his wit and invention."

[Footnote 15: Charles Valentine Le Grice.]

Nor shalt thou, their compeer, be quickly forgotten, Allen, with the
cordial smile, and still more cordial laugh, with which thou wert wont
to make the old Cloisters shake, in thy cognition of some poignant
jest of theirs; or the anticipation of some more material, and,
peradventure, practical one, of thine own. Extinct are those smiles,
with that beautiful countenance, with which (for thou wert the _Nireus
formosus_ of the school), in the days of thy maturer waggery, thou
didst disarm the wrath of infuriated town-damsel, who, incensed by
provoking pinch, turning tigress-like round, suddenly converted by thy
angel-look, exchanged the half-formed terrible "_bl----_," for a
gentler greeting--"_bless thy handsome face!_"

Next follow two, who ought to be now alive, and the friends of
Elia--the junior Le G---- and F----;[16] who impelled, the former by a
roving temper, the latter by too quick a sense of neglect--ill capable
of enduring the slights poor Sizars are sometimes subject to in our
seats of learning--exchanged their Alma Mater for the camp; perishing,
one by climate, and one on the plains of Salamanca:--Le G----
sanguine, volatile, sweet-natured; F---- dogged, faithful,
anticipative of insult, warm-hearted, with something of the old Roman
height about him.

Fine, frank-hearted Fr----,[17] the present master of Hertford, with
Marmaduke T----,[18] mildest of Missionaries--and both my good friends
still--close the catalogue of Grecians in my time.

[Footnote 16: Favell; left Cambridge, ashamed of his father, who was a
housepainter there.]

[Footnote 17: Franklin.]

[Footnote 18: Thompson.]

_Lamb._

ALL FOOLS' DAY

The compliments of the season to my worthy masters, and a merry first
of April to us all!

Many happy returns of this day to you--and you--and _you_, Sir--nay,
never frown, man, nor put a long face upon the matter. Do not we know
one another? what need of ceremony among friends? we have all a touch
of _that same_--you understand me--a speck of the motley. Beshrew the
man who on such a day as this, the _general festival_, should affect
to stand aloof. I am none of those sneakers. I am free of the
corporation, and care not who knows it. He that meets me in the forest
to-day, shall meet with no wise-acre, I can tell him. _Stultus sum._
Translate me that, and take the meaning of it to yourself for your
pains. What,