His parents resolved to give him a public education, and sent him to
school at the earliest possible period. The Reverend Otto Rose, D.D.,
Principal of the Preparatory Academy for young noblemen and gentlemen,
Richmond Lodge, took this little Lord in hand, and fell down and
worshipped him. He always introduced him to fathers and mothers who
came to visit their children at the school. He referred with pride and
pleasure to the most noble the Marquis of Bagwig, as one of the kind
friends and patrons of his Seminary. He made Lord Buckram a bait for
such a multiplicity of pupils, that a new wing was built to Richmond
Lodge, and thirty-five new little white dimity beds were added to
the establishment. Mm. Rose used to take out the little Lord in the
one-horse chaise with her when she paid visits, until the Rector's
lady and the Surgeon's wife almost died with envy. His own son and Lord
Buckram having been discovered robbing an orchard together, the Doctor
flogged his own flesh and blood most unmercifully for leading the young
Lord astray. He parted from him with tears. There was always a letter
directed to the Most Noble the Marquis ef Bagwig, on the Doctor's study
table, when any visitors were received by him.
At Eton, a great deal of Snobbishness was thrashed out of Lord Buckram,
and he was birched with perfect impartiality. Even there, however, a
select band of sucking tuft-hunters followed him. Young Croesus lent
him three-and-twenty bran-new sovereigns out of his father's bank. Young
Snaily did his exercises for him, and tried 'to know him at home;' but
Young Bull licked him in a fight of fifty-five minutes, and he was caned
several times with great advantage for not sufficiently polishing his
master Smith's shoes. Boys are not ALL toadies in the morning of life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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