8 MEMORIAL SKETCH. 



he gave an outline of his theory, which greatly excited my 

 curiosity to see the book. 



The consciousness of power is increasing within him, 

 and the longing to exercise it. He is in his sixteenth 

 year, and so in May, 1829, he communicates his plan to 

 the same &quot; clear old Poll,&quot; with a droll touch of boyish 

 self-justification for so forward a step. 



I am thinking about delivering some lectures on optics at 

 the Mechanics Institution next winter. I shall be glad if you 

 will give me your opinion about it when you write next. I 

 have paid a good deal of attention to optics lately, and feel 

 myself pretty well qualified to do it, so far as information is 

 concerned. I am grown a good deal during the past year, and 

 look more of a man than I did. 



The manly look, indeed, came early enough ; his 

 speedy absorption in severe intellectual labour gave to his 

 demeanour a gravity which caused him to be habitually 

 regarded as older than he really was. Moreover, a serious 

 illness completely altered his appearance, and the plump 

 ness which he lost he never regained. 



It was greatly to William Carpenter s advantage that 

 while he was prosecuting his medical studies under Mr. 

 Estlin, and subsequently at the Bristol Medical School and 

 the Infirmary, he remained in close connection with the 

 home circle in Great George Street. There he learned, 

 under his father s guidance, to take an active interest in 

 public affairs ; and the incidents connected with the Bristol 

 riots in October, 1831, left an ineffaceable impression in 

 his mind. The boys school had by that time been given 

 up, and his mother and sisters had opened a girls school 

 instead. They felt in no danger, but it fell to him to escort 

 a number of neighbours to a place of safety in Clifton, 

 and as he looked back over the city, lighted with the 

 blazing glare of gaol and custom-house, Mansion-house and 



