midnight
Nor were his excursions confined to the small villages in the neighbourhood , which are commonly visited once a week by the students for the sake of carnal recreation . He kept his own horses , traversed the whole country in parties of pleasure , attended all the races within fifty miles of Oxford , and made frequent jaunts to London , where he used to be incognito during the best part of many a term . The rules of the university were too severe to be observed by a youth of his vivacity ; and therefore he became acquainted with the proctor betimes . But all the checks he received were insufficient to moderate his career ; he frequented taverns and coffee-houses , committed midnight frolics in the streets , insulted all the sober and pacific class of his fellow-students : the tutors themselves were not sacred from his ridicule ; he laughed at the magistrate , and neglected every particular of college discipline . In vain did they attempt to restrain his irregularities by the imposition of fines ; he was liberal to profusion , and therefore paid without reluctance . Thrice did he scale the windows of a tradesman , with whose daughter he had an affair of gallantry ; as often was he obliged to seek his safety by a precipitate leap ; and one night would , in all probability , have fallen a sacrifice to an ambuscade that was laid by the father , had not his trusty squire Pipes interposed in his behalf , and manfully rescued him from the clubs of his enemies . In the midst of these excesses , Mr. Jolter , finding his admonitions neglected and his influence utterly destroyed , attempted to wean his pupil from his extravagant courses , by engaging his attention in some more laudable pursuit .