MEMOIR. liii 



rather than to swerve from my former de- 

 claration. To my astonishment, however, 

 I found that I was to receive from him the 

 highes^ commendation. On the Saturday 

 afternoon, my confinement not having been 

 strictly enforced, I was determined to break 

 through it, and to go into the neighbour- 

 ing country with some of my playfellows. 

 There was before the school a considera- 

 ble area, in which, while I was proceeding 

 to join my playfellows, I met a blind beg- 

 gar, who appeared to me to have lost his 

 way. The other toys had passed him 

 without attending to him. I went up to 

 him, and finding my conjecture to be 

 right, took him by the hand, and led him 

 to the house to which he was desirous of 

 going. My master was at his window, 

 and saw this. On the Monday he men^. 

 tioned it to the whole school, and received 

 me back into it, with great commendation 



