Henry Bence-Jones, M.D., F.R.S. 1813-1873 : autobiography with elucidations at later dates.

  • Henry Bence Jones
Date:
1929
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Henry Bence-Jones, M.D., F.R.S. 1813-1873 : autobiography with elucidations at later dates. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and here I ultimately became head of the house. Dr. Longley had succeeded Dr. Butler as head master. As a gentleman and a scholar, he was of the highest excellence, but as a school¬ master his management was lamentable. No master in any school knew less of what was going on than Dr. Longley, and under him, Harrow was in the worst state of order. Happily there were but few boys, though the numbers slowly increased. Whilst at Harrow I, of course, did the school work, and when in the Sixth form I began to read Euclid, the study of which Dr. Longley had for the first time introduced into the school, and I was greatly attracted by the clear ideas which thus became known to me. In classics and verse-making I took comparatively little pleasure. Euclid at Harrow. J. A. Godley wrote 12th April, 1888, that Montagu Butler, Master of Trinity, was much interested to ascertain if Euclid was ignored under his father at Harrow, that is, if ‘ ‘it was introduced for the first time” by Dr. Longley (John Arthur Godley, K.C.B., 1893, as Sir Arthur Godley, and G.C .B., 1908, and Lord Kilbracken, 1909). George Butler wrote to his brother Montagu gth April, 1888, and said he did not remember the introduction of Euclid at Harrow by Longley. “There are two persons living who would be able to answer the question—Was Euclid taught before Longley came to Harrow ? One is Bishop Perry, whose address I do not know, the other is Bishop Charles Wordsworth. The Dean of Ely might also be consulted. ’ ’ Among the imperfect knowledge that I acquired at Harrow was that of turning in wood and ivory. I also had instruction in etching, mezzotint and even engraving on copper; but I made no progress worth mentioning, and they were of no use to me excepting the etching, which led me to practise copying drawings in pen and ink. In this I acquired considerable proficiency as an accurate copier even of large pictures, and on many occasions I have found this power of use, though I had no originality and could only produce a more or less accurate copy of what was before me. I also learnt to play a little on the clarionet, and the bugle, and delighted in the musical power of my friend, Pearson, afterwards the composer; and Weber’s valse and a
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