Mr. Martyr and Mr. Bowker, the former of whom some few months since filled the office of master at the Rochester Proprietary School, while the latter holds the situation of second master in the establishment in London. Since the writing of the foregoing chapter, a change of some importance has taken place at Hertford. In consequence of the resignation of the office of steward by Mr. Steele,-a change much to be regretted, from the efficient manner in which that gentleman discharged the duties of his office, and the courtesy exhibited by him on all occasions to those with whom he came in contact, Mr. Ludlow, on the recommendation of the committee, was elected to fill the vacancy : henceforth, as far as the scholastic duties of the establishment affect that gentleman, we may exclaim with our immortal bard, "Othello's occupation's gone!" 87 CHAPTER VIII. "Syntax to construe with rules out of sum, AT the termination of a morning spent in writing, &c., a brief time before dinner was allowed for recreation, after which, as the clock struck two, I entered for the first time the classical edifice of the Grammar school. I was placed by Mr. Franklin, whom I have before noticed, in the fifth or last form, there to study the Latin accidence, and ascend the first steps of the ladder of learning. In person, Mr. Franklin was a goodly specimen of the portly churchman; tall, but propor tionably fashioned; his face beaming with smiles and glowing with the hue of health, while his manners were so kind, that it is no matter of surprise he should have been so great a favourite with his pupils, who flocked round, whenever he left his residence during playhours, to catch his kind smile or shake him warmly by the hand. Scarcely any further testimonial of the goodness of Mr. Franklin is necessary; but a higher authority than mine own has placed on record an eulogium so richly merited that I cannot refrain from quoting it in these pages. The late Charles Lamb, with whom Mr. Franklin was cotemporary during the period of their education in Christ's Hospital, describes him in the delightful Essays of Elia, as "the fine frank-hearted Franklin!" The grammar school is approached through a portion of the garden belonging to its master. As you enter to the right, facing the private entrance of Mr. Franklin, is situated his desk, so large in proportion that one would have imagined it formed a state-chair for our eighth Harry; directly facing is the first form, consisting of three parts of a square, formed of wooden desks, with iron supporters; and in the centre, at a small isolated desk, sit the inspector and his deputy, whose duty it is to see that the boys are attentive to their lessons, but at the same time not to neglect their own; for if they make any mistake in the lesson, the next boy immediately takes their place. There are two classes placed on each side of the school beyond the first, but in every respect similar. On the further side of Mr. Franklin's desk, and parallel to the entrancedoor, is one leading out into his garden. The only books in use during the mastership of Mr. Franklin, were, Murray's Abridgment of the English Grammar, the Latin Grammar, and Accidence, with the addition of the Church Catechism, the Psalms of David, and Crossman's Introduction. These, however, have long since yielded to books of a higher grade, and the scholars sent from Hertford to London take their places in the upper classes. Under Mr. Franklin was an usher of the name of Lodge, famed for seizing the boys under the chin, and there indenting his nails, causing the sufferers to shriek with pain; as he was allowed no cane, he substituted his nails as an instrument of punishment. I think it undoubtedly a filthy habit for persons to devour their own fingernails; but how much suffering I should have been saved, had Mr. Lodge contracted this habit! but as the hideous birds of prey owe to their talons the food that sustains them, so did Mr. Lodge derive pleasure from this unmanly system of torture. When not engaged in hearing a class, his sharp penknife was pruning and rendering strong, by constant cutting and attention, his odious finger-ends. It afforded us much amusement of a holiday, to steal along the shrubbery leading to the school, and while he was engaged in hearing the |