MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 5 



qualifications befitting him for it. He went on with 

 a senseless system of severity, where ignorance and 

 arrogance were equally conspicuous. Conduct like 

 this sours the minds of some boys, renders others 

 stupid, and serves to make all more or less disgusted 

 with learning. Upon some occasion or other, he 

 ordered me to be flogged; and this was to be done 

 by what was called "hugging," that is, by mounting 

 me upon the back of a stout boy, who kept hold of 

 my hands over his shoulders, while the posteriors 

 were laid bare, where he supposed he could do the 

 business freely. In this instance, however, he was 

 mistaken ; for, \vith a most indignant rage, I 

 sprawled, kicked, and flung, and, I was told, bit the 

 innocent boy on the neck, w T hen he instantly roared 

 out, and threw me down ; and, on my being seized 

 again by the old man, I rebelled, and broke his 

 shins with my iron-hooped clogs, and ran off. By 

 this time, the boy's mother, who was a spirited 

 woman, and lived close by, attracted by the ferment 

 that was raised, flew (I understood) into the school- 

 room, when a fierce scold ensued between-the master 

 and her. After this I went no more to his school, 

 but played the truant every day, and amused myself 

 by making dams, and swimming boats in a small 

 burn which ran through a place then called the 

 "Colliers' Close Wood," till the evening, when I 

 returned home with my more fortunate or more 

 obedient schoolfellows.* 



How long it was before my absence from school 

 was discovered I know not, but I got many severe 

 beatings from my father and mother, in the interval 



[* Compare the vignette on the title-page of volume ii. of this 

 edition.] 



