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 138 Annals.

��The whole week before we broke up, and the part of the week in which we broke up, were spent wholly, I know not why, in examination ; and were therefore easy to both us and the master. The two nights before the vacation were free from exercise.

This was the course of the school, which I remember with pleasure ; for I was indulged and caressed by my master, and, I think, really excelled the rest.

I was with Hawkins x but two years, and perhaps four months. The time, till I had computed it, appeared much longer by the multitude of novelties which it supplied, and of incidents, then in my thoughts important, it produced. Perhaps it is not possible that any other period can make the same impression on the memory.

4- 1719.

In the Spring of 1719, our class consisting of eleven, the number was always fixed in my memory, but one of the names I have forgotten, was removed to the upper school, and put under Holbrook 2, a peevish and ill-tempered man. We were removed sooner than had been the custom ; for the head-master, intent upon his boarders, left the town-boys long in the lower school. Our removal was caused by a reproof from the Town- clerk ; and Hawkins complained that he had lost half his profit. At this removal I cried. The rest were indifferent. My exercise in Garretson was somewhere about the Gerunds. Our places in ysop and Helvicus I have totally forgotten.

At Whitsuntide Mrs. Longworth brought me a 'Hermes Garret- soni,' of which I do not remember that I ever could make much use. It was afterwards lost, or stolen at school. My exercise was then in the end of the Syntax. Hermes furnished me with the word inliciturus, which I did not understand, but used it.

This task was very troublesome to me ; I made all the twenty- five exercises, others made but sixteen. I never shewed all mine ; five lay long after in a drawer in the shop. I made an exercise in a little time, and shewed it my mother ; but the task being long upon me, she said, * Though you could make an

1 'The usher or under-master of Johnson, 'very skilful in his little Lichfield School ; ' a man,' said way.' Life, i. 43. 2 Ib. i. 44.

exercise

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