disgraced by licentiousness, but who was a very able judge of what
was right. At this school he did not receive so much benefit as
was expected. It has been said, that he acted in the capacity of an
assistant to Mr. Wentworth, in teaching the younger boys. 'Mr. Wentworth
(he told me) was a very able man, but an idle man, and to me very
severe; but I cannot blame him much. I was then a big boy; he saw I did
not reverence him; and that he should get no honour by me. I had brought
enough with me, to carry me through; and all I should get at his school
would be ascribed to my own labour, or to my former master. Yet he
taught me a great deal.'

He thus discriminated, to Dr. Percy, Bishop of Dromore, his progress
at his two grammar-schools. 'At one, I learnt much in the school, but
little from the master; in the other, I learnt much from the master, but
little in the school.'

He remained at Stourbridge little more than a year, and then returned
home, where he may be said to have loitered, for two years, in a state
very unworthy his uncommon abilities. He had already given several
proofs of his poetical genius, both in his school-exercises and in other
occasional compositions.

He had no settled plan of life, nor looked forward at all, but merely
lived from day to day. Yet he read a great deal in a desultory manner,
without any scheme of study, as chance threw books in his way, and
inclination directed him through them. He used to mention one curious
instance of his casual reading, when but a boy. Having imagined that his
brother had hid some apples behind a large folio upon an upper shelf
in his father's shop, he climbed up to search for them. There were no
apples; but the large folio proved to be Petrarch, whom he had seen