He had scarcely seen or known his brother, so he grieved very little for
his loss, but he sorrowed sincerely over the change of fortune that
called him from his sea life and companions to an “on-shore” existence,
and instead of the gun-room and its gay guests, gave him the proprieties
of station and the requirements of high rank. One of his guardians
thought he ought to go into the Guards; another advised a university;
both agreed upon a tutor, and Mr. Layton was found, a young man of small
fortune, whose health, injured by over-reading for honors, required
change of scene and rest. They had been companions for a very short
time, but had, as the young Lord would have said, “hit it off” admirably
together; that is to say, partly from a just appreciation of his pupil,
and partly out of a natural indolence of disposition, Layton interfered
very little with him, gave him no troublesome tasks, imposed no actual
studies, but contented himself with a careful watch over the boy's
disposition, a gentle, scarce perceptible correction of his faults, and
an honest zeal to develop any generous trait in his nature, little
mindful of the disappointments his trustfulness must incur. Layton's
theory was that we all become wise too early in life, and that the
world's lessons should not be too soon implanted in a fresh unsuspecting
nature. His system was not destined to be sorely tested in the present
case. Harry Montserrat, Marquis of Agincourt, was a fortunate subject to
illustrate it by. There never was a less suspectful nature; he was
frank, generous, and brave; his faults were those of a hot, fiery
temper, and a disposition to resent, too early and too far, what with a
little patience he might have tolerated or even forgiven.
The fault, however, which Layton was more particularly guardful against,
was a certain over-consciousness of his station and its power, which
gradually began to show itself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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