458 .JACOB BELL. 



1859. most instructive sketch of his early career, from the pen 

 of his son, appeared in the pages of the Pharmaceutical 

 Journal. 1 



When between twelve and thirteen years of age, Jacob Bell 

 was sent to the school of his uncle, Mr. Frederick Smith, at 

 Darlington, where he remained for about four years. The 

 establishment of this gentleman had deservedly a high reputa- 

 tion in the Society of Friends, and under the tuition which he 

 there received, aided by his own diligent application, he soon 

 made rapid progress. 



Most boys have a horror of themes, but this was not his case; 

 in fact, composition, whether in prose or verse, was his forte, even 

 School-days. j n school-days. Among several early literary productions still 

 preserved is an essay on War, which was written for and gained 

 a prize. This essay, which was composed at the age of sixteen, 

 and extends over 140 pages, is far beyond the average of school- 

 boy productions, and it is remarkable that the views which the 

 young author upholds in it condemnatory of war, were 

 strongly retained by him through life. An essay on Slavery, 

 of above 100 pages, written about the same time, is of con- 

 siderable merit, and further attests his diligence and his apt- 

 ness at writing. Another piece of authorship, undertaken in 

 conjunction with his schoolfellow, Lawson Ford, was a MS. 

 periodical, under the whimsical but characteristic title of Bell- 

 ford [Bell-Ford] Gazette. It was devoted to school news 

 and chit-chat, and was carried on with much humour for 

 some months. 



Business life. Upon leaving school, Jacob Bell was apprenticed to his 

 father's firm, and came to reside at the house of business in 

 Oxford Street. Here his position was like that of the other 

 apprentices and assistants, and he had to take duty with them, 

 even to the Sunday serving and attendance in the shop after the 

 usual hours of business. 



A student. But although the pursuit of business was thus insisted upon, 

 he was not idle in the matter of self-improvement. At the 

 lectures on Chemistry at the Koyal Institution, and on the 

 1 Vol. viii., p. 589. 



