The sense of the ridiculous, which is but too much alive in grown persons, is tenfold more active and alert in boys.

Once detected, I was the constant butt of their arrows,--the mark against which every puny leveller directed his little shaft of scorn.

The very Graduses and Thesauruses were raked for phrases to pelt me with by the tiny pedants.

Ventri natus--Ventri deditus,--Vesana gula,--Escarum gurges,--Dapibus indulgens,--Non dans fraena gulae,-Sectans lautae fercula mensae, resounded wheresoever I passed.

I led a weary life, suffering the penalties of guilt for that which was no crime, but only following the blameless dictates of nature.