The Mason-bees 



of my series of Gingers, which I have re- 

 tained for little short of twenty years through 

 the vicissitudes of my various removals. 



The first of these removals took place in 

 1870. A little earlier, a minister who has 

 left a lasting memory in the University, that 

 fine man, Victor Duruy,^ had instituted classes 

 for the secondary education of girls. This 

 was the beginning, as far as was then possi- 

 ble, of the burning question of to-day. 1 very 

 gladly lent my humble aid to this labour of 

 light. I was put to teach physical and natural 

 science. I had faith and was not sparing of 

 work, with the result that I rarely faced a 

 more attentive or interested audience. The 

 days on which the lessons fell were red-letter 

 days, especially when the lesson was botany 

 and the table disappeared from view under 

 the treasures of the neighbouring conserva- 

 tories. 



That was going too far. In fact, you can 

 see how heinous my crime was : I taught those 

 young persons what air and water are; 



^Jean Victor Duruy (1811-1894), author of a number 

 of historical works, including a well-known Histoire des 

 romains, and minister of public instruction under Napo- 

 leon III. from 1863 to 1869. Cf. The Life of the Fly: 

 chap, XX. — Translator's Note. 



112 



