58 EARLY LIFE. 



scientific subjects. The time was principally devoted 

 to Greek and Latin; and I was further instructed 

 in such duties by my father, who retained his love 

 of and familiarity with the classics ; and, encouraged 

 by him, I tried my hand at writing English essays, 

 and even tales of fiction. I find one of these has 

 survived the waste-paper basket, and it may amuse 

 my readers to see the sort of composition I was guilty 

 of at the age of thirteen. 



My tale was entitled " Memnon, or Human Wis- 

 dom," and is as follows : 



"Memnon one day conceived the useless project 

 of being perfectly wise. There is scarcely any man 

 who has not at one time or other let this folly pass 

 through his head. To be very wise (said Memnon 

 to himself), and, of consequence, very happy, one has 

 only to be without passions, and (as we all know) 

 nothing is easier. In the first place, I shall never 

 love any woman ; for when I see a perfect beauty I 

 shall say to myself, ' These cheeks will one day be 

 wrinkled ; these fine eyes will be fringed with red ; 

 that plum (sic) neck will turn flat and flabby ; that 

 beautiful head will grow bald/ Now, I have only to 

 see all this with the same eyes at present that I 

 must see it with afterwards, and surely that head 

 will never turn mine. In the second place, I shall 

 always be sober. In vain shall good cheer, delicious 

 wines, agreeable society, try to tempt me. I have 

 only to figure to myself the consequence of excess a 



