I.] PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD. 15 



pation for a long period. At a later time, perhaps when 

 I was thirteen or fourteen, a pasteboard semicircle, with 

 sights, clamp, and tripod support, for measuring vertical 

 angles, was a source of great delight to me ; and at a later 

 period I made a more elaborate metal quadrant for astro- 

 nomical purposes. I keep the semicircle still as one of 

 the relics of my youth. 



About the same and at a later time I took great pleasure 

 in organizing and conducting societies, partly composed 

 of imaginary members, a certain number of names being 

 apportioned to myself and to my kind brother Charles, 

 for debates and reading papers on literary and scientific 

 subjects, with occasional experiments, and all the for- 

 malities of meetings and constitutions, &c. This taste 

 found its full development when I became member and 

 secretary of the Koyal Society. 



Another early habit was that of imagining and deliver- 

 ing lectures. These took their rise in the circumstance 

 that for a winter or two I rode alone regularly from 

 George Street to Colinton and back, taking lessons of 

 Mr. Hunter. To amuse the tedium of the way, I de- 

 livered aloud on horseback, to an entirely imaginary 

 auditory, a regular, pre-arranged course of lectures on 

 certain topics, in short, extemporized essays. This must 

 have been about 1824, or earlier. As far as I recollect, 

 these were conducted very methodically, and no doubt 

 contributed to give me some facility of composition and 

 expression. "Within less than ten years after (little did 

 I then anticipate it !) I was lecturing, not in sport, in 

 the University. 



Another amusement of about the same time was 

 writing periodicals : at first a sort of newspaper, called 

 Telescope, a miserable thing. I was then about 

 twelve (in 1821-2). Later a weekly essay-paper, 

 called the Hebdomadist, a good deal composed of 

 attempts at Science. Also a magazine (with Charles), 

 called the Adelphi Magazine, and others which I have 

 still preserved. 



In February 1823, I commenced keeping a register 



