Not that he valued himself upon his ability in smoking
the greatest number of pipes, and drinking the largest quantity of
ale: these were qualifications of too gross a nature to captivate
his refined ambition. He piqued himself on his talent for raillery,
his genius and taste, his personal accomplishments, and his success
at intrigue. Nor were his excursions confined to the small villages
in the neighbourhood, which are commonly visited once a week. by
the students for the sake of carnal recreation. He kept his own
horses, traversed the whole country in parties of pleasure, attended
all the races within fifty miles of Oxford, and made frequent jaunts
to London, where he used to be incognito during the best part of
many a term.
The rules of the university were too severe to be observed by a
youth of his vivacity; and therefore he became acquainted with the
proctor betimes. But all the checks he received were insufficient
to moderate his career; he frequented taverns and coffee-houses,
committed midnight frolics in the streets, insulted all the sober
and pacific class of his fellow-students: the tutors themselves
were not sacred from his ridicule; he laughed at the magistrate, and
neglected every particular of college discipline.
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