de himself remarkable for his spirit and
humour, which were so acceptable to the bucks of the university, that he
was admitted as a member of their corporation, and in a very little time
became the most conspicuous personage of the whole fraternity. Not that
he valued himself upon his ability in smoking the greatest number
of pipes, and drinking the largest quantity of ale: these were
qualifications of too gross a nature to captivate his refined ambition.
He piqued himself on his talent for raillery, his genius and taste,
his personal accomplishments, and his success at intrigue. Nor were his
excursions confined to the small villages in the neighbourhood, which
are commonly visited once a week by the students for the sake of carnal
recreation. He kept his own horses, traversed the whole country in
parties of pleasure, attended all the races within fifty miles of
Oxford, and made frequent jaunts to London, where he used to be
incognito during the best part of many a term.

The rules of the university were too severe to be observed by a youth
of his vivacity; and therefore he became acquainted with the proctor
betimes. But all the checks he received were insufficient to moderate
his career; he frequented taverns and coffee-houses, committed midnight
frolics in the streets, insulted all the sober and pacific class of
his fellow-students: the tutors themselves were not sacred from his
ridicule; he laughed at the magistrate, and neglected every particular
of college discipline. In vain did they attempt to restrain his
irregularities by the imposition of fines; he was liberal to profusion,
and therefore paid without reluctance. Thrice did he scale the windows
of a tradesman, with whose daughter he had an affair of gallantry; as
often was he obliged to seek his safety by a precipitate leap; and one
night would, in all probability, have fallen a sacrifice to an ambuscade
that was laid by the father, had not his trusty squire Pipes interposed
in his behalf, and manfully rescued him from the clubs of his enemies.

In the midst of these excesses, Mr. Jolter, finding his admonitions
neglected and his influence utterly destroyed, attempted to wean his
pupil from his extravagant courses, by engaging his attention in some
more laudable pursuit. With this view he introduced him into a club
of politicians, who received him with great demonstrations of regard,
accommodated themselves more than he could have expected to his jovial
dispos