BOYHOOD OF THE EIGHTH DUKE 



education, and the treatment, the little heir of the 

 house of Somerset received at the hands of the 

 schoolmaster, to whose care he was confided when 

 he was eight years of age, he himself tells. "On 

 one occasion, early in November, 1833, I, being 

 then nine years old, had committed the high crime 

 and misdemeanour of ending a pentameter with a 

 three-syllable word, for which the usher caned me 

 at eleven o'clock school. At five o'clock school 

 the doctor came in — I think he must have been 

 served with two writs that day. His eye fell upon 

 me. ' Have you been caned to-day ? ' ' Yes, 

 sir.' * What for ? ' I told him. ' What, a three- 

 syllable word again ! Go and fetch my cane.' 

 The usher was a good fellow, though passionate, 

 and said, ' I caned him severely for it.' * Never 

 mind,' said the doctor, * he will remember two 

 thrashings better than one.' His hand was on my 

 throat, and I was writhing under his blows for fully 

 three minutes. As he went out of the room he 

 turned and said, * After prayers to-morrow morning 

 you shall have just such another thrashing.' " 



In consequence of this extension of punishment, 

 the little Lord Glamorgan made a determined effort 

 to escape from his tormentors. Early the following 

 morning he crept from the schoolhouse, and with 

 the large sum of fourpence in his pocket, made his 

 way to the yard from which the Wonder was to start. 

 Having persuaded the coachman that, in conse- 

 quence of his father being ill, he had been sum- 



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