xiv BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR 



This home education had, I think, a perceptible effect upon 

 his future character. The effect was not bad in the sense in 

 which tli at epithet is generally believed to be applicable to 

 home education ; but there might be observed in him a kind of 

 elderly sobriety of manner, not amounting to stiffness, but con- 

 veying the impression that he had been accustomed to converse 

 with those older than himself, and standing out in marked 

 contrast with that lively boyish freedom and gaiety which is 

 especially the characteristic of young men educated at the great 

 public schools. 



In October, 1834, he became the pupil of the Eev. James 

 Challis, then Eector of Papworth St Everard, in Cambridge- 

 shire, who soon after was appointed and still remains Plumian 

 Professor of Astronomy in the University of Cambridge. His 

 residence at Papworth was, however, very short; his health 

 gave way, and at the end of six weeks he was compelled to 

 return home. Here he remained for about two years, not 

 coming up to the University in 1835, as originally intended, 

 but postponing the event, on the ground of health, to the follow- 

 ing year. 



He came into residence as a Pensioner of Trinity College, 

 in October 1836, being entered as a pupil of the Eev. G. 

 Peacock, afterwards Lowndean Professor and Dean of Ely. 

 During his undergraduate career his health was not strong, but 

 I think he was never compelled by illness to desist from his 

 course of study. He was very much in advance of the men 

 of his year in mathematical acquirement, and had already read 

 most of the subjects which usually occupy an undergraduate's 

 time. He was himself much amused at the surprise expressed 

 by his tutor, Mr Peacock, when at an early stage of his College 

 life in answer to the question, What are you chiefly reading 

 now?" he replied, " Woodhouse's Isoperimetrical Problems." 

 He read mathematics, chiefly without the aid of a private tutor, 

 but in his third year and his last term had the advantage of 



