CH. X.] W/iat a Hodge-Podge! 185 



toppled into a story there, and been as wild 

 and erratic in my goings on as even Pepper 

 would be with a dozen rats loose together in 

 a thick hedge. Well, I can't help it. I am 

 not much good at books, and it ain't of much 

 consequence, for during the last few days I 

 have heard from half a dozen head-masters 

 of schools that they find the art of rat-catch- 

 ing is so distasteful to their scholars, and so 

 much above their intellect, and so fatiguing 

 an exercise to the youthful , mind, that they 

 feel obliged to abandon the study of it and 

 replace it once more by those easier and 

 pleasanter subjects, Latin and Greek. Well, 

 I am sorry for it, very sorry. I had hoped 

 to have opened up a great career to many 

 young gentlemen, but have failed ; and I can 

 only console myself with thinking that one 

 can't make silk purses out of — you know 

 what. Mind, in this quotation I am not 

 thinking of myself and my failure. 



