CHARACTERS. 
obtained by practice; correctness 
and elegance by labour; and before 
I was recalled home, French, in 
which I spontaneously thought, 
was more familiar than English to 
my ear, my tongue, and my pen. The 
first effet of this opening know- 
ledge was the revival of my love of 
treading, which had been chilled at 
Oxford, and I soon turned over, 
without much choice, almost all the 
French books in my tutor’s library. 
Even these amusements were pro- 
du@tive of real advantage: my taste 
and judgment were now somewhat 
riper. I was introduced to a new 
mode of style and literature: by 
the comparison of manners and 
opinions, my views were enlarged, 
my prejudices were corrected, and 
a copious voluntary abstract of the 
' Histoire de l’Eglise et de 1’ Empire, 
by Je Sieur, may be placed in a 
middle line between my childish and 
my manly studies, Assoonas I was 
able to converse with the natives, 
I began to feel some satisfaction in 
their company ; my awkward ti- 
midity was polished and cmbolden- 
ed; and 1 frequented, for the first 
time, assemblies of men and wo- 
men. The acquaintance of the Pa- 
villiards prepared me by degrees 
for more elegant society. 1 was 
received with kindness and indul. 
gence in the best families of Lau- 
Sanne; and it was in one of these 
that I formed an intimate and Jast- 
ing connexion with Mr. Dey ver- 
dap, a young man of an amiable 
temper and excellent understanding. 
In the arts of fencing and dancing, 
small indecd was my proficiency ; 
and some months were idly wasted 
in the riding-school. My unfit- 
ness to bodily exercise reconciled 
me to a sedentary life, and the 
horse, the favourite.of my country- 
su 
[333 
men, never contributed to the plea. 
sures of my youth. 
My obligations to the lessons of 
Mr. Pavilliard, gratitude will not 
suffer me to forget: he was endow. 
ed with a clear head anda warm 
heart; his innate benevolence had 
assuaged the spirit of the church ; 
he was rational, because he was 
moderate: in the course of his stu- 
dies he had acquired a just though 
superficial knowledge of most 
branches of literature; by lon 
practice, he was skilled in the arts 
of teaching; and he laboured with 
assiduous patience to know the cha. 
racter, gain the affe€tion, and open 
the mind of his English pupil. As 
soon as we began to understand 
each other, he gently led me, from 
a blind and undistinguishing love 
of reading, into the path of in. 
struction. I consented with plea. 
sure that a portion of the morning 
hours should be consecrated. to a 
plan of modern history and geo. 
graphy, and to the critical perusal 
of the French and Latin classics ; 
and at each step I felt myself invi- 
gorated by the habits of applica. 
tion and method. His prudence re- 
pressed and dissembled some youth. 
ful sallies; and as soon as I was 
confirmed in the habits of industry 
and temperance he gave the reins 
into my own hands. His favour- 
able report of my behaviour ard 
progress gradually obtained some 
latitude of action and expence ; 
and he wished to alleviate the hard. 
ships of my lodging and entertain- 
ment.» The principles of philoso. 
phy were associated with the ex. 
amples of taste; and by a singular 
chance, the book, as, well as the 
man, which contributed the most 
effectually to my education, hs 
a stronger claim on. my Brande 
Then 
