Volume 1

The adventures of Roderick Random : in two volumes / By T. Smollet.

  • Tobias Smollett
Date:
Sept. 24, 1794
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The adventures of Roderick Random : in two volumes / By T. Smollet. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of me. I,was foon after fent to f{chool at a village hard by, of which he had been diftator time out of mind: but, as he never paid for my board, nor fupplied me with clothes, books, and other neceflaries 1 required, my condition was very ragged and contemptible ; and the {choolmatter, who, through fear of my ene taught me gratis, gave Wilntelf no concern about the progrefs I made under his inftru€tion. in {pite of all thefe dithiculties and difgraces, I became a good proficient in the Latin tongue; and, as foonas I could write tolerably, peftered my grandfather , with letters to fuch a degree, that he fent for my matter, -.. and chid him feverely for beftowing fuch pains on my edu- -_ eation, telling him, that if ever I fhould be brought to the: gallows for forgery, which he had taught me to commit, my blood would lie on his head. . The pedant, who dread- ed nothing more than the difpleafure of his patron, afured his honour, that the boy’s ability was more owing to his own genius and application, than to any inftruétion or en- couragement he received ; that although he could not di- veft him of the knowledge he had already imbibed, unlefs he would empower him to difable his fingers, he fhould™ endeavour, with God’s help, to prevent his future im- provement. And indeed he punétuatly performed what he liad undertaken ; for, on pretence that I had writ imper- tinent letters to my grandfather, he caufed a board to be made with five holes in it, through which he thruft the ers and thumb of my right-hand, and faftened it bya A whip- -cord to my wrift, in fuch a manner as effe@tually de- barred me the ufe of my pen.. But this reftraint I was rom in a few days, by an accident which happened uarrel between me and another boy, who taking up- on him to infult my poverty, I was fo incenfed at his un- generous reproach, that, with one ftroke of my machine,” I cut him te the fkull, to the great terror of myfelf and {chool-fellows, who left him bleeding on the ground, and- ran to inform the mafter of what had happened.» Iwas fo’ _ feverely punithed for this tref{pafs, that, were I to live'to- _ the age of Methufalem, the impreffion it made on me » Avould not, be effaced, no more than the’ mee cand | horror I conceived for the mercilefs tyrant Wor inflict edit. The contempt which my appearance naturally it ie who faw me the continual
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