xxvi 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



appeared, I stole out of cover, as strongly perfumed 

 as was old FalstafF when they had turned him out 

 of the buck-basket. 



Once I had gone into the labyrinth to look into a 

 magpie's nest, which was in a high hollow tree ; and, 

 hearing the sound of voices near, I managed to get 

 a resting place in the tree just over the nest, and 

 there I squatted, waiting the event. Immediately, 

 the President, two other Jesuits, and the present 

 Mr. Salvin of Croxdale Hall, passed close under the 

 tree, without perceiving me. 



The good fathers were aware of my predomi- 

 nant propensity. Though it was innocent in itself, 

 nevertheless it was productive of harm in its con- 

 sequences ; by causing me to break the college 

 rules, and thus to give bad example to the com- 

 munity at large. Wherefore, with a magnanimity 

 and excellent exercise of judgment, which are only 

 the province of those who have acquired a consum- 

 mate knowledge of human nature, and who know 

 how to turn to advantage the extraordinary dis- 

 positions of those entrusted to their care, they 

 sagaciously managed matters in such a way as to 

 enable me to ride my hobby to a certain extent, 

 and still, at the same time, to prevent me from 

 giving bad example. 



As the establishment was very large, and as it 

 contained an abundance of prog ; the Hanoverian 

 rat, which fattens so well on English food, and 

 which always contrives to thrust its nose into every 

 man's house, where there is any thing to be got, 

 swarmed throughout the vast extent of this anti^ 



