Nicholson obtained the Ph.D. degree. The Professor and he became close
friends, and a correspondence began between them, on Dr. Nicholson's
departure, which lasted unbroken till the Professor's death. He was
perfectly conversant with Latin and Greek, and also Arabic, while Hebrew
was almost as familiar a language; and as for his knowledge of Sanscrit,
Ethiopian, Gothic, Chaldean, Syriac, French, German, Spanish, Italian,
Danish, it was as perfect as could be. He had, in the truest sense, the
_gift_ of tongues. Sixteen languages, indeed, he had mastered besides his
own. He had, in very truth, a perfect genius for them. And it was no
slipshod attainment with him to learn any one of the sixteen; for by the
time he had mastered a language he practically knew it inside _and_ out.
He loved this study perhaps more than any other, because it gave him a
truer insight into Holy Scripture. Many articles on the Hebrew Scriptures
were contributed by him to _Kitto's Biblical Encyclopaedia_, and there are
many allusions to these in Newman's letters which follow. He translated
Dr. Ewald's _Hebrew Grammar_, and thus it became well known to Englishmen.

[Illustration: DR. JOHN NICHOLSON
FROM A PHOTO TAKEN AT GOTTINGEN BETWEEN 1855 AND 1860
BY KIND PERMISSION OF MISS NICHOLSON, PENRITH]

Dr. Nicholson lived for forty years at Penrith. He did not care to go much
in society; he was too true a student for that. For the two studies (and
social life _is_ certainly one) are so diametrically opposed regarded as
pursuits, that it is almost impossible to make the day long enough to
devote oneself to both. "Love to study" might very truly have been
recognized as his life motto, even as it was that of one of the greatest
students at Harrow a few years ago, Rev. Thomas Hancock, for both men
cared nothing for fame. Dr. Nicholson was a man of strong religious
tendencies, and though he was in no way narrow in his views of other