422 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
He had his school-rooms for many years in a wooden land on the north side
of the High Street, immediately in front of where the Old Town Guard-House
stood. In those days pupils were considerably more advanced in years than at
the present time, and indulged in pranks altogether unknown now. In passing
from his school-room, through an ill-lighted passage, to an anteroom which served
for accommodation to those pupils who were waiting the exit of a class, he was
not unfrequently tripped by means of a rope wickedly laid across ; while the
“ Vile assassins ! waylaying in the dark,” as he used to mutter, with considerable
bitterness, on such occasions, secretly enjoyed the triumph of his fall, and the
burst of unavailing passion which the accident never failed to excite. Happily
a material improvement has now taken place in the demeanour of teacher and
pupil towards each other ; and the narration of scenes enacted in schools some
half-century ago is now listened to with incredulity. He exacted, with the
utmost rigour, punctuality of attendance at the hour, and not unfrequently refused
admission to pupils if late a few minutes, dismissing them with a recommendation
to decline “dorrnir” (i.e. to sleep) as they returned home.
Though irritable in his temper and eccentric in his habits, he was very kind
and charitable to the necessitous-having generally two or three orphans in his
employment-and manifested deep displeasure at any marks of injustice, dishonesty,
or oppression. He usually rode at a canter, and invariably carried a
large whip. As he was riding, on a certain occasion, at his usual rapid rate, he
overtook an old infirm villager of Wester Duddingston, who recognised and
informed him that a stranger had, but a few minutes before, stript him of a burden
of willows, Mr. Cauvin in a short time came up with the culprit ; and receiving
of course an unsatisfactory account of the manner in which he had procured
the burden, made him aware of his knowledge of the foul transaction. The
scoundrel instantly doffed his ill-gotton load, ha,@@ that scores would be
thus quietly settled. Not so thought Mr, Cauvin, who plied his whip in his
best style, and did not quit the miscreant till he saw him deposit the willows in
safety within the door of the poor man’s house.
In the prime of life Mi. Cauvin was a fine-looking man, though in his latter
days somewhat corpulent, and more rubicund in his visage than was suited to
the notion of a “ beau garcon.” He was always dressed well, being more like
a nobleman of the “ancienne regime” than a Scotch teacher. His attainments
were not very varied ; but he possessed a retentive memory, and the faculty of
a quick and accurate discernment of character. His hospitality was widely known,
and for many years much taxed ; but during the latter years of his life it was
confined to a few select friends.
It is worthy of being mentioned that the Poet Burns was an intimate friend,
and (which is not generally known) was also a pupil of his. He applied to
him, stating his anxiety to learn the French language, but the only hour at
which Mr. Cauvin could receive him was at nine o’clock in the evening, when
his ordinary labours ceased for the day ; aud this, it may be supposed, was not
very agreeable or convenient for either of them. However, Mr. Cauvin agreed
