He made wonderful advances in scholastic learning.

The superb Cuff himself, at whose condescension Dobbin could only blush and wonder, helped him on with his Latin verses; "coached" him in play-hours: carried him triumphantly out of the little-boy class into the middle-sized form; and even there got a fair place for him.

It was discovered, that although dull at classical learning, at mathematics he was uncommonly quick.

To the contentment of all he passed third in algebra, and got a French prize-book at the public Midsummer examination.

You should have seen his mother's face when Telemaque (that delicious romance) was presented to him by the Doctor in the face of the whole school and the parents and company, with an inscription to Gulielmo Dobbin.