to send me to be educated at Hursley, where Sir Thomas was patronising in
a school a very worthy man, of the name of Alner, the brother of Mr.
Alner, of Salisbury, who for so many years had the conducting and
arranging the materials which composed the Western Almanack. Mr. and Mrs.
Wyndham had also promised to send their three eldest sons at the same time
to the same school, and one or two sons of Mr. Wyndham, of Salisbury, were
also going there; and the worthy baronet, who never did a kind action by
halves, promised my father, who was a great favourite with him, that he
would take the same care of me, and shew me the same attention that he did
to his nephews; which promise he did not forget to perform during my stay
at Hursley School, which was about two years and a half.

Mr. Alner was a remarkably good penman and accountant, as well as a great
proficient in teaching the use of the globes. Here I became an adept in
writing, arithmetic, and geography, which were the principal things to be
learned at that school. During my stay there, I was in the frequent habit
of spending the Sunday with the young Wyndham's at Hursley Park; and, as
often as my father came to see me, the old baronet insisted upon his
making the Lodge his home. Kindness, generosity, and hospitality, welcomed
every visitor to Hursley Lodge, during the life of Sir Thomas; in fact,
his philanthropy was such, that it not only extended to his own tenants,
but to his brother-in-law's tenants, and to the whole of the surrounding
neighbourhood. Perhaps there never were two country gentlemen, who did
greater credit to the character of genuine old English hospitality, than
the then owners of Hursley Lodge, in Hampshire, and Dinton House, in
Wiltshire. My old school-fellow, the present proprietor of Dinton, still
keeps up the character of an hospitable English country gentleman; but,
alas! Hursley Lodge, since the death of old Sir Thomas----but, as I cannot
say any thing favourable, either from my own knowledge, or from the report
of others, I will content myself with saying nothing.