e not few, and each day I advanced in every variety
of knowledge. Before I had been eighteen months at school, the Dominie
was unhappy without my company, and I was equally anxious for his
presence. He was a father to me, and I loved him as a son should love a
father, and as it will hereafter prove, he was my guide through life.

But although the victory over Barnaby Bracegirdle, and the idea of my
prowess procured me an enforced respect, still the Dominie's goodwill
towards me was the occasion of a settled hostility. Affront me, or
attack me openly, they dare not; but supported as the boys were by Mr
Knapps the usher, who was equally jealous of my favour, and equally mean
in spirit, they caballed to ruin me, if possible, in the good opinion of
my master. Barnaby Bracegirdle had a talent for caricature, which was
well-known to all but the Dominie. His first attempt against me was a
caricature of my mother's death, in which she was represented as a lamp
supplied from a gin-bottle, and giving flame out of her mouth. This was
told to me, but I did not see it. It was given by Barnaby to Mr
Knapps, who highly commended it, and put it into his desk. After which,
Barnaby made an oft-repeated caricature of the Dominie, with a vast
nose, which he shewed to the usher as _my_ performance. The usher
understood what Barnaby was at, and put it into his desk without
comment. Several other ludicrous caricatures were made of the Dominie
and of the matron, all of which were consigned to Mr Knapps by the boys
as being the productions of my pencil; but this was not sufficient--it
was necessary I should be more clearly identified. It so happened that
one evening, when sitting with the Dominie at my Latin, the matron and
Mr Knapps being in the adjoining room, the light, which had burned
close down, fell in the socket and went out. The Dominie rose to get
another; the matron also got up to fetch away the candlestick with the
same intent. They met in the dark, and ran their heads together pretty
hard. As this event was only known to Mr Knapps and myself, he
communicated it to Barnaby, wondering whether I should not make it a
subject of one of my caricatures. Barnaby took the hint; in the course
of a few hours this caricature was added to the others. Mr Knapps, to
further his views, took an opportunity to mention with encomium my
talent for drawing, added that he had seen several of my performances.
"The boy hath talent," replied