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20 The Adventures of Roderick Random chapter ii. I grow up——am hated by my relations——sent to school——neglected by my grandfather——maltreated by my master——seasoned to adversity——I form cabals against the pedant——am debarred access to my grandfather——hunted by his heir——I demolish the teeth of his tutor. There were not wanting some, who suspected my uncles of being concerned in my father’s fate, on the supposition that they would all share in the patrimony destined for him: and this conjecture was strengthened by reflecting, that in all his calamities they never discovered the least inclination to serve him; but, on the contrary, by all the artifices in their power, fed his father’s resentment, and supported his resolution of leaving him to misery and want.—But people of judgment treated this insinuation as an idle chimera; because had my relations been so wicked as to consult their interest by committing such an atrocious crime, the fate of my father would have extended to me too, whose life was another obstacle to their expectation.—Mean while, I grew apace, and as I strongly resembled my father, who was the darling of the tenants, I wanted nothing which their indigent circumstances could afford: but their favour was a weak resource against the jealous enmity of my cousins; who, the more my infancy promised, conceived the more implacable hatred against me; and before I was six years of age, had so effectually blockaded my grandfather, that I never saw him but by stealth, when I sometimes made up to his chair as he sat to view his labourers in the field: on which occasions, he would stroak my head, bid me be a good boy, and promise to take care of me.—I was soon after sent to school at a village hard by, of which he had been dictator time out of mind: but, as he never paid for my board, nor supplied me with cloaths, books, and other necessaries I required, my condition was very ragged and contemptible, and the schoolmaster, who, through fear of my grandfather taught me gratis, gave himself no concern about the progress I made under his instruction.—In spite of all these difficulties and disgraces, I became a good proficient in the Latin tongue;1 and as soon as I could write tolerably, pestered my grandfather with letters to such a degree, that he sent for my master, and chid him severely for bestowing such pains on my education, telling him, that if ever I should be brought to the gallows for forgery, which he had taught me to commit, my blood would lie on his head.—The pedant, who dreaded nothing more than the displeasure of his patron, assured his honour that the boy’s ability was more owing to his own genius and application than to any instruction or encouragement he received; that although he could not divest him of the knowledge he had already imbibed, unless he would impower him to disable his fingers, he should endeavour, with God’s help, to prevent his future improvement. And indeed, he punctually performed what he had undertaken; for, on pretence that I had writ impertinent letters to my grandfather, he caused a board to be made with five holes in it, through which he thrust the fingers and thumb of my right-hand, and fas- Volume One, Chapter II 21 tened it by whip-cord to my wrist, in such a manner as effectually debarred me the use of my pen. But, this restraint I was freed from in a few days by an accident which happened in a quarrel between me and another boy, who taking upon him to insult my poverty, I was so incensed at his ungenerous reproach, that with one stroke of my machine , I cut him to the skull, to the great terror of myself and school-fellows, who left him bleeding on the ground, and ran to inform the master of what had happened. I was so severely punished for this trespass, that, were I to live to the age of Methusalem,2 the impression it made on me would not be effaced; no more than the antipathy and horror I conceived for the merciless tyrant who inflicted it. The contempt which my appearance naturally produced, in all who saw me, the continual wants to which I was exposed, and my own haughty disposition, impatient of affronts...

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