the
offer of a cottage belonging to Sir John Oaklands, which was suited to
her limited means. It was situated within the park gates, about a
mile from Heathfield Hall, and, though small, appeared well-built, and
exceedingly pretty.

This was an arrangement of which I highly approved, as it enabled me
to renew my intercourse with Harry, who, having left Dr. Mildman's,
was spending a few months at home with his father previous to his
matriculation at Trinity. I found him but little altered in any respect,
save that he had become more manly-looking. For the rest, he was just as
good-tempered, kind-hearted, and, alas! indolent as ever. He informed
me that Lawless also was going to Cambridge, and that Coleman, when
he learned what a party of us there would be, had been most anxious to
accompany us; but his father, unfortunately, did not approve, and he was
now articled to a solicitor, with a view to his succeeding eventually to
his father's practice.

Time rolled on, and another three months beheld us duly installed in our
rooms at Trinity, and dividing our time between reading (more or less,
in accordance with our various idiosyncrasies), boating on the Cam,
billiard-playing at Chesterton, _et hoc genus omne_.

Of the details of my college life I shall say but little, a piece of
forbearance for which I consider myself entitled to the everlasting
gratitude of my readers, who, if they have not had their curiosity
on that subject more than satisfied by the interminable narrations of
"Peter Priggins," and his host of imitators, must indeed be insatiable.
Suffice it then to say, that, having from the first determined, if
possible, to obtain a good degree, I made a resolute stand against the
advances of Lawless (who, in consequence of his father's having, for
some reason best known to himself and the Premier, received a peerage,
had now become an "honourable") and the "rowing set," amongst whom, by a
sort of freemasonry of kindred souls, he had become enrolled
immediately on his arrival. After several fruitless attempts to shake my
determination, they pronounced me an incorrigible "sap," and, leaving me
to my own devices, proceeded to try their powers upon Oaklands. They met
with but little ~114~~success in this quarter, however; not that with
him they had any indomitable love of study to contend with, but that
"all that sort of thing was too much trouble; he really didn't believe
there was a single fellow among the whole lot