to shew the principal ways in which this passion manifests itself at Westminster. Society is one of the great objects for which public education is preferred to private; it may, therefore, be considered as the duty of every individual member of a public school, to forward his own interests as far as the opportunities which society affords will permit. Like all other duties, however necessary to promote our advantage, this duty might be neglected, unless ambition was added as a further incentive; unless it excited us to form connections to strengthen our power and welfare, and prompted us to exert our talents for the gratification of our love of praise. This latter kind of ambition is more prevalent and energetic than any other; conversation and learning are its chief objects, but as to excel in learning would require no small share of diligence and labour as well as of abilities, whilst every one finds it, or at least thinks it easy, to excel in conversation, attempts at superiority are usually made in this respect. Some pride themselves on the solidity of their observations and their powers of arguing; many, as I have mentioned in a former paper, on the theatrical knowledge which they display,-others on their sallies of wit, "They cannot ope "Their mouth, but out there ffies a Pun.” These gentlemen are at least happy enough to satisfy themselves, and are blessed with a continual series of mirth occasioned by their own happiness of conceit. One of the best pieces of humour going with them, is to seem not to understand their companions' jokes; if the former set think themselves the most rational and learned, the latter unquestion~ ably suppose themselves to be the most agreeable companions. The last kind of persons I shall mention, are those whose most ardent wish it is to go by the denomination of "Jolly Fel lows." They will neither be content to yield the palm to the first or the last set; indeed they will allow common sense and humour to nobody but themselves. They go upon the Epicurean system, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." Their definition of common sense would, I believe, be," a particular attention to food and raiment :" all manner of trouble beyond this is considered superfluous, and nearly allied to madness-they sometimes call it Extraordinary Sense. Their pretensions to humour consists in spouting out ridiculous paradoxes in the most boisterous manner. Thus it is that the reputation of talents for conversation is sought after by boys of all classes, and while in reality there is no gift more rare or valuable than a ready command of proper subjects and language, there are few who would not think themselves insulted if they were accused of being at all deficient in that respect. SIR, When I first took up your 14tir Number, I own, I was induced to think the observations contained in it paradoxical. I often see the backwardness of knowledge and learning in the present age complained of, and have heard it said that no second Newton or Verulam could be expected to arise in this age when no one learnt more in our public schools than was necessary to qualify him for his profession or situation in life hereafter. I had therefore been always glad to see one who was advanced be ond his age in learning, thinking that such a person must necessarily contribute to the reputation of the School by their deeds in after-life. Nor can I help thinking that this would be the case if however the usage these forward boys experience here is such as to break their spirit or debase any virtuous and honourable feelings in them, or if it is any great obstacle to their acquirements, it would unquestionably be better, that |