ongue and to consult Carlyle's _Sartor Resartus_, book 2, chapter 4,
and discover the opinion of sensible men concerning youthful intellects
like his own.

I appeared to poor enough advantage at first, and was almost afraid to
speak in the curious and motley society which thronged our rooms. The
quick wit, the ready epigram and squib, the oppressive and multitudinous
puns in every language,--all served to stun and confuse me, fixed as I
was in grave and quiet habits of mind and thought. It was amazing to me
at first with what ease many of the boys had acquired clear ideas upon
every question of the day, and with what brilliancy they could advance
them, while I was tongue-tied from modesty or reserve. Presently,
however, I discovered that these promising young gentlemen were not so
wondrous wise after all. I dismissed my fears, felt less fastidious
about the emphatic utterance of a thoughtless opinion, and soon was as
loud-tongued as any in my demand that the world should be made over at
once to suit men of our calibre. At first they were all very tender and
patient with me, but when I grew a trifle bolder my little gravities
became the target for everybody's wit, and I dare say I was much
improved by having my mannerisms and elegancies knocked rudely off from
me.

Every boy is fortunate who carries the oldest and best associations of
his life into his university career; and Harry and I were supremely
lucky in always having Jack Holt with us in the old way, and being able
in a world of transient delusions and attractions of absorbing charm to
fall back upon something real--an influence which could not be
overturned by our eagerness for fashion and novelty, and which, if
forgotten for a moment, reasserted itself with vital force to atone for
such a base neglect. Not that Jack claimed anything from us: perhaps his
power over us was commensurate with the modesty and dignity of his
character. His regard was a necessary note in the harmony of our
well-being: his disapprobation was a voice which cried "Shame!" to us,
although he never uttered a reproach. I felt all this as well as Harry,
but he, of course, undisciplined and untrained, possessed more ardor and
a more decided temperament than I: his aberrations were wider; and, as
the pendulum must always swing back to the right as far as it bounded to
the left, he came in his repentance as much closer to his cousin than
did I as his deviations had exceeded mine. No wonder Jack