I sometimes made up to his chair as he sat to view his labourers
in the field: on which occasion he would stroke my head, bid me be
a good boy, and promise to take care of me.

I was soon after sent to school at a village hard by, of which he
had been dictator time out of mind; but as he never paid for my
board, nor supplied me with clothes, books, and other necessaries
I required, my condition was very ragged and contemptible, and
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.