第7部分(第4/7 頁)

r　to　each　other　in　Redcliffe　Square。

He　was　a　charming　and　a　kindly　gentleman；　also　one　of　the　best　scholars　of　his　age。　But　I　do　not　think　that　the　management　of　a　school　like　Ipswich　was　quite　the　task　to　which　he　was　suited；　and　I　am　sure　that　much　went　on　there　whereof　he　knew　nothing。

The　second　master　was　a　certain　Dr。　or　Mr。　Saunderson；　an　enormous　man　physically；　who　was　also　a　most　excellent　scholar。　He　was　a　gentleman　too；　as　the　following　story　shows。

Once　by　some　accident　I　wrote　a　really　fine　set　of　Latin　verses。　He　had　me　up　and　asked　me　where　I　had　cribbed　them。　I　told　him　that　I　had　not　cribbed　them　at　all。　He　answered　that　I　was　a　liar；　for　he　was　sure　that　there　was　no　one　in　the　school　who　could　write　such　verses。　My　recollection　was　that　I　proved　to　him　that　this　was　not　the　case　and　that　there　the　matter　ended。　It　appears；　however；　as　I　learned　a　few　years　ago　on　the　occasion　of　my　returning　to　Ipswich　School　to　take　a　leading　part　in　the　Speech…day　functions；　that　the　real　finale　was　more　dramatic。　A　gentleman　who　had　been　my　classmate　in　those　far…off　days　informed　me　that　when　Mr。　Saunderson　discovered　that　he　had　accused　me　falsely；　he　summoned　the　whole　school　and　offered　me　a　public　apology。　From　inquiries　that　I　made　there　seems　to　be　no　doubt　that　this　really　happened。

I　did　not　distinguish　myself　in　any　way　at　Ipswich　—　I　imagine　for　the　old　reason　that　I　was　generally　engaged　in　thinking　of　other　things　than　the　lesson　in　hand。　Moreover　in　those　times　boys　did　not　receive　the　individual　attention　that　is　given　to　them　now；　even　in　the　Board　schools。　The　result　was　that　the　bent　of　such　abilities　as　I　may　possess　was　never　discovered。　On　one　occasion；　however；　I　did　triumph。

Mr。　Saunderson　offered　a　specia