es of their neighbours' pockets,--other visitors, of fair
repute, were not unoften partakers of the good matron's hospitality;
although it must be owned that they generally occupied the private room
in preference to the public one. And sixthly, sweet reader (we grieve to
be so prolix), we would just hint to thee that Mr. MacGrawler was one
of those vast-minded sages who, occupied in contemplating morals in the
great scale, do not fritter down their intellects by a base attention
to minute details. So that if a descendant of Langfanger did sometimes
cross the venerable Scot in his visit to the Mug, the apparition did not
revolt that benevolent moralist so much as, were it not for the above
hint, thy ignorance might lead thee to imagine.

It is said that Athenodorus the Stoic contributed greatly by his
conversation to amend the faults of Augustus, and to effect the change
visible in that fortunate man after his accession to the Roman empire.
If this be true, it may throw a new light on the character of Augustus,
and instead of being the hypocrite, he was possibly the convert. Certain
it is that there are few vices which cannot be conquered by wisdom; and
yet, melancholy to relate, the instructions of Peter MacGrawler produced
but slender amelioration in the habits of the youthful Paul. That
ingenious stripling had, we have already seen, under the tuition of
Ranting Bob, mastered the art of reading,--nay, he could even construct
and link together certain curious pot-hooks, which himself and Mrs.
Lobkins were wont graciously to term "writing." So far, then, the way of
MacGrawler was smoothed and prepared.

But, unhappily, all experienced teachers allow that the main difficulty
is not to learn, but to unlearn; and the mind of Paul was already
occupied by a vast number of heterogeneous miscellanies which stoutly
resisted the ingress either of Latin or of virtue. Nothing could wean
him from an ominous affection for the history of Richard Turpin; it
was to him what, it has been said, the Greek authors should be to the
Academician,--a study by day, and a dream by night. He was docile enough
during lessons, and sometimes even too quick in conception for the
stately march of Mr. MacGrawler's intellect. But it not unfrequently
happened that when that gentleman attempted to rise, he found himself,
like the Lady in "Comus," adhering to--

"A venomed seat Smeared with gums of glutinous heat;"

or his legs had been secretly