按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ish painters； and his 'Cloister Life of Charles the Fifth；' excited our unbounded admiration； while his BONHOMIE and radiant humour were a delight we were always eager to welcome。
George Cayley and I now entered at Lincoln's Inn。 At the end of three years he was duly called to the Bar。 I was not； for alas； as usual； something 'turned up；' which drew me in another direction。 For a couple of years； however； I 'ate' my terms … not unfrequently with William Harcourt； with whom Cayley had a Yorkshire intimacy even before our Cambridge days。
Old Mr。 Cayley； though not the least strait…laced； was a religious man。 A Unitarian by birth and conviction； he began and ended the day with family prayers。 On Sundays he would always read to us； or make us read to him； a sermon of Channing's； or of Theodore Parker's； or what we all liked better； one of Frederick Robertson's。 He was essentially a good man。 He had been in Parliament all his life； and was a broad…minded； tolerant； philosophical man…of…the…world。 He had a keen sense of humour； and was rather sarcastical； but； for all that； he was sensitively earnest； and conscientious。 I had the warmest affection and respect for him。 Such a character exercised no small influence upon our conduct and our opinions； especially as his approval or disapproval of these visibly affected his own happiness。
He was never easy unless he was actively engaged in some benevolent scheme； the promotion of some charity； or in what he considered his parliamentary duties； which he contrived to make very burdensome to his conscience。 As his health was bad； these self…imposed obligations were all the more onerous； but he never spared himself； or his somewhat scanty means。 Amongst other minor tasks； he used to teach at the Sunday…school of St。 John's； Westminster； in this he persuaded me to join him。 The only other volunteer； not a clergyman； was Page Wood … a great friend of Mr。 Cayley's … afterwards Lord Chancellor Hatherley。 In spite of Mr。 Cayley's Unitarianism； like Frederick the Great； he was all for letting people 'go to Heaven in their own way；' and was moreover quite ready to help them in their own way。 So that he had no difficulty in hearing the boys repeat the day's collect； or the Creed； even if Athanasian； in accordance with the prescribed routine of the clerical teachers。
This was right； at all events for him； if he thought it right。 My spirit of nonconformity did not permit me to follow his example。 Instead thereof； my teaching was purely secular。 I used to take a volume of Mrs。 Marcet's 'Conversations' in my pocket； and with the aid of the diagrams； explain the application of the mechanical forces； … the inclined plane； the screw； the pulley； the wedge； and the lever。 After two or three Sundays my class was largely increased； for the children keenly enjoyed their competitive examinations。 I would also give them bits of poetry to get by heart for the following Sunday … lines from Gray's 'Elegy；' from Wordsworth； from Pope's 'Essay on Man' … such in short as had a moral rather than a religious tendency。
After some weeks of this； the boys becoming clamorous in their zeal to correct one another； one of the curates left his class to hear what was going on in mine。 We happened at the moment to be dealing with geography。 The curate； evidently shocked； went away and brought another curate。 Then the two together departed； and brought back the rector … Dr。 Jennings； one of the Westminster Canons … a most kind and excellent man。 I went on as if unconscious of the censorship； the boys exerting themselves all the more eagerly for the sake of the 'gallery。' When the hour was up； Canon Jennings took me aside； and in the most polite manner thanked me for my 'valuable assistance；' but did not think that the 'Essay on Man；' or especially geography； was suited for the teaching in a Sunday…school。 I told him I knew it was useless to contend with so high a canonical authority； personally I did not see the impiety of geography； but then； as he already knew； I was a confirmed latitudinarian。 He clearly did not see the joke； but intimated that my services would henceforth be dispensed with。
Of course I was wrong； though I did not know it then； for it must be borne in mind that there were no Board Schools in those days； and general education； amongst the poor； was deplorably deficient。 At first； my idea was to give the children （they were all boys） a taste for the 'humanities；' which might afterwards lead to their further pursuit。 I assumed that on the Sunday they would be thinking of the baked meats awaiting them when church was over； or of their week…day tops and tipcats； but I was equally sure that a time would come when these would be forgotten； and the other things remembered。 The success was greater from the beginning than could be looked for； and some years afterwards I had reason to hope that the forecast was not altogether too sanguine。
While the Victoria Tower was being built； I stopped one day to watch the masons chiselling the blocks of stone。 Presently one of them； in a flannel jacket and a paper cap； came and held out his hand to me。 He was a handsome young fellow with a big black beard and moustache； both powdered with his chippings。
'You don't remember me； sir； do you？'
'Did I ever see you before？'
'My name is Richards； don't you remember； sir？ I was one of the boys you used to teach at the Sunday…school。 It gave me a turn for mechanics； which I followed up； and that's how I took to this trade。 I'm a master mason now； sir； and the whole of this lot is under me。'
'I wonder what you would have been；' said I； 'if we'd stuck to the collects？'
'I don't think I should have had a hand in this little job；' he answered； looking up with pride at the mighty tower； as though he had a creative share in its construction。
All this while I was working hard at my own education； and trying to make up for the years I had wasted （so I thought of them）； by knocking about the world。 I spent laborious days and nights in reading； dabbling in geology； chemistry； physiology； metaphysics； and what not。 On the score of dogmatic religion I was as restless as ever。 I had an insatiable thirst for knowledge； but was without guidance。 I wanted to learn everything； and； not knowing in what direction to concentrate my efforts； learnt next to nothing。 All knowledge seemed to me equally important； for all bore alike upon the great problems of belief and of existence。 But what to pursue； what to relinquish； appeared to me an unanswerable riddle。 Difficult as this puzzle was； I did not know then that a long life's experience would hardly make it simpler。 The man who has to earn his bread must fain resolve to adapt his studies to that end。 His choice not often rests with him。 But the unfortunate being cursed in youth with the means of idleness； yet without genius； without talents even； is terribly handicapped and perplexed。
And now； with life behind me； how should I advise another in such a plight？ When a young lady； thus embarrassed； wrote to Carlyle for co