EARLY LIFE. 45 



ing an essay on the subject I had heard debated, 

 " Whether prosperity or adversity was most favour- 

 able to virtue." On showing it to my father, I found 

 a very severe judge, who thought the declamatory 

 speeches I had heard misled me, and set me on 

 other subjects that required argumentation and (being 

 an old Etonian) classical allusions, and even quotations. 

 The Doctor was more lenient, and gave me encourage- 

 ment ; but I found by his questions that he substan- 

 tially agreed with the judgment of the domestic forum. 

 This excellent man had been a good deal thwarted by 

 the authorities, provoked to personal altercation with 

 unworthy antagonists, and assailed by a corrupt por- 

 tion of the press. As to the authorities, his first 

 work was a most excellent book on the principles of 

 Latin and English grammar, designed to promote his 

 great object of making classical studies a help to 

 other studies, and not a hindrance and- he wished to 

 introduce it in the school ; but he found all the other 

 masters, who had been accustomed to teach Ruddi- 

 man's Grammar, opposed to the substitution of his ; 

 and also the magistrates, patrons of the school, for the 

 same reason, resolved to abide by Ruddiman's. After 

 a severe contest, both in the courts of law and the 

 town council, the latter issued a positive prohibition 

 to the school to make use of Adam's Grammar, and 

 he could therefore only indirectly urge his doctrines. 

 I grieve to add that at one time the Principal (Robert- 

 son) took part against him, who on all other occasions 

 stood his warm friend, and obtained for him from the 



