PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE 17 



for instance, in a letter dated May 30, 1833, Mn 

 Dale is full of entomological talk, as may be gathered 

 from the following brief quotation, which is only 

 one of many such : " I have done nothing extra- 

 ordinary this season yet (though warm enough for 

 Podalirius). But I found Melitcea Lucina, Lyccena 

 argiolus, Thecla rubi, Melitcea Artemis, and Lycczna 

 cymon at Glanvilles Wootton lately, which is rather 

 unusual. Lucina I never saw there before, and not 

 at Grange even for twelve years. Cymon is a fort- 

 night earlier ; rubi I have not seen for several years ; 

 Argiolus I have only seen there for the last two or 

 three years, and Artemis (now in plenty) I only took 

 two of before last year at Glanvilles Wootton, and 

 those twelve or thirteen years ago." Few letters 

 interested him more keenly than those which he 

 had from Mr. Dale, some of which reached an un- 

 wonted length, and literally bristled with cater- 

 pillars, chrysalises, moths, and butterflies. 



It is hard to realise the changes that have taken 

 place at Oxford since 1829 changes in manners, 

 customs, modes of thought, to say nothing of those 

 of a material kind ; so that the Oxford of that date 

 is very far removed from the Oxford of to-day. 

 Not least among the many changes that have passed 

 over her is that which has been brought about in 

 the system of the University examinations. That 

 many of these alterations are beneficial is beyond 

 dispute, but whether the University turns out better- 

 educated men on the whole is, perhaps, somewhat 

 doubtful. There is more encouragement given to 



B 



