 account of his
proficiency to the commodore, who received it with transport, and forthwith
communicated the happy tidings to the parents.
    Mr. Gamaliel Pickle, who was never subject to violent emotions, heard them
with a sort of phlegmatic satisfaction that scarce manifested itself either in
his countenance or expressions; nor did the child's mother break forth into that
rapture and admiration which might have been expected, when she understood how
much the talents of her first-born had exceeded the hope of her warmest
imagination. Not but that she professed herself well pleased with Perry's
reputation; though she observed that in these commendations the truth was always
exaggerated by school-masters, for their own interest; and pretended to wonder
that the usher had not mingled more probability with his praise. Trunnion was
offended at her indifference and want of faith, and believing that she refined
too much in her discernment, swore that Jennings had declared the truth, and
nothing but the truth; for he himself had prophecied from the beginning, that
the boy would turn out a credit to his family. But by this time Mrs. Pickle was
blessed with a daughter, whom she had brought into the world about six months
before the intelligence arrived; so that her care and affection being otherwise
engrossed, the praise of Perry was the less greedily devoured. The abatement of
her fondness was an advantage to his education, which would have been retarded,
and perhaps ruined by pernicious indulgence and preposterous interposition, had
her love considered him as an only child; whereas her concern being now diverted
to another object that shared, at least, one half of her affection, he was left
to the management of his preceptor, who tutored him according to his own plan,
without any lett or interruption. Indeed all his sagacity and circumspection
were but barely sufficient to keep the young gentleman in order; for now that he
had won the palm of victory from his rivals in point of scholarship, his
ambition dilated, and he was seized with the desire of subjecting the whole
school by the valour of his arm. Before he could bring this project to bear,
innumerable battles were fought with various success; every day a bloody nose
and complaint were presented against him, and his own visage commonly bore some
livid marks of obstinate contention. At length, however, he accomplished his
aim; his adversaries were subdued, his prowess acknowledged, and he obtained the
laurel in war as well as wit. Thus triumphant, he was intoxicated with success.
His pride rose in proportion to his power, and in spite of all the endeavours of
Jennings, who practised
