1 30 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



assented, and, after casting about in my mind as to what 

 could be said to the little fellows, I went to a village hard by 

 and bought a quantity of sugar-candy. This was my only 

 teaching apparatus. When the time for assembling the class 

 arrived I began by describing the way in which sugar- 

 candy and other artificial crystals were formed, and tried 

 to place vividly before their young minds the architectural 

 process by which the crystals were built up. They listened 

 to me with the most eager interest. I examined the crystal 

 before them, and when they found that in a certain direction 

 it could be split into thin laminae with shining surfaces of 

 cleavage, their joy was at its height. They had no notion 

 that the thing they had been crunching and sucking all their 

 lives embraced so many hidden points of beauty. At the end 

 of the lesson I emptied my pockets among the class, and 

 permitted them to experiment upon the sugar-candy in the 

 usual way. 



When asked to come here and lend a helping hand in what 

 I believe to be a truly good work (though hard pressed by 

 other duties), I could not refuse the invitation. 



I know not whether this great assembly will deem it an 

 impertinence on my part if I seek to instruct them for an 

 hour or so on the subject chosen for my little boys. In doing 

 so, I run the imminent risk of being wearisome as well as 

 impertinent, while labouring under the further disadvantage 

 of not being able to make matters pleasant at the conclusion 

 of the lecture by the process adopted at the end of my lesson 

 to the boys. 



With regard to the foregoing lecture I received the 

 following characteristic note : 



i; 'th Oct., 1874. 



MY DEAR ROSCOE, 



I shall always be glad to see my friend Sir Joseph Whit- 

 worth. 



Dare I ask you to give me a glass of good dry champagne 

 at dinner ? I would not trouble you with the request were 

 it not important for the well-being of my brain during the 

 lecture. 



The parsons do not " bother " me save through the trouble 

 of opening the various letters and other communications 

 which my sins have brought upon me. My faith is great a 



1 This refers to his well-known address which he had just given at the 

 meeting of the British Association at Belfast, and which called forth the 

 wrath of the orthodox. 



