These nostrums,
recommended by the art of cringing, in which he was consummate,
ingratiated him so much with people of fashion, that he was enabled
to set up school with five-and-twenty boys of the best families,
whom he boarded on his own terms and undertook to instruct in the
French and Latin languages, so as to qualify them for the colleges
of Westminster and Eton. While this plan was in its infancy,
he was so fortunate as to meet with Jennings, who, for the paltry
consideration of thirty pounds a year, which his necessities compelled
him to accept, took the whole trouble of educating the children
upon himself, contrived an excellent system for that purpose, and,
by his assiduity and knowledge, executed all the particulars to
the entire satisfaction of those concerned, who, by the bye, never
inquired into his qualifications, but suffered the other to enjoy
the fruits of his labour and ingenuity.
Over and above a large stock of avarice, ignorance, and vanity,
this superior had certain ridiculous peculiarities in his person,
such as a hunch upon his back, and distorted limbs, that seemed to
attract the satirical notice of Peregrine, who, young as he was,
took offence at his want of reverence for his usher, over whom he
sometimes chose opportunities of displaying his authority, that the
boys might not misplace their veneration.
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