240 ENGLISH MEN OF SCIENCE. (CHAP.
Variety of subjects and attention to details. A combination of home and school education, my father having been head master of the school."
(7) " My father being a schoolmaster, I was at some sort of school work nearly all my life, but from the age of 12 I was occupied more in teaching than in learning. My education included the various subjects usually taught in English schools, with something of astronomy, pneumatics, electricity, and mechanics. I learnt much in conversation with my father, which chiefly took an instructive form. Was led to think and speak freely, also to engage frequently in domestic discussions on questions of general policy. I had also early access to tools and materials."
(8) " I was fortunate in obtaining at school (eat. 8-16) an insight into the phenomena of nature, a subject entirely ignored at that time in almost all schools. My peculiar bent for experiment was encouraged at home by my mother, and there were peculiar merits in my
