 triumph of our hero was
compleat. Neither was his whole time devoted to the riotous extravagancies of
youth. He enjoyed many lucid intervals, during which he contracted a more
intimate acquaintance with the classicks, applied himself to the reading of
history, improved his taste for painting and musick, in which he made some
progress; and above all things, cultivated the study of natural philosophy. It
was generally after a course of close attention to some of these arts and
sciences, that his disposition broke out into those irregularities and wild
sallies of a luxuriant imagination, for which he became so remarkable; and he
was perhaps the only young man in Oxford, who at the same time maintained an
intimate and friendly intercourse with the most unthinking, as well as with the
most sedate students at the university.
    It is not to be supposed that a young man of Peregrine's vanity,
inexperience and profusion, could suit his expence to his allowance, liberal as
it was; for he was not one of those fortunate people who are born oeconomists,
and knew not the art of with-holding his purse when he saw his companion in
difficulty: thus naturally generous and expensive, he squandered away his money,
and made a most splendid appearance upon the receipt of his quarterly
appointment; but long before the third month was elapsed, his finances were
consumed, and as he could not stoop to ask an extraordinary supply, was too
proud to borrow, and too haughty to run in debt with tradesmen, he devoted those
periods of poverty to the prosecution of his studies, and shone forth again at
the revolution of quarter day.
    In one of these irruptions he and some of his companions went to Windsor, in
order to see the royal apartments in the castle, whither they repaired in the
afternoon, and as Peregrine stood contemplating the picture of Hercules and
Omphale, one of his fellow-students whispered in his ear, »Z-ds! Pickle, there
are two fine girls.« He turned instantly about, and in one of them recognized
his almost forgotten Emilia: her appearance acted upon his imagination like a
spark of fire that falls among gun-powder; that passion which had lain dormant
for the space of two years flashed up in a moment, and he was seized with an
universal trepidation. She perceived and partook of his emotion; for their
souls, like unisons, vibrated with the same impulse. However, she called her
pride and resentment to her aid, and found resolution enough to retire from such
a dangerous scene. Alarmed at her retreat, he recollected all his assurance, and
impelled by
