of every hat that I knew. But I did not do this immediately. I must tell you two little anecdotes, that first initiated me into the secret of real greatness. The first is this: I was sitting at dinner with some fellows of a college, grave men and clever; two of them, not knowing me, were conversing about me: they heard, they said, that I should never be so good a fellow as my father,—have such a cellar, or keep such a house.
"'I have met six earls there and a marquis,' quoth the other senior.
"'And his son,' returned the first don, 'only keeps company with sizars, I believe.'
"'So then,' said I to myself, 'to deserve the praise even of clever men, one must have good wines, know plenty of earls, and forswear sizars.'
"Nothing could be truer than my conclusion."
"Anecdote the second is this:—On the day I gained a high University prize, I invited my friends to dine with me: four of them refused, because they were engaged (they had been asked since I asked them)—to whom? the richest man at the University. These occurrences happening
