52   ENGLISH MEN Of SCIENCE.   [CHAP.

wood, near Birmingham. The boys were taken into administrative co-operation ; they regulated their own discipline, and the things they learnt were of the most varied kind. Some men of high note were educated there, and, among these at least one of the scientific men on my list. He gave much attention to mental calculation, and even on his deathbed (at. 88) invented and successfully applied a new method for determining for any year the date of Easter. Also known for his analysis of articulate sounds and phonography. (Short biographical notice in Annual Report R. Astronomical Society, Feb. 13,

1852.)

Second generation consisted of 5 males and 2 females.-All 5 males had strong points of resemblance and deserve notice. (1) Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B. and F.R.S., originator and organizer of the system of penny postage, which is an influence of the first order of magnitude in modern civilization. He was noted in youth for powers of mental calculation, and in some points was superior even to Zerah Colburn and

George Bidder ; thus he could mentally extract