school was the worst I have ever known. We boys were average lads
with much the same inherent capacity for good and evil as any
others; but the people who were set over us cared about as much
for our intellectual and moral welfare as if they were
baby-farmers. We were left to the operation of the struggle for
existence among ourselves, and bullying was the least of the ill
practices current among us. Almost the only cheerful reminiscence
in connection with the place which arises in my mind is that of a
battle which I had with one of my class-mates, who had bullied me
until I could stand it no longer. I was a very slight lad, but
there was a wild-cat element in me which, when roused, made up
for my lack of weight, and I licked my adversary effectually.
However, one of my first experiences of the extremely rough and
ready nature of justice, as exhibited by the course of things in
general, arose out of the fact that _I_--the victor--had a black
eye, while he--the vanquished--had none, so that I got into
disgrace and he did not. One of the greatest shocks I ever
received in my life was to be told, a dozen years afterwards by
the groom who brought me my horse in a stable-yard in Sydney,
that he was my quondam antagonist. He had a long story of family
misfortune to account for his position--but at that time it was
necessary to deal very cautiously with mysterious strangers in
New South Wales, and on enquiry I found that the unfortunate
young man had not only been 'sent out,' but had undergone more
than one colonial conviction."

Huxley was soon removed from school and continued his own education
for several years, by reading of the most desultory sort. His special
inclinations were towards mechanical problems, and had he been able to
follow his own wishes there is little doubt but that he would have