el
Undaunted, and confident that Better Days were in store for me. Pouching
my Fifty Florins, I first followed the Burgomaster's advice by getting
out of Holland as quick as ever I could, and betook myself by
Treyckshuyt and Stage Wagon to the city of Bruxelles in Brabant. Here I
abode for some months in the house of a clean Widow-woman that was a
Walloon, who, finding that I was English, and, besides, a very tolerable
French Scholar, procured me several Pupils among the Tradesfolk in the
neighbourhood of the Petit Sablon (hard by the Archduchess Governante's
Palace), where I dwelt on a Sixth Floor. By degrees I did so increase my
number of Pupils, that I was able to open a School of some thirty Lads
and Lasses. To both indifferently I taught the Languages, with Writing
and Accompts; while for the instruction of the latter in Needlework and
other Feminine Accomplishments I engaged my Landlady's Daughter, a
comely Maiden, albeit Red-haired, and very much pitted with the
Small-pox. Figure to yourself Captain Jack Dangerous turned Dominie! I
am venturesome enough to believe that I was a very passable Pedagogue;
and of this I am certain, that I was entirely beloved by my Scholars.
The sufferings I had undergone while a Captive in the hands of that
Barbarous Wretch, Gnawbit, had never been effaced from my Memory, and
had made me infinitely tender towards little Children. Indeed I could
scarcely bear to use the Ferula to them, or nip 'em with a Fescue, much
less to untruss and Scourge 'em, as 'tis the brutal fashion of Pedants
to do; nor do I think, though I disobeyed Solomon's maxim, and Spared
the Rod, that I did much towards Spoiling any Child that was under my
care. I made Learning easy and pleasant to my Youngsters, by telling
them all sorts of moving and marvellous Stories, drawn from what Books
of History I had handy (and these I admit I coloured a little, to suit
the Imaginations of the Young), and others concerning my own remarkable
Adventures, in which, however extraordinary they seemed, I always took
care to adhere strictly to the Truth, only suppressing that which it was
not proper for Youth and Innocence to be made acquainted with.

But Schoolkeeping is a tiresome trade. One cannot be at it day and night
too; and a Man must have some place to Divert himself in, when the toils
of the day are over. I found out a Coffee-House in the Rue de Merinos,
or Spaan Scheep Straet, as the Flemings call it, in strange likeness