LIFE AT ETON. 11 



the bed, for he was more frightened than hurt, and being 

 greatly relieved by this unexpected and fortunate turn of 

 events. Thank him a thousand times. I dearly arned the 

 money, for his blows are like the kick of a horse ; but tell 

 him for all that, to show my gratitude, I will fight him 

 again any day for love." This anecdote speaks well for 

 both. It turned out on inquiry that this man was the 

 champion of the surrounding country and the terror of 

 the neighbourhood. Therefore we may hope that the 

 bruising he met with from a gentleman, whom, doubtless, 

 before the " mill," he held very cheap, did him good. Many 

 years afterwards, when Mr. Smith was upwards of seventy 

 years of age, he evinced the same daring spirit. A rough 

 country fellow threw a stone at one of his hounds, for 

 which the squire struck at him with his hunting whip. 

 "You dared not strike me if you were oflf your horse," said 

 the clodhopper. In a moment the squire had dismounted 

 and had raised his hands in artistic attitude, upon which 

 the cowardly rascal fairly took to his heels and fled, amidst 

 the jeers and ridicule of his companions. This scene occurred 

 at Chapmansford, before a large field of sportsmen, who will 

 well recollect the circumstance. 



To return to his early boyhood. He was fond of adding 

 to the statement of his having been eleven years at Eton, 

 the remark, " and while there 1 learnt nothing." Here, 

 however, the squire did not do due justice to Etona Mater. 

 No sharp-witted lad can pass through the wholesome disci- 

 pline of a public school and pick up nothing. Even allow- 

 ing that such a character as that of Mr. Smith would have 

 distinguished itself tinder the application of any species of 

 scholastic discipline, yet in his case the emulation, and high 

 tone, and chivalrous feeling to be found in a public school, 

 must have been eminently advantageous. 



Mr. Smith was always strongly in favour of the fagging 

 system, as teaching boys to do many things useful to them 

 in their future career, and giving them an independence of 



