MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 7 



am not quite sure — my father's carriage-and-pair was drawn up by 

 the Rectory door ; and by the time my brother and myself, aged 

 nine and eight respectively, were hoisted up behind, no party, en 

 route to the moors, contained a more happy and contented quartette 

 than that carriage did. The Rector and his wife in front, thinking 

 that their children would now "get on," and traverse the road to 

 fortune ; whilst we behind were full of hope and joy, longing for the 

 Elysian fields at Marlborough College, in which we were so soon to 

 revel. In the foreground of the picture stood our youthful postman, 

 who had just arrived with letters, and on the Rectory steps our 

 faithful cordon bleu* appeared, with a basket of provisions to help us 

 on our way. This good lady often told us, in after years, that she 

 could not help feeling somewhat disappointed at our radiant faces, as 

 she held our hands in hers, wishing us " good-bye," and as she had 

 experienced the vanity of human wishes, she entertained grave 

 doubts regarding the anticipated peace and joy, stored up for us in 

 the new world we were going to explore. 



The most fascinating theory of modern science tells us, that no 

 scene on which the sun has shone is absolutely lost, as the reflection 

 goes travelling on, with great velocity, for ever through the sky. 

 That, given the proper distance and suitable optical instruments, or 

 eyes, every scene which has occurred on earth may now be viewed. 

 The forests, which formed our coal, in all their pristine beauty ; the 

 monsters which thronged the seas and air in lias days, unscared by 

 man. So perhaps beings who inhabit planets, which move round 

 stars of the second or third magnitude, may, as I write, be 

 feasting their celestial eyes upon my form just entering Marlborough 

 College. 



However that may be ; the scene of my introduction lay in the 

 " wilderness and mount " attached to the College grounds, a damp 

 and creepy-looking place, apparently laid out in days gone by, when 

 buff-jerkins were about ; and, judging from the prevalence of yews, 



* These two persons are introduced as a tribute to the salubrity of our village. The former, Tom Phipps, 

 is still our postman ; and the latter, at the age of 92, is superintending the preparation of my dinner now. 



