DALTON. 53 



only a scanty subsistence by making common country goods, 

 while his wife eked out the scanty income by selling paper, 

 ink, and quills. The poor weaver, however, did not neglect 

 the education of his son. He taught him at first himself, 

 paying to mathematics especial attention. Subsequently young 

 John Dalton was sent to school, under the charge of Mr. 

 Fletcher, a member of the Society of Friends, to which 

 community the Dalton family belonged. John Dalton here 

 remained until about twelve years old, when he set up as 

 schoolmaster on his own account, furnishing an early proof 

 of that energy and self-reliance so conspicuously brought out 

 hereafter. But it was a winter school only. His father, at 

 this time, had given up weaving, and become farmer. He 

 was poor, and the dutiful schoolmaster helped him during 

 summer time to labour in the fields. Many Cumberland boys 

 were situated like the Daltons, learning in winter time, and 

 working during the remaining portions of the year on their 

 respective farms. A boy of twelve years may have the ma- 

 terials for teaching in him, but he will find it hard work to 

 maintain order amongst boys of his own age. John Dalton 

 experienced this ; some of his pupils, it is affirmed, would 

 neither be silenced nor commanded, but challenged the school- 

 master out to have a stand-up fight. The great man's bio- 

 graphers do not say whether he accepted the challenge. 



Our philosopher occupied himself in this winter school for 

 about three years, which brought him to the age of fifteen. 

 This period is marked by Dalton, in a letter to a friend, as 

 constituting an era in his life ; for then occurred what seemed 

 to him a remarkable event. Dalton, when on a visit at Cocker- 

 mouth, saw an umbrella. He bought it, and felt himself (to 

 adopt his own words) 'becoming a gentleman.' This little 

 incident ought not to be omitted from a biographical sketch of 

 Dalton's life. It shadows forth two traits of character ever 

 conspicuous in him dry quaint humour and simplicity of 

 tastes. He now, at the age of fifteen, began to act as the 



