62 MEMORIES OF MY LIFE 



far more distant moon becomes visible when risen but 

 a few degrees above the horizon. 



Talking of such things reminds me of an ele- 

 mentary but very neat little problem that was set 

 about this time in one of the College examination 

 papers. It has often served me as a rough reminder 

 of the constants involved, so I give it : 



" The tops of two masts, each ten feet above calm 

 water, are just visible to one another at a distance of 

 eight miles ; what is the diameter of the earth ? 

 Aerial refraction is not to be taken into account." I 

 leave its solution to the reader. 



One of the features of my stay at the Lakes was 

 the wrestling and other field sports, then much more 

 homely in their accessories than they are now. I took 

 lessons from one of the family of Ivens, among whom 

 were many noted wrestlers. My teacher was the 

 light-weight champion of the year. It was interesting 

 to observe the wary approach and half-catchings of the 

 opponents before one of them succeeded in grappling ; 

 then the tug-of-war began. 



An event occurred at this time closely similar in 

 many respects, but not in its most painful details, 

 to one previously related by De Quincey in his 

 reminiscences of S. T. Coleridge, as having occurred 

 in the Lake District in the early years of last century. 

 I was quite ignorant of it till very lately, when I 

 happened to be reading his book. My story is that 

 of a Polish Count, O., who appeared at Keswick with 

 scant introductions, took a house, and made himself 

 most agreeable. I fell at once under his influence, 

 for he seemed to me extraordinarily accomplished. 

 He had all sorts of books and instruments, and even 



