Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF PETER PORCUPINE ;
WITH A FULL AVI ) f AIIT ACCOt'NT OF ALL HIS APTHOBISr , TBASSACTI 0 K 5 . [ CONCLUDED FnOM p . 16 4 . " ]
¥ ENLISTED in 1784 , but continued above a year at Chatham ; - during which time I was employed in learning my exercise and Performing garrison duty . M y leisure time was spent in study , and I learnt more this year than I had ever done before . 1 subscribed to a circulating library at Brompton , the greatest part of the books in which I read more than once over . I was not direaed by any decree of taste in the choice of books
: —novels , plays , history , poetry , " all were read with equal avidity _ Such a course could not be very profitable . One branch of learning , however , I went to the bottom with , and that was the Eno-lish grammar . I had experienced my want of a knowledge in this respect while living with Mr . Holland ; but I probabl y should never have engaged the stud of it
HI y , had not accident placed me under a man whose friendship exceeded his interest . My hand-writing procured me the honour of being copyist to Colonel Debbrig , the Commandant ot the garrison . Being totally ignorant of grammar , I made many mistakes in copying . The Colonel saw my deficiency , and strongly recommended study , and promised a reward in case of success . I accordingly procured a Lowth ' s Grammar , and applied myself to the stud y of it with such attention , that at length I could writ ,, wit-hn ^
, tailing into very gross errors . The pains I took cannot be described : I wrote the whole grammar out two or three times—I got it by heart —I repeated it every morning and evening , and when on guard I said it all over once every time I stood sentinel . By this study I was kept out of mischief . I was always sober , and regular in my attendance and met with none of those reproofs which
disgust so many With the service . ' I was soon raised to the rank of corporal , which , however contemptible it may appear to some people , brought me a clear twopence per diem , and put a worsted knot on my shoulder . I now be came impatient to join my regiment , where I expeaed soon to bask under the rays , of Royal favour .
The happy day of departure at last came ; we set sail from Gravesend , and after a short passage arrived at Hallifax , in Nova Scotia . We staid here but a few weeks , being ordered to St . John ' s , in the province of New Brunswick . Here we remained till September 1701 when the regiment was relieved , and sent home . We landed at Pons- ' mouth Nov . 3 dand on the 19 th ofthe next month obtained
, I my discharge after passing through every rank , from a private sentinel to that of a serjeant-major , without ever being once disgraced ,, confined or even reprimanded . ' In March 1792 1 visited France , and continued there till the besnn-VOl . IX . 1 Q to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF PETER PORCUPINE ;
WITH A FULL AVI ) f AIIT ACCOt'NT OF ALL HIS APTHOBISr , TBASSACTI 0 K 5 . [ CONCLUDED FnOM p . 16 4 . " ]
¥ ENLISTED in 1784 , but continued above a year at Chatham ; - during which time I was employed in learning my exercise and Performing garrison duty . M y leisure time was spent in study , and I learnt more this year than I had ever done before . 1 subscribed to a circulating library at Brompton , the greatest part of the books in which I read more than once over . I was not direaed by any decree of taste in the choice of books
: —novels , plays , history , poetry , " all were read with equal avidity _ Such a course could not be very profitable . One branch of learning , however , I went to the bottom with , and that was the Eno-lish grammar . I had experienced my want of a knowledge in this respect while living with Mr . Holland ; but I probabl y should never have engaged the stud of it
HI y , had not accident placed me under a man whose friendship exceeded his interest . My hand-writing procured me the honour of being copyist to Colonel Debbrig , the Commandant ot the garrison . Being totally ignorant of grammar , I made many mistakes in copying . The Colonel saw my deficiency , and strongly recommended study , and promised a reward in case of success . I accordingly procured a Lowth ' s Grammar , and applied myself to the stud y of it with such attention , that at length I could writ ,, wit-hn ^
, tailing into very gross errors . The pains I took cannot be described : I wrote the whole grammar out two or three times—I got it by heart —I repeated it every morning and evening , and when on guard I said it all over once every time I stood sentinel . By this study I was kept out of mischief . I was always sober , and regular in my attendance and met with none of those reproofs which
disgust so many With the service . ' I was soon raised to the rank of corporal , which , however contemptible it may appear to some people , brought me a clear twopence per diem , and put a worsted knot on my shoulder . I now be came impatient to join my regiment , where I expeaed soon to bask under the rays , of Royal favour .
The happy day of departure at last came ; we set sail from Gravesend , and after a short passage arrived at Hallifax , in Nova Scotia . We staid here but a few weeks , being ordered to St . John ' s , in the province of New Brunswick . Here we remained till September 1701 when the regiment was relieved , and sent home . We landed at Pons- ' mouth Nov . 3 dand on the 19 th ofthe next month obtained
, I my discharge after passing through every rank , from a private sentinel to that of a serjeant-major , without ever being once disgraced ,, confined or even reprimanded . ' In March 1792 1 visited France , and continued there till the besnn-VOl . IX . 1 Q to