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- 
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