18091842] SCHOOL 3 



crying afterwards. I recollect my mother's gown and scarcely 

 anything of her appearance, except one or two walks with 

 her. I have no distinct remembrance of any conversation, 

 and those only of a very trivial nature. I remember her 

 saying "if she did ask me to do something," which I said 

 she had, "it was solely for my good." 



Catherine remembers my mother crying, when she heard of 

 my grandmother's death. Also when at Parkfield how Aunt 

 Sarah and Aunt Kitty used to receive her. Susan, like me, 

 only remembers affairs personal. It is sufficiently odd this 

 [difference] in subjects remembered. Catherine says she does 

 not remember the impression made upon her by external 

 things, as scenery, but for things which she reads she has an 

 excellent memory, i.e., for ideas. Now her sympathy being 

 ideal, it is part of her character, and shows how easily her 

 kind of memory was stamped, a vivid thought is repeated, 

 a vivid impression forgotten. 



I remember obscurely the illumination after the battle 

 of Waterloo, and the Militia exercising about that period, 

 in the field opposite our house. 



1817. At 8J years old I went to Mr. Case's School. 1 I 

 remember how very much I was afraid of meeting the dogs 

 in Barker Street, and how at school I could not get up my 

 courage to fight. I was very timid by nature. I remember I 

 took great delight at school in fishing for newts in the quarry 

 pool. I had thus young formed a strong taste for collecting, 

 chiefly seals, franks, etc., but also pebbles and minerals one 

 which was given me by some boy decided this taste. I 

 believe shortly after this, or before, I had smattered in botany, 

 and certainly when at Mr. Case's School I was very fond of 

 gardening, and invented some great falsehoods about being 

 able to colour crocuses 2 as I liked. At this time I felt very 

 strong friendship for some boys. It was soon after I began 

 collecting stones, i.e., when 9 or 10, that I distinctly recollect 

 the desire I had of being able to know something about every 

 pebble in front of the hall door it was my earliest and 

 only geological aspiration at that time. I was in those days 



1 A day-school at Shrewsbury kept by Rev. G. Case, minister of the 

 Unitarian Chapel (Life and Letter s. Vol. I., p. 27 et seq.}. 



2 The story is given in the Life and Letters, I., p. 28, the details being 

 slightly different. 



