1. OF AGE 261

No, dear friend. I have no space in this story to describe the advantages I never used; nor does my own failure give me right to blame, even were there any use in blaming, a system now passed away.¹ Oxford taught me as much Greek and Latin as she could; and though I think she might also have told me that fritillaries grew in Iffley meadow, it was better that she left me to find them for myself, than that she should have told me, as nowadays she would, that the painting on them was only to amuse the midges. For the rest, the whole time I was there, my mind was simply in the state of a squash before ‘tis a peascod,-and remained so yet a year or two afterwards, I grieve to say;-so that for any account of my real life, the gossip hitherto given to its codling or cocoon condition has brought us but a little way. I must get on to the days of opening sight, and effective labour; and to the scenes of nobler education which all men, who keep their hearts open, receive in the End of Days.

¹ [Some additional passages on the subject are now given in the Appendix; below, p. 610.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]