Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/104

Rh particularly of the twin-brothers, Edward and Oliphant Dangerfield, who were beyond all question the most interesting boys in our academy.

Well do I remember the speculation which they excited on the day when they were brought to B——. I had at this time been for about three months a fixed scholar, and had completed my thirteenth year. The twin-brothers were of a similar age; and so perfectly alike not only in dress and learning, but in regard to figure and complexion, that days elapsed before the other boys could readily distinguish the one from the other. Their exterior resemblances, as it was afterwards discovered, were not the only things common to them. They seemed to possess equal mental parts, there was a perfect twinship in their tempers, their pursuits and acquirements were the same, and never did they appear to be so happy as when enjoying each other's society. They were sentimentalists or speculative enthusiasts, rather than robust, or riotous boys. Yet they regarded the sports and pastimes of others with favour; but were exceedingly moderate as playmates themselves.

There was at first a good deal of conjecture indulged on the part of the older boys, or those who were of a like age to that of the Dangerfields, with regard to the merits of such remarkable twins. These conjectures, in spite of their inoffensive and even lovely lives, had for some time been gathering a virulence of jealousy, which, it was clear, would some day lead to a break-out. "Are they better than others?" one would ask. "Shall they both (for if the one does, the other is sure to imitate him,) look and laugh at me, because I ape not the philosopher?" another would threateningly demand. "Are they not both cowards?" a third would asseverate in the affirmative; which was bringing parties to something like close quarters. One day while a number of us were upon a common, not far from the academy, and which was frequently a general playground, foot-ball was the proposed game. The Dangerfields were upon the spot, and were like two fine saplings moving statelily amongst us, their arms linked together as was their wont, and their discourse, perchance, that of oracular youth discerning in the vista of coming years bright and glorious paths, or such gentle chequerings as lend to hopeful visions, nothing but what is picturesque, and rather to be courted than avoided. Enmity, or, at least, jealousy was ripe amongst us ; and both of these are fertile sources in regard to expedients for self-satisfaction. Said Henry Sandilands, a pugnacious, but not an ungenerous youth, "come, let us enlist the peripatetic philo-