170 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. IV. 



of their prayer-book, and I am delighted with the beauty and 

 aptness of the musical part of the service. But I do not meddle 

 in the least with Church and State questions, nor do I care for 

 the party interests of the body ; I attend the Church of England, 

 because it seems to me to conduct the public worship of God in 

 the most befitting and devout way. There are doubtless some 

 wrongheaded men in the body ; probably not a few in so large 

 a hierarchy ; and I could tell of the amusing ingenuity of a 

 vicar S. has been telling me of, who went out to shoot snipes in 

 the snow with his equally white surplice on, so as to escape the 

 observation of both the feathered and unfeathered bipeds, who 

 might have made a bad use of their observations. But putting 

 such cases aside, I am sure I shall convince you that the great 

 majority of the preachers of the English Church are excellent 

 men, and I know I can write you freely on this topic. 



" I shall forget nobody at home, not even the little (query 

 little now ?) black cat." 



However the head and hands might be filled with plans and 

 work, the heart had still room and to spare. To his sister, the 

 juvenile chemical assistant of previous days, he writes, " I 

 daresay you are now so completely taken up with your studies 

 (do they deserve that name ?), chattering French with the little 

 foreigner, or playing the piano under the watchful eye, and still 

 more fastidious ear, of Miss M ; or engaged in the intricate 

 meshes of a sampler stitch, slipper pattern, or the trying diffi- 

 culties of hemming a shirt-border straight ; or some of the other 

 important duties which wise preceptors require from youthful 

 disciples, that you have clean forgotten, in the whirlwind of 

 cares, that any such a brother as George ever tormented you. 

 Well, for any good you will get by reflecting on the foolish 

 words and deeds of that brother of yours, you may as well dis- 

 miss the recollection of his existence ; yet fain would he keep a 

 place, even in your little heart, which he hopes possesses an 

 ' apartment unfurnished/ and therefore fitted to hold him, his 

 laboratory, bottles, bluelights, nonsense and all." 



A difficulty was found in obtaining scientific works, the 

 library of the College being only for consultation, and the store 



