nd the schoolmaster,
who, through fear of my grandfather, taught me gratis, gave himself no
concern about the progress I made under his instruction. In spite of
all these difficulties and disgraces, I became a good proficient in
the Latin tongue; and, as soon as I could write tolerably, pestered my
grandfather with letters to such a degree that he sent for my master,
and chid him severely for bestowing such pains on my education, telling
him that, if ever I should be brought to the gallows for forgery, which
he had taught me to commit, my blood would lie on his head.

The pedant, who dreaded nothing more than the displeasure of his patron,
assured his honour that the boy's ability was more owing to his own
genius and application than to any instruction or encouragement he
received; that, although he could not divest him of the knowledge he had
already imbibed, unless he would empower him to disable his fingers, he
should endeavour, with God's help, to prevent his future improvement.
And, indeed, he punctually performed what he had undertaken; for, on
pretence that I had written impertinent letters to my grandfather, he
caused a board to be made with five holes in it, through which he thrust
the fingers and thumb of my right hand, and fastened it by whipcord to
my wrist, in such a manner as effectually debarred me the use of my pen.
But this restraint I was freed from in a few days, by an accident which
happened in a quarrel between me and another boy; who, taking upon him
to insult my poverty, I was so incensed at his ungenerous reproach that
with one stroke with my machine I cut him to the skull, to the great
terror of myself and schoolfellows, who left him bleeding on the ground,
and ran to inform the master of what had happened. I was so severely
punished for this trespass that, were I to live to the age of
Methusalem, the impression it made on me would not be effaced; the more
than the antipathy and horror I conceived for the merciless tyrant who
inflicted it. The contempt which my appearance naturally produced in
all who saw me, the continual wants to which I was exposed, and my own
haughty disposition, impatient of affronts, involved me in a thousand
troublesome adventures, by which I was at length inured in adversity,
and emboldened to undertakings far above my years. I was often inhumanly
scourged for crimes I did not commit, because, having the character of
a vagabond in the village, every piece of mischief, who