“The remembrance of this tutor excites a sigh of deep regret. Nature on the score of genius had done a great deal for him, study more. He was a philosopher, a poet, well acquainted with the classics, an excellent linguist, a truly accomplished man. Remarkable for his kindness to his inferiors, more particularly so to those under-graduates whose means did not allow them the opportunity and advantage of private tutors. To such, even beyond the precincts of his own college, he would himself supply the deficiency, without hope or prospect of any compensation but their gratitude. How shall I relate the sequel. He has long ceased to animate and enliven his friends, who loved him. He was, I fear, too ardent a votary to that power, who of all the fabled divinities of Greece and Rome, treats his followers with most unkindness, who repays their libations with malady, their songs with degrading infirmities, their triumphs with defeat.—Peace to his ashes.—If ever man deserved a tear of sympathy, it was ⸺.”
On peut trouver des femmes qui n’ont jamais en de galanterie; mais il est rare d’en trouver qui n’en aient jamais eu qu’une.
CHAPTER XVI.
A portion of the Manuscript now presented itself, not a little perplexing from the frequent erasures and interlineations, whilst not seldom, these were a second time crossed out with the pen, as if the writer could not exactly make up his mind, whether the incidents noted should remain at all, or in what terms they should be expressed. Thus, for example, by holding up the paper to the light, the words “College Pranks” were with some difficulty discernible. These had been erased, and for pranks, the word “Vagaries” was substituted. This word also had been rejected, and, as appeared from the ink at no great distance of time, “College Follies” was inscribed in a larger hand, as if intended for the head of a chapter.
But of these “Pranks,” “Vagaries,” and “Follies,” there were not many which seemed recorded for any other purpose than for the moralizing sentiments and reflections which seemed to have accompanied the recollection of them. The anecdote which follows, from the warmth and earnestness which the partly pleasing and partly painful remembrance, evidently excited in the writer, must long and sensibly have occupied his mind. It is communicated in substance thus.
After about a year’s residence in the university, an accident introduced him to the society of a lovely young widow, whose brother was a respectable tradesman, but had occupations which occasioned him to be much absent from home. His sister kept his house, and in her brother’s absence had many lively parties, composed principally of females of the better class in the mercantile line, and of young gownsmen. He frequented her society, till a very strong attachment was mutually formed and avowed. Marriage, as it would have been the utter ruin of both parties, was never mentioned by either, but a tender and affectionate intercourse took place, which had subsisted for many months,—[Here the manuscript has such blots and erasures, that many lines are totally illegible.]—The narrative is afterwards thus resumed:—In absence they corresponded for a long time with the most unabated attachment, when at length, (for tenderness is sharp-sighted) our hero fancied he perceived the style of his widow to be somewhat colder. Her letters were less frequent; they now contained excuses for their brevity, and after a while they were altogether remitted.
What he suspected had actually taken place, as he had ample testimony on his return, after the long vacation in October. A young man, somewhat above his standing, who was remarkable for his personal confidence, for his wit and humour, and above all, for his gallantries, had addressed himself to the Fair Inconstant, even before she had known him who now complained of her perfidy. He failed, however, in his attack at this time, and better fortune hailed our friend. The connection upon whom the new gallant was dependent, and with whom he lived, (a learned and venerable clergyman) was compelled by circumstances to reside principally in the university. He artfully availed himself of this opportunity, and of her lover’s absence, to renew the siege, and after close and continued assaults, he supplanted his rival.