_Monday._--Waked at eight--keep up pretence of headache--up at ten--dressed by eleven--Smith’s burgamot, not so good as usual--breakfast--at one, walked to billiards--no one there--beat the marker.--Mem. Not go to Huddlestone’s again--came down--dinner better than usual--new cook--dull evening--went to bed early. _Tuesday._--Sham leave--hunted with King’s hounds--Steven’s blood lame--d--d bore--forced to ride the grey--new boots--bad leather--cut Webb for the future, and employ Atkins--Alderman S----y, wretched quiz--his chesnut horse broke down--let him fall into a ditch--hat and wig, both lost--looked like a bumble bee in a tar pot--good hunt--hard riding--go along--keep moving.--Mem. Always row the Alderman and not forget to cram Pink--came home tired--sandwiches and wine at the White Hart--merry evening--got drunk--Dame jawed. _Wednesday._--Whole school day--very dull--walked to Steven’s--Grey, knocked up--pain in my side--evening, cards, etc.--much better--betting in my favour--beat Dashall at cribbage--won nine shillings--lucky dog--went to bed in good spirits. Elaborate hoaxes were common at the commencement of the nineteenth century. A young Etonian acquired a good deal of notoriety by sending the town-crier, whom he had fee’d for the purpose, to announce a general illumination in honour of the battle of Vittoria. It created quite a sensation in both Windsor and Eton; and although no one knew from whence the orders came, G. R.’s and coloured lamps in abundance were displayed in the windows of many of the houses. A meeting of the magistrates was hastily summoned, and the hoax was discovered. The writing gave a clue to the culprit, who in due course underwent the punishment usual in such cases. [SN: SPORTING BOYS] License which would be inconceivable at the present day prevailed--bull-baiting on Batchelor’s Acre and cock-fighting in Bedford’s Yard being quite ordinary amusements. Small wonder that at one time strong complaint was made as to the habits of the school. Ascot Races were regularly attended by many of the older boys. Hunting and tandem-driving were not uncommon. Henry Matthews, author of the _Diary of an Invalid_, a very clever and eccentric boy, drove a tandem right through Eton and Windsor; a later rival, however, of Keate’s day, when James Clegg of Windsor provided sporting boys with horses and traps, drove one through the school-yard. Billiards continued to be very popular, not only with the boys but with their Masters, who claimed “first turn” at the tables. Copying the London bucks, Upper boys would sally out on dark nights and wrench bell-pulls and knockers from the dames’ houses, or make hay in the poultry-yard of old Pocock, the farmer at the corner of “Cut-throat” Lane, as Datchet Lane was then sometimes called.