nity, awkward solemnity, and ignorance of
mankind, afforded continual food for the raillery, petulance, and satire
of his pupil, who never neglected an opportunity of laughing, and making
others laugh, at his expense.

Sometimes in their parties, by mixing brandy in his wine, he decoyed
this pedagogue into a debauch, during which his caution forsook him, and
he exposed himself to the censure of the company. Sometimes, when the
conversation turned upon intricate subjects, he practised upon him the
Socratic method of confutation, and, under pretence of being informed,
by an artful train of puzzling questions insensibly betrayed him into
self-contradiction.

All the remains of authority which he had hitherto preserved over
Peregrine soon vanished; so that, for the future, no sort of ceremony
subsisted between them, and all Mr. Jolter's precepts were conveyed in
hints of friendly advice, which the other might either follow or neglect
at his own pleasure. No wonder then that Peregrine gave a loose to his
inclinations, and, by dint of genius and an enterprising temper, made a
figure among the younger class of heroes in the school.

Before he had been a full year at Winchester, he had signallized himself
in so many achievements, in defiance to the laws and regulations of the
place, that he was looked upon with admiration, and actually chosen dux,
or leader, by a large body of his contemporaries. It was not long
before his fame reached the ears of the master, who sent for Mr. Jolter,
communicated to him the informations he had received, and desired him to
check the vivacity of his charge, and redouble his vigilance in time to
come, else he should be obliged to make a public example of his pupil
for the benefit of the school.

The governor, conscious of his own unimportance, was not a little
disconcerted at this injunction, which it was not in his power to fulfil
by any compulsive means. He therefore went home in a very pensive mood,
and after mature deliberation, resolved to expostulate with Peregrine
in the most familiar terms, and endeavour to dissuade him from practices
which might affect his character as well as interest. He accordingly
frankly told him the subject of the master's discourse; represented the
disgrace he might incur by neglecting this warning; and, putting him in
mind of his own situation, hinted the consequences of the commodore's
displeasure, in case he should be brought to disapprove of his conduct.
Th