11 



found his real vocation in life, and worked at it until 1882. He looked 

 after his pupils in a business-like way, with mingled firmness and 

 kindness, and they reciprocated by giving him their confidence. 

 Some of them have afterwards described how kindly he had assisted 

 them with means, and by his influence started them successfully on 

 their journey through life. His remembrance of his pupils did not 

 come to an end when they had passed from his care, but he and they 

 remained ever mutual friends. In this way he became well known 

 outside the University, his name and influence attracting many 

 students to his College. When he married in 1871, he expected, as 

 the custom then was, that he would lose both his fellowship and 

 tutorship. But the College would not part with so valuable a 

 tutor. The Master and Seniors requested him to continue in his 

 office of tutor though residing in his own house. This was a compli- 

 ment of which he was justly proud. He continued to act as tutor for 

 eleven more years, and was then elected a second time to a fellowship 

 in his College. He, however, did not retain the dividends of this 

 office, but of his own free will gave them up to the College. Later on 

 he gave 500 for the Church at Walworth, as this is the College mis- 

 sion belonging to St. John's, not the only gift of his to this district. 



Dr. Parkinson took his B.D. degree in 1855, and became Doctor 

 of Divinity in 1869. He acted as curate shortly after his degree in a 

 neighbouring village, but the pressure of his other duties prevented 

 him from taking much more active work. He was on the Commis- 

 sion of the Peace for the borough for several years. He was elected 

 a Member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society in 1845, a Member 

 of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1853, and a Fellow of the 

 Royal Society in 1870. He married Miss Whateley, of Edgbaston 

 Hall, in 1871. 



Dr. Parkinson was not a writer of many books. His treatises on 

 Elementary Mechanics and on Optics were published while engaged 

 in tuition. They do not contain any novelties, but were written 

 because experience had shown him that students had found difficulties 

 in these subjects, which he thought he could remove. Their com- 

 mercial success is therefore a good test of their excellence, and of this 

 there can be no doubt. They came into general use in the University, 

 and for several years they were very generally read. They each 

 passed through several editions. They have, however, now been 

 superseded by newer books with methods more adapted to the wants 

 of the present day. 



Dr. Parkinson took a prominent part in University affairs. He 

 was Examiner for the Mathematical Tripos in 1849, and Moderator 

 in 1852. He served as Senior Proctor in 1864. He was a Member 

 of many syndicates appointed to consider weighty questions as they 

 arose. For example, he served on the important syndicate which 



