第48章
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  Possiblythedifficultiestobeencounteredmayoccasionallyevokeunusualpowersofstudy;butthiscanonlyoccurinexceptionalcases。WhileatBangorMr。CadwalladrDaviesreadtometheletterofastudentandprofessor,whosepassionforknowledgeisofanextraordinarycharacter。WhileexaminedbeforetheParliamentaryCommitteeappointedtoinquireintotheconditionofintermediateandhighereducationinWalesandMonmouthshire,Mr。Daviesgaveevidencerelatingtothisandotherremarkablecases,ofwhichthefollowingisanabstract,condensedbyhimself:——

  “Thenightschoolsinthequarrydistrictshavebeendoingaverygreatwork;and,iftheCommitteewillallowme,IwillreadanextractfromaletterwhichIreceivedfromMr。BradleyJones,masteroftheBoardSchoolsatLlanarmon,nearMold,Flintshire,whosomeyearsagokeptaveryflourishingnightschoolintheneighbourhood。Hesays:’DuringthewholeofthetimefourteenyearsthatIwasatCarneddi,Icarriedontheseschools,andI

  believeIhavehadmoreexperienceofsuchinstitutionsthananyteacherinNorthWales。Forseveralyearsabout120scholarsusedtoattendtheCarneddinightschoolinthewintermonths,foureveningsaweek。Nearlyallwerequarrymen,fromfourteentotwenty-oneyearsofage,andengagedatworkfrom7A。M。to5。30P。M。Sointensewastheirdesireforeducationthatsomeofthemhadtowalkadistanceoftwooreventhreemilestoschool。

  These,besidesworkinghardallday,hadtowalksixmilesintheonecaseandnineintheotherbeforeschool-time,inadditiontothewalkhomeafterwards。Severalofthemusedtoattendalltheyearround,evencomingtomeforlessonsinsummerbeforegoingtowork,aswellasintheevening。Indeed,soanxiousweresomeofthem,thattheywouldoftencomeforlessonsasearlyasfiveo’clockinthemorning。Thismayappearalmostincredible,butanyofthemanagersoftheCarneddiSchoolcouldcorroboratethestatement。’

  “Ihavenowinmymind’seye,“continuesMr。Bradley,“severaloftheseyoungmen,who,bydintofindefatigablelabourandself-denial,ultimatelyqualifiedthemselvesforpostsinwhichagoodeducationisasinequanon。Someofthemareto-dayquarrymanagers,professionalmen,certificatedteachers,andministersoftheGospel。FiveofthemareatthepresenttimestudentsatBalaCollege。OnegotasituationintheGlasgowPostOfficeasletter-carrier。Duringhisleisurehoursheattendedthelecturesatoneofthemedicalschoolsofthatcity,andincourseoftimegainedhisdiploma。Heisnowpractisingasasurgeon,andIunderstandwithsignalsuccess。ThisgentlemanworkedinthePenrhynQuarryuntilhewastwentyyearsold。I

  couldgivemanymoreinstancesoftheresoluteandself-denyingspiritwithwhichtheyoungquarrymenofBethesdasoughttoeducatethemselves。Theteachersoftheotherschoolsinthatneighbourhoodcouldgivesimilarexamples,forduringthewintermonthsthereusedtobenolessthan300eveningscholarsunderinstructioninthedifferentschools。TheBethesdabooksellerscouldtellatalethatwouldsurpriseourEnglishfriends。I

  havebeeninformedbyoneofthemthathehassoldtoyoungquarrymenanimmensenumberofsuchworksasLordMacaulay’s,StuartMill’s,andProfessorFawcett’s;anditisnouncommonsighttofindtheseandsimilarworksreadandstudiedbytheyoungquarrymenduringthedinnerhour。“

  “Icangive,“proceedsMr。CadwalladrDavies,“oneremarkableinstancetoshowthestruggleswhichyoungWelshmenhavetoundertakeinordertogeteducation。Theboyinquestion,thesonof’poorbuthonestparents,’leftthesmallnationalschoolofhisnativevillagewhenhewas121/2yearsofage,andthenfollowedhisfather’soccupationofshoemakinguntilhewas16

  1/2yearsofage。Afterworkinghardathistradeforfouryears,he,hisbrother,andtwofellowapprentices,formedthemselvesintoasortofclubtolearnshorthand,thewholematterbeingkeptaprofoundsecret。Theyhadnoteachers,andtheymetatthegas-works,sittingoppositetheretortsonabenchsupportedateachendwithbricks。TheydidnotpenetratefarintothemysteriesofWelshshorthand;theysoonabandonedtheattempt,andinducedthevillageschoolmastertoopenanightschool。

  This,however,didnotlastlong。TheyoungCrispinwasreturninglateonenightfromLlanrwstincompanywithaladofthesameage,andbothhavingheardmuchoftheblessingsofeducationfromaScotchladywhotookakindlyinterestinthem,theirambitionwasinflamed,andtheyenteredintoasolemncompactthattheywouldthenceforwarddevotethemselvesbodyandsoultotheattainmentofanacademicaldegree。Yettheywerebothpoor。Onewasbutashoemaker’sapprentice,whiletheotherwasapupilteacherearningbutamiserableweeklypittance。Onecoulddothepartsofspeech;theothercouldnot。Onehadstruggledwiththepansasinorum;theotherhadneverseenit。I

  maymentionthattheyoungpupilteacherisnowacurateintheChurchofEngland。HeisagraduateofCambridgeUniversityandaprizemanofClareCollege。Buttoreturntothelittleshoemaker。

  “AfterreturninghomefromLlanrwst,hedisburthenedhishearttohismother,andtoldherthatshoemaking,whichuntilnowhehadpursuedwithextraordinaryzest,couldnolongerinteresthim。

  Hismother,whowasequaltotheemergency,senttheboytoateacheroftheoldschool,whohadhimselfworkedhiswayfromtheplough。Aftertheexerciseofconsiderablediplomacy,anarrangementwasarrivedatwherebytheyouthwastogotoschoolonMondays,Wednesdays,andFridays,andmakeshoesduringtheremainingdaysoftheweek。Thissuitedhimadmirably。Thatverynightheseizeduponageography,andbegantolearnthecountiesofEnglandandWales。Thefearoffailureneverlefthimfortwohourstogether,exceptwhenheslept。Theplanofworkwasfaithfullykept;thoughbythistimeshoemakinghadlostitscharms。Heshortenedhissleepinghours,androseatanymomentthatheawoke——attwo,three,orfourinthemorning。Hegothisbrother,whohadbeenploddingwithhimovershorthand,tostudyhorticulture,andfruitandvegetableculture;andthatbrothershortlyaftertookahighplaceinanexaminationheldbytheRoyalHorticulturalSociety。Foratime,however,theyworkedtogether;andoftendidtheirmothergetupatfouro’clockinthedepthofwinter,lighttheirfire,andreturntobedaftercallingthemuptotheworkofself-culture。Eventhisdidnotsatisfytheirdevouringambition。Therewasabedintheworkshop,andtheyobtainedpermissiontosleepthere。Thentheyfollowedtheirownplans。Theyounggardenerwouldsituptilloneortwointhemorning,andwakehisbrother,whohadgonetobedassoonashehadgivenupworkthenightbefore。

  Nowhegotupandstudiedthroughthesmallhoursofthemorninguntilthetimecamewhenhehadtotransferhisindustrytoshoemaking,orgotoschoolontheappointeddaysafterthedistanteighto’clockhadcome。Hisbrotherhadgotwornout。

  Earlysleepseemedtobethebest。Theythenbothwenttobedabouteighto’clock,andgotthepolicemantocallthemupbeforeretiringhimself。

  “Sothestrugglewenton,untilthefaithfuloldschoolmasterthoughtthathisyoungpupilmighttrytheexaminationattheBangorNormalCollege。Hewasnoweighteenyearsofage;anditwaseighteenmonthssincethetimewhenhebegantolearnthecountiesofEnglandandWales。HewenttoBangor,riggedoutinhisbrother’scoatandwaistcoat,whichwerebetterthanhisown;

  andwithhisbrother’swatchinhispockettotimehimselfinhisexaminations。Hewentthroughhisexamination,butreturnedhomethinkinghehadfailed。Nevertheless,hehadinthemeantime,onthestrengthofacertificatewhichhehadobtainedsixmonthsbefore,inanexaminationheldbytheSocietyofArtsandSciencesinLiverpool,appliedforasituationasteacherinagrammar-schoolatOrmskirkinLancashire。Hesucceededinhisapplication,andhadbeenthereforonlyeightdayswhenhereceivedaletterfromMr。Rowlands,PrincipaloftheBangorNormalCollege,informinghimthathehadpassedattheheadofthelist,andwasthehighestnon-pupilteacherexaminedbytheBritishandForeignSociety。Havingobtainedpermissionfromhismastertoleave,hepackedhisclothesandhisfewbooks。Hehadnotenoughmoneytocarryhimhome;but,unasked,themasteroftheschoolgavehim10s。Hearrivedhomeaboutthreeo’clockonaSundaymorning,afterawalkofelevenmilesoveralonelyroadfromtheplacewherethetrainhadstopped。Hereeledontheway,andfoundthecountryreelingtoo。Hehadbeensleepingeightnightsinadampbed。SixweeksoftheBangorSessionpassed,andduringthattimehehadbeendelirious,andwastooweaktositupinbed。ButthesecondtimehecrossedthethresholdofhishomehemadeforBangorandgotbackhis“position,“whichwasallimportanttohim,andhekeptitallthrough。

  “HavingfinishedhiscourseatBangorhewenttokeepaschoolatBrynaman;heendeavouredtostudybutcouldnot。Aftertwoyearshegaveuptheschool,andwith60L。savedhefacedtheworldoncemore。Therewasascholarshipofthevalueof40L。ayear,forthreeyears,attachedtooneoftheScotchUniversities,tobecompetedfor。HeknewtheLatinGrammar,andhad,withhelp,translatedoneofthebooksofCaesar。OfGreekheknewnothing,savethelettersandthefirstdeclensionofnouns;butinMayhebegantoreadinearnestatafarmhouse。Heworkedeverydayfrom6A。M。to12P。M。withonlyanhour’sintermission。HestudiedthesixLatinandtwoGreekbooksprescribed;hedidsomeLatincompositionunaided;brusheduphismathematics;andlearntsomethingofthehistoryofGreeceandRome。InOctober,afterfivemonthsofhardwork,heunderwentanexaminationforthescholarship,andobtainedit;beatinghisopponentbytwenty-eightmarksinathousand。HethenwentuptotheScotchUniversityandpassedalltheexaminationsforhisordinaryM。A。

  degreeintwoyearsandahalf。OnhisfirstarrivalattheUniversityhefoundthathecouldnotsleep;buthewearilyyetvictoriouslyploddedon;tookaprizeinGreek,thenthefirstprizeinphilosophy,thesecondprizeinlogic,themedalinEnglishliterature,andafewotherprizes。

  “Hehad40L。whenhefirstarrivedinScotland;andhecarriedawaywithhimasimilarsumtoGermany,whitherhewenttostudyforhonoursinphilosophy。Hereturnedhomewithlittleinhispocket,borrowingmoneytogotoScotland,wherehesatforhonoursandforthescholarship。Hegothisfirsthonours,andwhatwasmoreimportantatthetime,moneytogoonwith。Henowlivesonthescholarshipwhichhetookatthattime;isanassistantprofessor;and,inafortnight,willbeginacourseoflecturesforladiesinconnectionwithhisuniversity。Writingtomeafewdaysago,[13]hesays,’Myhealth,brokendownwithmylaststruggle,isquiterestored,andIlivewiththehopeofworkingon。Manyhaveworkedmoreconstantly,butfewhaveworkedmoreintensely。Ifoundkindnessoneveryhandalways,buthadIfailedinasingleinstanceIshouldhavemetwithentirebankruptcy。Thefailurewouldhavebeenruinous……I

  thankGodforthestruggle,butwouldnotliketoseeadogtryitagain。TherearedrovesofladsinWalesthatwouldcreepupbuttheycannot。Povertyhastooheavyahandforthem。’“

  ThegentlemanwhosebriefhistoryisthussummarilygivenbyMr。

  Davies,isnowwellknownasaprofessorofphilosophy;and,ifhishealthbespared,hewillbecomestillbetterknown。Heistheauthorofseveralimportantworkson’MoralPhilosophy,’

  publishedbyaleadingLondonfirm;andmoreworksareannouncedfromhispen。Thevictoriousstruggleforknowledgewhichwehaverecountedmightpossiblybeequalled,butitcouldnotpossiblybesurpassed。Thereare,however,asMr。DaviesrelatedtotheParliamentaryCommittee,manyinstancesofWelshstudents——mostofthemoriginallyquarrymen——whokeepthemselvesatschoolbymeansofthesavingseffectedfrommanuallabour,“infrequentcasesekedoutandhelpedbythekindnessoffriendsandneighbours,“whostruggleupthroughmanydifficulties,andeventuallyachievesuccessinthebestsenseoftheterm。“Oneyoungman“——astheteacherofagrammar-school,withintwomilesofBangor,relatedtoMr。Davies——“whocametomefromthequarrysometimeago,wasagoldmedallistatEdinburghlastwinter;“andcontributionsarereadilymadebythequarrymentohelpforwardanyyoungmanwhodisplaysanearnestdesireforknowledgeinscienceandliterature。

  ItisaremarkablefactthatthequarrymenofCarnarvonshirehavevoluntarilycontributedlargesumsofmoneytowardstheestablishmentoftheUniversityCollegeinNorthWales——thequarrydistrictsinthatcountyhavingcontributedtothatfund,inthecourseofthreeyears,mostlyinhalf-crownsubscriptions,notlessthan508L。4s。4d——“afact,“saysMr。Davies,“withoutitsparallelinthehistoryoftheeducationofanycountry;“themoststrikingfeaturebeing,thatthesecollectionsweremadeinsupportofaninstitutionfromwhichthequarrymencouldonlyveryremotelyderiveanybenefit。

  WhileIwasatBangor,onthe24thofAugust,1883,thenewsarrivedthattheCommitteeofSelectionhaddeterminedthatBangorshouldbethesitefortheintendedNorthWalesUniversityCollege。Thenewsrapidlyspread,andgreatrejoicingsprevailedthroughouttheborough,whichhadjustbeenincorporated。Thevolunteerbandplayedthroughthestreets;thechurchbellsrangmerrypeals;andgayflagsweredisplayedfromnearlyeverywindow。ThereneverwassuchatriumphantdisplaybeforeinthecauseofUniversityeducation。

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