FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64  
65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   >>   >|  
ndships were with _me passions_,[29] (for I was always violent,) but I do not know that there is one which has endured (to be sure some have been cut short by death) till now. That with Lord Clare begun one of the earliest, and lasted longest--being only interrupted by distance--that I know of. I never hear the word '_Clare_' without a beating of the heart even _now_, and I write it with the feelings of 1803-4-5, ad infinitum." The following extract is from another of his manuscript journals:-- "At Harrow I fought my way very fairly.[30] I think I lost but one battle out of seven; and that was to H----;--and the rascal did not win it, but by the unfair treatment of his own boarding-house, where we boxed--I had not even a second. I never forgave him, and I should be sorry to meet him now, as I am sure we should quarrel. My most memorable combats were with Morgan, Rice, Rainsford, and Lord Jocelyn,--but we were always friendly afterwards. I was a most unpopular boy, but _led_ latterly, and have retained many of my school friendships, and all my dislikes--except to Dr. Butler, whom I treated rebelliously, and have been sorry ever since. Dr. Drury, whom I plagued sufficiently too, was the best, the kindest (and yet strict, too,) friend I ever had--and I look upon him still as a father. "P. Hunter, Curzon, Long, and Tatersall, were my principal friends. Clare, Dorset, C^s. Gordon, De Bath, Claridge, and J^no. Wingfield, were my juniors and favourites, whom I spoilt by indulgence. Of all human beings, I was, perhaps, at one time, the most attached to poor Wingfield, who died at Coimbra, 1811, before I returned to England." One of the most striking results of the English system of education is, that while in no country are there so many instances of manly friendships early formed and steadily maintained, so in no other country, perhaps, are the feelings towards the parental home so early estranged, or, at the best, feebly cherished. Transplanted as boys are from the domestic circle, at a time of life when the affections are most disposed to cling, it is but natural that they should seek a substitute for the ties of home[31] in those boyish friendships which they form at school, and which, connected as they are with the scenes and events over which youth threw its charm, retain ever after the strongest hold upon their hearts. In Ireland, and I believe also in France, where the system of education is more domestic, a diff
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64  
65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

friendships

 

feelings

 

domestic

 
education
 

Wingfield

 
school
 

system

 

country

 
striking
 
returned

results

 

England

 
formed
 
steadily
 
instances
 

Coimbra

 

violent

 

English

 

Claridge

 
juniors

Dorset

 
Gordon
 

favourites

 

spoilt

 

attached

 

maintained

 
endured
 
beings
 

indulgence

 

retain


connected

 

scenes

 

events

 

strongest

 

France

 

Ireland

 

hearts

 
boyish
 

cherished

 

Transplanted


feebly
 

friends

 
parental
 
passions
 
estranged
 

circle

 

substitute

 
ndships
 
natural
 

affections