Mr. Midshipman Easy

ribes going to school as

hat Master Easy had cut his thumb. One would have thought that he had cut his head off by the agitation pervading the whole household-Mr Easy walking up and down very uneasy, Mrs Easy with great difficulty prevented from syncope, and all the

Dr Middleton, on entering, addressing himself t

, "he has cut his hand; I'm sure that a

ed the finger: Jack Easy continued t

ticking-plaster in the house, madam?"

s the maids appeared, Sarah bringing the sticki

r Middleton, after he put on the plaster,

et him lie down a little?" replied Mrs Eas

," said the Doctor; "but at all events

you hear what Dr

replied Jack; "b

ome, love-now do,

ob-cherry, and

er Johnny,"

" said Johnny, w

ster Johnny,

rs Easy in a coaxing tone

nd get some more cherrie

ve, we will go

ff his chair, and took

ld it is!" exclaimed Mrs Easy; "

impose upon anyone. As for his taking a guinea for putting on a piece of sticking-plaster, his conscience was very easy on that score. His time was equally valuable, whether he were employed for something or nothing; and, moreover, he attended the poor gra

and made the query at the commencement of the chapter, which we shall

ce, by the cruelty of the ushers,-or patience, when the masters over him are out of all patience, or modesty, when his nether parts are exposed to general examination? Is he not daily reading a lesson at variance with that equality which we all possess, but of which we are unjustly deprived? Why should there be a distinction between the flogger and the floggee? Are they not both fashioned alike after God's image, endowed with the same reason, having an equal right to what the world offers, and which was intended by Providence to be equally distributed? Is it not that the sacred inheritance of all, which has tyrannously and impiously been ravished from the many for the benefit of the few, and which ravishment, from long custom of iniquity and inculcation of false precepts, has too

hair, imagining like all philosophers,

therefore patiently waited unti

ery error of which you speak? It is only education which will conquer prejudice, and enable a man to break through the trammels of custom. Now, allowing that the birch is used, yet it is at a period when th

," replied Mr Easy, folding his arm

capable of, and the boy would indeed be happy with such a preceptor, but-if I must speak plain-you must be aware as well as I am, that the maternal fondn

iculty on that point; but maternal weakness

Easy? for it appear

Here Mr Easy stopped before the word flog was fairly ou

s a tyrant. He will have an aversion to you, and with that aversion he will never pay respect and attention to your valuable precepts when he arrives at an age to understand them. Now it appears to me that this difficulty which you have raised may be got over. I

sequence of Mrs Easy's nonsensical indulgence, the boy is unruly, and will not obey me at present; and if you

gogue in answer to one supposed to be sent to him, in which the use of the birch was indignantly disclaimed, an

, send Johnny to school!

ware that at nine years it is h

Mr Easy; surely I can teach

ma'am, he was saying h

ohnny, dear, come here-tell me now what's the letter

retching his arm over the table to the

ve a great lump if you will

hot at a frog," replied

e can go through the whole

he dear-can't y

eplied

you know what's the le

replied

knows, and how obedient he is too. C

re sugar"; and Johnny, who had climbed on a ch

h was upset in the opposite direction, and, notwithstanding a rapid movement on the part of Mr Easy, he received a sufficient portion of boiling liquid on his legs to scald him severely, and induce him to stamp and swear in a very unphilosophical way. In the meantime Sarah and Mrs Easy had caught up Johnny, and were both holding him at the same time, exclaiming and lamenting. The pain of the scald, and the indiffer

to tea, and enforce Mr Easy's arguments, if it were necessary; but it certainly appeared to him, that in the argument which Mr Easy was then enforcing, he required no assistance. However, at the entrance of Dr Middleton, Joh

asy at first was not certainly of that opinion, but hi

perceived that Mr Easy required his assistance, and that Mrs Easy could do without it; but how to leave a lady, who was half really and half pretendedly in hysterics, was difficult; for if he attempted to leave her, she kicked and flounced, and burst out the more. At last Dr Middleton rang the bell, which brought the footman, who summoned all the maids, who carried Mrs Easy upstairs, and then the Doctor was able to attend to the only patient who

that he who spares the rod, spoils the child,' thereby implying that it is the duty of a father to correct his children, and in a father, the so doing does not interfere with the rights of man, or any natural equality, for the son being a part or portion of the fat

the Doctor having so logically got him out of the scrape. "B

nk Mrs Easy for that

sy. "Doctor, my legs are

n, which will give you immediate relief. I will call to-morrow. By-the-bye, I am to see a l

accommodation, Docto

ee how Mrs Easy is, and to-morrow I will ca

ight, D

and the tears of Mrs Easy, who dared not venture to plead her cause, and the violent resistance of Master Johnny, who appeared to have a presentiment of what was to come, our hero was put into Dr Middleton's chariot, and with the exception of one plate of glass, whic