HOW HE LEARNED ARITHMETia 13 



He was never very studious of his personal appearance, 

 except as to neatness in his youthful days, although he 

 looked thoroughly the gentleman. Until quite late in life 

 he hardly ever wore a great coat. One of these lasted twelve 

 years ; no small proof that its services had not very often 

 been required. His friends persuaded him at length to ex- 

 change this for one made of the fashionable material of the 

 present day, warm and woolly, but light ; this, however, he 

 said did not suit a sportsman of the olden time, and he 

 seldom donned it except in the most inclement weather. 

 He always maintained that the temperature of the body 

 and an equal flow of animal spirits are better maintained by 

 active movement than by additional clothing ; and as for 

 physic, he " would not even throw it to the dogs ; " remem- 

 bering the lines of Dryden : 



" Better to hunt in fields for health unbought. 

 Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught." 



What, however, Mr. Smith did not learn at Eton was 

 arithmetic. This most useful science he acquired to great 

 perfection during the time he was laid up at Melton Mow- 

 bray, in consequence of a severe fall while hunting, when he 

 broke his ankle. While limping about the town, and be- 

 wailing the hard fate which kept him from the hounds, he 

 happened to enter the post-office, and seeing the young 

 woman who assisted in it, and who was very good-looking, 

 casting up a bill rapidly, he said : " I wish you would teach 

 me arithmetic." The bargain was soon struck, and with 

 the help of his pretty instructress, by whose side he was as 

 gentle as a lamb, added to Joyce's arithmetic, he completed 

 his education in this branch of science in six weeks, and 

 was ever after remarkable for his skill in figures and calcu- 

 lations. Not only was this knowledge rendered available 

 by him in acquiring practical knowledge of shipbuilding, 

 but it served him also in the management of his estates^ 

 the accounts of which he always minutely inspected himself. 



