My Boyhood and Youth 



first year, after taking up botany, I knew the 

 principal flowering plants of the region. 



I received my first lesson in botany from a 

 student by the name of Griswold, who is now 

 County Judge of the County of Waukesha, 

 Wisconsin. In the University he was often 

 laughed at on account of his anxiety to instruct 

 others, and his frequently saying with fine 

 emphasis, "Imparting instruction is my great- 

 est enjoyment." One memorable day in June, 

 when I was standing on the stone steps of the 

 north dormitory, Mr. Griswold joined me and 

 at once began to teach. He reached up, plucked 

 a flower from an overspreading branch of a 

 locust tree, and, handing it to me, said, " Muir, 

 do you know what family this tree belongs to ?" 



"No," I said, "I don't know anything about 

 botany." 



"Well, no matter," said he, "what is it like?" 

 f "It's like a pea flower," I replied. 



"That's right. You're right," he said, "it 

 belongs to the Pea Family." 



"But how can that be," I objected, "when 

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