion, unlicensed tyranny, and unbridled caprice, which prompted them to inflict continual tortures on the bodies of their little, helpless, suffer

ing, unprotected victims, who had no redress, could make no appeal, save to God and their own patient endurance; for neither

nor master, nor fellow, ever listened to the complaint of an inferior against a præfect. The only consolation I had was to wrap my gown round me, and sit on the bare ground, and converse with my fellows in affliction,, the other juniors. We used to pour out our little hearts to one another, recount our sufferings and our sorrows, sigh after home,. listen, with fearful and anxious expectation, lest some tyrant, or his satellite, should come and beat us for sleeping, or talking, or not watching, or merely for his own amusement.. After chapel, I was employed in spreading. the supper for any, præfect who chose it, in waiting and running on errands, in preparing the rush-light, which was always burned in each chamber during the night, and in fifty other things, till nine o'clock, when I was sometimes suffered to go to bed.. But even in bed I was not permitted to be at rest, for I was often roused from that deep and sweet slumber, which fatigue and weariness induce in young children, by a most,