r exercises as well as all their vagaries; so
as to cement a friendship and interest in each other's fate, up to the
moment of which we are now speaking.

Orford, however, was at that time more impetuous and less discreet
in the pursuit of his pleasures than his honourable friend, and after
obtaining the distinction of Bachelor of Arts, was in consequence of
his imprudence and ~39~~irregularities, after frequently hair-breadth
escapes, expelled the college. This circumstance, however, appeared of
little consequence to him. He hired a gig at Oxford, promising to return
in a few days, and came up to London, but had not effrontery enough to
venture into the presence of his reputed father. On arrival in town, he
put up at an inn in the Borough, where he resided till all the money
he had was exhausted, and till, as he emphatically observes, he had
actually eaten his horse and chaise.

In the mean time, the people at Oxford found he was expelled; and as
he had not returned according to appointment, he was pursued, and
eventually found: they had no doubt of obtaining their demand from
his friends, and he was arrested at the suit of the lender; which was
immediately followed by a retainer from the inn-keeper where he had
resided in town. Application was made to Mr. Orford for his liberation,
without effect; in consequence of which he became a resident in the
rules of the King's Bench, as his friends conceived by this means his
habits would be corrected and his future conduct be amended, his real
father still keeping in the back ground.

While in this confinement, he again resorted to the produce of his pen
and his talent for musical composition, and his friend Tom, at the first
vacation, did not fail to visit him. During this time, in the shape
of donation, from Mr. Orford he received occasional supplies more than
equal to his necessities, though not to his wishes. While here, he
fished out some further clue to the real parent, who visited him in
disguise during his confinement as a friend of Mr. Orford: still,
however, he had no chance of liberation, till, being one day called on
by Mr. Orford, he was informed he was at perfect liberty to leave his
present abode, and was directed to go with him immediately; a coach was
called, and he heard the direction given to drive to Bedford Square,
where they arrived just time enough to learn that the Right Hon. S. S.
had breathed his last, after a lingering illness.

Upon alighting f