because he swore we didn't know them, as a matter of fact he wanted to add up Cuse.

July 29. [Aunt Maude took me to an American play which I describe fully and finish by saying] "A great part of the play is extremely sentimental."

July 31. I went to Dale and Crampton's and bought 2 Anderson Patent Cells, 2 Leclanché and 2 dozen insulators, small magnet, some chemicals, and 2 bell pushes.

Aug. 9. After dinner Uncle Rollo and I saw some shooting stars, learnt several, and then looked at Jupiter with a telescope and saw all four moons and his belt.

Sept. 8. At Naworth. I went down to shoot rabbits with a ferret and killed three my second day, then I went out in the evening and killed one, then again ferreting and killed three

more.

Sept. 16. Morshead had a great run made on him to pay bills and has a great debt which he will take years to pay and is therefore poor at present. The supposed number in our house has been raised from 35 to 40.

Sept. 19. The Bishop of Bedford's sermon made me think of the words "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian," so much did I feel inclined to become a London missionary, and I have felt so before when I went about with Aunt Maude.

Oct. 5. Still tight Junior-Morshead has spoken to me, so has Sergeant, but it has not moved me up one place.

Oct. 14. Play in Long Game this afternoon [football]. Get terribly smitten about. I get my head squashed, my finger sprained, and my foot disabled.

Oct. 21. I get a p.c. from Bertie to-day to say "Snowstorm broke telegraph wire," real Spartan laconicism, no telegram could have been shorter. Sergeant for a wonder didn't cropple the whole div. this morning, though he did cropple several men.

Nov. 19. I have got an essay on the "Tendency to Monarchy in the Roman Empire from 100 to 1 B.c." to be shown up to-morrow, and I have not begun yet.

Nov. 20. I showed up only 30 lines instead of 50 to Sergeant to-day in our essay, so he set me one on "Effects of Compulsion by next Tuesday.

Nov. 26. Confirmed by Bishop of Winchester.

Dec. 5. I read 50 pages of Stanley's "Jewish Church " to-day.

Dec. 11. We went to the "Corsican Brothers " in the eveningIrving acts--but I think I have seen many better plays.

Dec. 13. Soon after breakfast we went to Westminster to hear judgment given concerning Dale-it was given against him on every item. Coleridge spoke for 25 minutes, and Judge Field had been speaking for an hour when we went to the Central Lobby, where we saw the statue of John, Earl Russell, which had been unveiled.

Dec. 14. I walk with Uncle George and knew not whither when suddenly he turned into a gun shop and told me he was going to make me a present of a gun!!! GUN. This took my breath away, and he chose and chose, and at last bought me a beautiful one with a nice leather case. [I use it to this day, 42 years afterwards.]

Dec. 17. Went to Bank of England. We were shown most exquisite little machines which of their own accord weigh sovereigns and put the heavy ones on one side and the light on the other. Saw also bank notes being printed and Indian Rupee notes. Several specimens of forgeries were shown us. Then had lunch with Mr. Grenfell the Governor. [These machines were made by Napier, now so well known in the motor world.]

1881.

Jan. 9. I had the misfortune to make an incautious remark and received a lecture in consequence. I wonder what the difference is between the Stanleys and the Russells-Grandmamma can keep me in order. (I call her quite practical.) Granny I love, but Auntie and very often even she irritates me--I think they are dreamy and much too fanciful.

Jan. 20. I came back yesterday with Fort. We had three engines at full steam from Ringwood to Bishopstoke, and yet we arrived a quarter of an hour late owing to the snow there has been lately. There were 13 men at bedtime, and are now about 26. Holiday task is put off till Saturday. Quantities of lines are blocked and floods are dreaded when it thaws. Wells says he has never seen so much snow here in his life, but people always say that.

Jan. 31. Last night I puzzled out a plan for working my circuit on the duplex which I intend to try next holidays.

Feb. 2. Leave-out day. I went with Airlie to the Peers' Gallery. I was very much interested in the Debate and heard Gladstone, Forster, Stafford Northcote, Parnell, Sullivan, Labouchere, Randolph Churchill, and several others.

Feb. 5. Got a letter from Granny to-day jawing me for going

to London on Wednesday without leave from them. I must write and say that here one manages one's own leave-out, and it depends on the Masters entirely.

Feb. 6. I read "In Memoriam " most of to-day-it is very hard to understand. I have got baking leave in Mansfield's toys on condition I keep them tidy. [Baking leave is leave to sit.]

Feb. 7. Received this morning a letter from Auntie nearly all taken up with the London leave-out, which I answered this evening in what I thought a most cautious way.

Feb. 9. Granny and Auntie came down, of course without Bertie. Went with Auntie for a short walk. She jawed me as I expected about the London leave-out, but my diplomatic letter had apparently had an excellent effect.

Feb. 12. Thomas Carlyle died the other day. Michael Davitt is tenderly inquired after every day in the House-he being a convict on ticket of leave who has been re-arrested and is the head of the Land League.

Feb. 13. Read Justin McCarthy's "History of our Own Times." Feb. 14. "Learning" is trotting round Hall madder than ever with a great barge pole in his hand. I have told Dale to send my telegraph instruments down here as I have now been 22 weeks without the sight of an electrical instrument and cannot possibly endure it much longer.

Feb. 29. Hoorah! Uncle George has won the Cumberland Election by 80 votes-3,071 to 8,041, and is at last an M.P. I wrote to him congratulating him. [George Howard.]

Mar. 11. I have been reading the Blue Book about Kandahar and find it very interesting, but takes a long time to read.

Mar. 17. There has been an openly proclaimed Nihilist Meeting in New York. The French Intransigeant will be prosecuted for its article on the Tsar's Assassination. Bradlaugh has had a law decision that it is illegal for him to vote or sit in the House of Commons without taking the oath.

Mar. 19. Got a letter from Grandmamma to-day to ask when holidays begin and when they end. She is evidently determined to get me in London if she can manage Granny.

Mar. 20. Now I am probably going to do some Virgil or else -this is much more probable-go and read Justin McCarthy, or sleep in Mansfield's toys.

Mar. 25. I left Waterloo by the 7.25 having made negotiations with the engine driver which resulted in my joining him on the

footplate between Farnborough and Winchester. It was great fun, but dreadfully noisy and draughty, of course I didn't interfere with the engine myself. It was rather difficult to stand till you got used to it.

Mar. 28. Have written to Dale to ask for some insulators, big ones, as I intend to have a thorough reform of my telegraph system next holidays.

Apl. 9. They shut chapel door in the middle of a beautiful line this morning; crowds of men were shut out. As soon as I had done my paper this morning I had to go to Jahra, he gave me a jaw about my bad exam., and the feebleness of my work during term.

Apl. 10. I managed to get away in time for 4 o'clock tea at Mrs. Dick's, where I met Margoliouth. He contrary to my expectations was most amusing-he possesses a quiet dry humour and utterly scored off Mrs. Dick. He is a wonderful jig and wins everything but he does not look it.

Apl. 16. Got up at 6.30 and was down in the lab. by 7. Took an earth wire from my room to the pump and-duplexed my telegraph instrument so that I could receive current which deflected my needle and work my tapper without affecting my needle! I was very pleased when the operation was over, and was proud of it.

I'

CHAPTER XII

THE SPIRIT OF WINCHESTER

T is hardly possible for a boy of intelligence to pass between four and five years of the most receptive and sensitive years of his growth in such an environment as that of Winchester without its having a profound effect upon his character and development. When I first came there as a small boy not yet fourteen, I naturally noticed and appreciated the increase of freedom over that which is possible at a preparatory school. At Cheam we were permanently under the supervision of the masters even in the playground; at Winchester masters hardly entered into our life at all except in connexion with the necessities of work and discipline, such matters as attending chapel or going out of bounds. By a wise and beneficent dispensation of Dr. Ridding, although the town itself was out of bounds, everything to the west was in bounds. This gave us freedom not only to go to the bathing place or to boat upon the river, or to make the traditional ascent up Hills and piously place the traditional stone in Domum Cross, but freedom to walk and roam anywhere over the country to St. Cross, to Otterbourne or to Twyford, and this alone or accompanied, although as I have already pointed out the tradition of the school required a socius. Indeed at this date when bicycling was just beginning I used to cycle freely all over the country, and even went so far as Southampton on half rems, returning after an extra tea in a teashop. My very first expedition of this kind was made with Loveland upon a weird instrument of those days called a sociable, which consisted of an enormous tricycle with two seats side by side and solid tyres. Even with two people pedalling it was hard work to get it along, but with great courage we set out to do the twelve miles to Southampton, and got there, but with a broken pedal. When I was wheeling it on the pavement to be repaired I was challenged by a policeman, and told him it was a perambulator, when the policeman, relying on common sense, said it was not; I, relying on logic, asked him