CHAPTER X.

THE DISPUTE.

Dispute with John Collins--A Bookish Fellow--The Education of Girls--The Controversial Correspondence--His Father finds the Letters--His Criticisms--Collins _versus_ Benjamin--Bought a Copy of the Spectator and studied it laboriously--Sorry that he did not continue to write Poetry--His Father's Counsel--His Economy of Time--A Book always by his side--His Maxims on this Subject-- Violating the Sabbath to gain Time for Study--Useful Conversation and Talking Nonsense--Hundreds ruined by a similar cause--Walter Scott hiding Novels from his Father--Pope going to the Theatre-- Exceptions to the General Rule 93-103