200 PRÆTERITA-I

still less, because she distrusted me. She came simply that she might be at hand in case of accident or sudden illness. She had always been my physician as well as my nurse; on several occasions her timely watchfulness had saved me from the most serious danger; nor was her caution now, as will be seen, unjustified by the event.¹ But for the first two years of my college life I caused her no anxiety; and my day was always happier because I could tell her at tea whatever had pleased or profited me in it.

227. The routine of day is perhaps worth telling. I never missed chapel; and in winter got an hour’s reading before it. Breakfast at nine,-half-an-hour allowed for it to a second, for Captain Marryat² with my roll and butter. College lectures till one. Lunch, with a little talk to anybody who cared to come in, or share their own commons with me. At two, Buckland or other professor’s lecture. Walk till five, hall dinner, wine either given or accepted. and quiet chat over it with the reading men, or a frolic with those of my own table; but I always got round to the High Street to my mother’s tea at seven, and amused myself till Tom* rang in, and I got with a run to Canterbury gate, and settled to a steady bit of final reading till ten. I can’t make out more than six hours’ real work in the day, but that was constantly and unflinchingly given.³

228. My Herodotean history, at any rate, got well settled down into me, and remains a greatly precious possession to this day. Also my college tutor, Mr. Walter Brown, became somewhat loved by me, and with gentleness encouraged me into some small acquaintance with Greek

* I try to do without notes, but for the sake of any not English reader must explain that “Tom” is the name of the great bell of Oxford, in Christ Church western tower.

¹ [See below, pp. 259, 260.]

² [See above, § 118 (p. 103).]

³ [For some passages which followed here in the first draft, see the Appendix; below, p. 610.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]