28 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



or, indeed, anything he could get. He had a 

 splendid memory, was even so early a great 

 observer, and was always a most truthful 

 child, strong in his likes and dislikes. But he 

 possessed a highly nervous and sensitive 

 temperament, was hasty and quick-tempered, 

 impulsive, and, withal, very reserved. All 

 these qualities remained with Eichard 

 Jefferies to the end ; he was always reserved, 

 always sensitive, always nervous, always quick- 

 tempered. In his case, indeed, the child was 

 truly father to the man. It is pleasant to 

 record that he repaid the kindness of his aunt 

 with the affection of a son, keeping up a con- 

 stant correspondence with her. His letters, 

 indeed, are sometimes like a diary of his life, 

 as will be seen from the extracts I shall pre- 

 sently make from them. 



At the age of nine the boy went home 

 for good. He was then sent to school at 

 Swiridon. 



A letter from which I have already quoted 

 thus speaks of him at the age of ten : 



" There was a summer-house of conical 

 shape in one corner paved with ' kidney ' 



