life I had entered upon.
The liking which Oaklands seemed to have taken to me at first sight soon
ripened into a warm friendship, which continued daily to increase on
my part, as the many noble and lovable qualities of his disposition
appeared, one by one, from behind the veil of indolence which, till one
knew him well, effectually concealed them. Coleman, though too volatile
to make a real friend of, was a very agreeable companion, and, if it
were ever possible to get him to be serious for a minute, showed that
beneath the frivolity of his manner lay a basis of clear good sense and
right feeling, which only required calling forth to render him a much
higher character than he appeared at present. For the rest, I was
alternately bullied and patronised by Lawless (though he never ventured
on the former line of conduct when Oaklands was present), while
Cumberland, outwardly ~64~~professing great regard for me, never let
slip an opportunity of showing me an ill-natured turn, when he could
contrive to do so without committing himself openly.

A more intimate acquaintance with Mullins only served to place beyond
a doubt the fact of his being a most unmitigated, and not over-amiable,
fool. The word is a strong one, but I fear that, if I were to use a
milder term, it would be at the expense of truth.

For my tutor I soon began to conceive the warmest feeling of regard and
esteem; in fact, it was impossible to know him well, and not to love
him. Simple as a child in everything relating to worldly matters,
he united the deepest learning to the most elevated piety, while the
thoroughly practical character of his religion, carried, as it was,
into all the minor details of everyday life, imparted a gentleness and
benignity to his manner which seemed to elevate him above the level of
ordinary mortals. If he had a fault (I suppose, merely for the sake
of proving him human, I must allow him one), it was a want of moral
courage, which made it so disagreeable to him to find fault with any of
us, that he would now and then allow evils to exist, which a little more
firmness and decision might have prevented; but, had it not been for
this, he would have been quite perfect, and perfection is a thing not to
be met with in this life.

Cumberland, after the eventful evening on which he acted as peacemaker
between Lawless and Oaklands, had persevered steadily in his endeavour
to ingratiate himself with the latter; and, by taking advantage of