nature was prone to introspection, and his constitutional inertness
rendered it so difficult for him to live up to his own views, that he
was continually dissatisfied with himself; and this, in spite of his
sweet unselfish temper, gave his manner at home an irritability, and
among strangers a reserve--the very reverse of the joyous merry
nature which used to delight in balls, parties, and gaieties.

Though an ardent friend, he became disinclined to enter into general
society; nor was the distaste ever entirely overcome, though he never
failed to please by the charm alike of natural manner and of
Christian courtesy; the same spirit of gentleness and kindness very
soon prevailed in subduing, even in family life, any manifestation of
the tender points of a growing character.

In the autumn of 1849, he obtained a second class in the school of
Literae humaniores, a place that fairly represented his abilities as
compared with those of others. When the compulsory period of study
was at an end, his affection for Oxford and enjoyment of all that it
afforded increased considerably, though he never seems to have loved
the University quite as well as Eton.

As he intended to take Holy Orders, he did not give up his residence
there; but his first use of his leisure was to take a journey on the
Continent with his brother and Mr. Hornby. It was then that, as he
afterwards wrote, his real education began, partly from the opening
of his mind by the wonders of nature and art, and partly from the
development of his genius for philology. Aptitude for language had
already shown itself when his sister Fanny had given him some German
lessons; and even on his first halt at Cologne, he received the
compliment, 'Sie sprechen Deutsch wohl' and he found himself talking