238 



MY LIFE 



[Chap. 



park at that time being quite open, and we hardly ever met 

 any one. After we got out of the town there was a wide 

 grassy lane that led to it, which itself was a delightful walk 

 and was a good collecting ground for both plants and insects. 

 For variety we had the meadows along the course of the little 

 river Soar, which were very pleasant in spring and summer. 

 Twice during the summer the whole of the boarders were 

 taken for a long day's excursion. The first time we went 

 to Kenilworth Castle, about thirty miles distant, driving in 

 coaches by pleasant country roads, and passing through 

 Coventry. Towards the autumn we had a much longer 

 excursion, partly by coach and partly by canal boat, to a very 

 picturesque country with wooded hills and limestone cliffs, 

 rural villages, and an isolated hill, from the top of which we 

 had a very fine and extensive view. I think it must have 

 been in Derbyshire, near Wirksworth, as there is a long canal 

 tunnel on the way there. One of the rough out-of-door 

 sketches made on this occasion is reproduced here on a 

 reduced scale, as well as a more finished drawing of some 

 village, perhaps near Leicester, as they may possibly enable 

 some reader to recognize the localities, and also serve to 

 show the limits of my power as an artist. 



At midsummer there was the usual prize-giving, accom- 

 panied by recitation ; and to introduce a little variety I 

 wrote a prologue, in somewhat boyish style, to be spoken by 

 a chubby boy about twelve years old ; and it took me a good 

 deal of trouble to drill him into appropriate emphasis and 

 action. It went off very well, and as it was to some extent 

 a programme as well as a prologue, I give here as much of it 

 as I can recollect. 



Prologue. 



With. Greek and Latin, French, and other stuff. 



And Euclid too, and Algebra enough, 



For this half-year I'm glad to say we've done. 



And the long looked-for hour at length is come, 



That brings before us this superb array 



Of company to grace our holiday. 



