Russian Government had sent a deputation of two learned professors to
England, to inquire into the educational system of the Public Schools,
with the view of sending a member of the Royal family for education in
this country. Among other schools, they visited Harrow, and Mr.
Farrar's form was one of those selected for inspection. It was the
evening of a winter's day, when, at the four o'clock school, we found
two very formidable-looking old gentlemen in spectacles and many furs
seated near the master's desk. Great was the consternation, but Mr.
Farrar was careful not to call upon any boy who would be likely to
exhibit himself as a failure. I was seated near Mr. Farrar, at one end
of a bench. He had a habit, when wanting to change his position, of
moving quite unconsciously across the intervening space between his
desk and this bench, and placing one foot on the bench close to the
nearest boy, he would, with one hand, play with the boy's hair, while
he held his book in the other. With horror, I found him approaching,
and shortly his hand was on my head, rubbing my hair round and round,
and ruffling it in a fashion very trying to any boy who was neat and
careful of his personal appearance. I could see the Russians staring
through their spectacles at these proceedings; possibly they thought
it a form of punishment unknown in Russia, and my feelings of
humiliation can be imagined. Finally he gave me a smack on the cheek
and retired to his desk, leaving my hair in a state of chaos, though
he had not the least idea of having done anything which might appear
unusual to the foreigners.

Dear "old Farrar"!--as we irreverently called him--it was an education
in itself to be in his form. I had the uncommon privilege of moving
upwards in the School at very much the same rate as he did as a
master, though I fear for my school reputation none too quickly. He
first kindled my admiration for the classic giants of English