6 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DE MOEGAN. 



1820-21. would never desist from his cruelty. c But how,' said the 

 School tormented lad, ' can I catch him to thrash him ? I cannot 



days. 



see him. He comes up, and is gone before I can lay 

 hands on him.* 'But you shall,' said Reece; and the 

 arrangement was made. Reece, knowing that when his 

 friend was quietly reading, as he often did, at a desk so 

 placed that his blind side was near the door, the enemy 

 would be likely to approach, hid himself in such a way 

 that when the boy entered he could shut the door and 

 prevent escape. All happened as he expected. De 

 Morgan sat down at his desk with a book before him. 

 Very soon the cowardly aggressor came quietly in, pointed 

 his knife at his cheek, and said suddenly, ' De Morgan ! ' 

 His intended victim did not turn round as he had done 

 before, and in a moment the lad, a stout boy of fourteen, 

 was seized behind by Reece, who gave him over to receive 

 the c sound thrashing ' which De Morgan administered, 

 and which proved effectual in making him keep the peace 

 from that time. 



Mr. Reece tells how he and his friend, with another 

 boy of similar tastes, contrived a late reading party, un- 

 sanctioned by the master. One of the three asked Mr. 

 Parsons to lend them Scott's poems, at that time just 

 published. Having got ' The Lady of the Lake,' they 

 waited till all the other boys were in bed, the lights out, 

 and all things quiet ; then De Morgan produced a match 

 pistol and a tinder, snapped a spark and lit the candle, 

 and then read to his two companions till all three were 

 too sleepy to take an interest in Ellen and Roderick Dim. 

 I do not mention this as an example to be followed, but I 

 hope my readers will forgive them. 



Mr. Reece says, ' I was impressed with his wonderful 

 ability from the first, and I courted him, and gave him 

 my admiration and my love. In return, he became at- 

 tached to me, and invited or permitted me to sit by him 

 in play-hours. He never joined in the sports of the boys, 

 owing to his infirmity. He had a remarkable talent for 



