“IbegantoattendtheSchoolofArtatDarlingtononthe6thofMarch，1872。Ifound，onattemptingtodraw，thatIhadnaturallyacorrecteyeandhand；andImadesuchprogress，thatwhenthestudents’drawingswereexamined，previouslytosendingthemuptoSouthKensington，allmyworkwasapproved。Iwasthensettodrawfromthecastinchalk，althoughIhadonlybeenattheschoolforamonth。ItriedforallthefoursubjectsattheMayexamination，andwasfortunateenoughtopassthreeofthem，andobtainedasaprizePackett’s’Sciography。’Iworkedhardduringthenextyear，andsentupseventeenworks；foroneofthese，the’VenusdeMilo，’Igainedastudentship。
“Ithencommencedthestudyofhumananatomy，andbeganwater-colourpainting，readingalltheworksuponartonwhichI
couldlaymyhand。AttheMayexaminationof1873，Icompletedmysecond-gradecertificate，andattheendoftheyearofmystudentship，IacceptedtheofficeofteacherintheSchoolofArt。Thisart-trainingcreatedinmeasortofdisgustforphotography，asIsawthatthescienceofphotographyhadreallyverylittlegenuineartinit，andwasmorealliedtoamechanicalpursuitthantoanartisticone。Now，whenIlookbackonmypastideas，Iclearlyseethatagreatdealofthisdisgustwasduetomyignoranceandself-conceit。
“In1874，Icommencedpaintingintempora，andtheninoil，copyingthepictureslenttotheschoolfromtheSouthKensingtonArtLibrary。Iworkedalsofromstilllife，andbegansketchingfromnatureinoilandwater-colours，sometimessellingmyworktohelpmetobuymaterialsforart-workandscientificexperiments。Iwas，however，abletodoverylittleinthefollowingyear，asIwasathomesufferingfromsciatica。ForninemonthsIcouldnotstanderect，buthadtohobbleaboutwithastick。Thisillnesscausedmetogiveupmyteachership。
“Earlyin1876IreturnedtoDarlington。Iwentonwithmyartstudiesandthescienceofchemistry；thoughIwentnofurtherinheliochromy。Ipushedforwardwithanatomy。IsentaboutfifteenworkstoSouthKensington，andgainedasmythird-gradeprizeinlistAthe’DictionaryofTermsusedinArt’byThomasFairholt，whichIfoundaveryusefulwork。Towardstheendoftheyear，myfather，whosehealthwasdeclining，sentformehometoassisthimintheschool。InowcommencedthestudyofAlgebraandEuclidingoodearnest，butfoundittoughwork。Myfather，thoughafairmathematician，wasunabletogivemeanyinstruction；forhehadbeenseizedwithparalysis，fromwhichheneverrecovered。Beforehedied，herecommendedmetotryforaschoolmaster’scertificate；andIpromisedhimthatIwould。I