It was no distress to me, and great enjoyment. At
Michaelmas 1816 I repeated 2394 lines, probably without missing a
word. I do not think that I was a favourite with Mr Crosse, but he
certainly had a high opinion of my powers and expressed this to my
father. My father entertained the idea of sending me to College, which
Mr Crosse recommended: but he heard from some college man that the
expense would be _L200_ a year, and he laid aside all thoughts of it.
"The farm of Playford Hall was in 1813 or 1814 hired by Thomas
Clarkson, the slave-trade abolitionist. My uncle transacted much
business for him (as a neighbour and friend) in the management of the
farm &c. for a time, and they became very intimate. My uncle begged
him to examine me in Classical knowledge, and he did so, I think,
twice. He also gave some better information about the probable
expenses &c. at College. The result was a strong recommendation by my
uncle or through my uncle that I should be sent to Cambridge, and this
was adopted by my father. I think it likely that this was in 1816.
"In December 1816, Dealtry's Fluxions was bought for me, and I read it
and understood it well. I borrowed Hutton's Course of Mathematics of
old Mr Ransome, who had come to reside at Greenstead near Colchester,
and read a good deal of it.
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