s quickness and proficiency, as for the
irregularity of his conduct. On one occasion, owing to his having been
guilty of some objectionable frolic, he was about to be expelled, when,
upon his writing a penitential letter, the Dean, who seems to have known
his talent, promised to forgive him on his translating extempore the
epigram of Martial.

"Non amo te, Zabidi, nec possum dicere quare;
Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te."

The young delinquent replied in words now better known than the
original,

"I do not love you, Dr. Fell,
But why I cannot tell,
But this I know full well,
I do not love you, Dr. Fell."

At this period he occasionally indulged in such silly effusions as the
"Adverbial Declaration," which he first wrote in Latin, on "Mother
Warner's bellows at Oxford."

Brown was finally obliged to leave the University, and went up to London
to seek his fortune. The unpromising and reckless spirit in which he
set out, is probably reflected in one of his pieces entitled "A Dialogue
between two Oxford scholars."

_A._ Well, I see thou art resolved to leave us. I will not say,
"Go, and be hanged," but go and turn country parson.

_B._ That's almost as bad, as the world goes now. But thanks to my
stars, I know a better trick than that.

_A._ It may be thou art fallen out with mankind, and intendest to
turn quack; or as they call it in the country, doctor.

_B._ No such matter; the _French_ can kill men fast enough, and for
women thou knowest my kindness.

_A._ But some of them have lived too long; and there are others so
miserable, that even compassion will incline thee to help them out
of the world. I can assure thee 'tis a profitable calling; for
whether thou dost kill or cure, thy fees will be put in thy hand.

_B._ Yes, when they are found. But, prithee, speak no more of it,
for I am resolved against it.

_A._ What, then, art thou resolv'd for the law? Methinks thou
should'st have too much University learning and wit for that
profession--

_B._ And too much honesty. But I'll spare thee the pains of
guessing, and tell thee in short what my condition is, and what I
design. My portion is all spent--save fifty pounds; and with that I
am resolved for London or some other wealthy place, where
conventicles abound: and as a man of tender conscience and
infinitely dissatisfied