256 MEMOIR OF 



No schoolboy ever enjoyed his hours of play 

 more than Russell did these South Molton 

 meetings, the lively and pleasant sociality of 

 which, independently of the day's sport, was in 

 no small measure due to the sparkling gaiety 

 and telling effect of his own conversational 

 power — a power not only of saying things 

 humorously, but of communicating the humour 

 to all around him. The hearty dinner which he 

 rarely failed to make after the severest run, 

 seemed rather to stimulate his social energies 

 than suffer them to subside into that somno- 

 lescent mood which, with ordinary mortals, is 

 so apt to follow a full meal after a hard day's 

 work. Nor, till his head was on his pillow, did 

 he ever indulge in a wink of sleep ; but then, 

 once there, ordinarily he slept like a top. 

 ^'Tria sunt necessaria ad humanam vitam ; cibus, 

 somnus et jocus," was the favourite saying of 

 a sensible Archbishop in former days ; and 

 certainly if any one ever did full justice to each 

 and all of those three requirements, Russell was 

 that man. 



The business of the day being over, and 

 the Homeric feast duly disposed of, then com- 

 menced the 



" Sport that wrinkled care derides, 

 And laughter holding- both his sides ; " 



then flashes of humour and good-fellowship 

 enjoyed their full swing, and literally reigned 



