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the Junior Bachelors. The master told me this as an apology formy not being then elected, and bade me be contented till thenext year. On the first of October, 1760, I was elected a Fellow ofTrinity College, and put over the head of two of my seniors ofthe same year, who were however elected the next year. Theold master, whose memory I have ever revered, when he haddone examining me, paid me this compliment, which was fromhim a great one, — “ You have done your duty to the College, itremains for the College to do theirs to you.” I was elected thenext day, and became assistant tutor to Mr. Backhouse in thefollowing November.
About the same time I was offered by the Vice-Chancellor thecuracy of Clermont, and advised to accept it, as it would give mean opportunity of recommending myself to the Duke of New-castle, then Chancellor of the University : but then and alwaysprizing my independence above all prospects, I declined acceptingthe offer. I might also soon after have gone chaplain to theFactory at Bencoolen, and I would have gone, but that I wantedseveral months of being able to take priest’s orders. The masterof the College hearing of my intention sent for me, and insistedon my abandoning my design, adding, in the most obligingmanner, “ You are far too good to die of drinking punch in thetorrid zone.” I had then great spirits, and by learning, as Ipurposed, the Persian and Arabic languages, should probablyhave continued but a short time chaplain to the Factory . I havethanked God for being disappointed of an opportunity of becom-ing an Asiatic plunderer. I might not have been able to resist