the number of marks which Field obtained was about 1700, and that which I obtained about 1900.  No other competitor, I believe, was near us.”—­In a letter to Airy from his College Tutor, Mr J. D. Hustler, there is the following passage:  “It is a matter of extreme satisfaction to me that in the late examination you stood not only in the First Class but first of the first.  I trust that your future exertions and success will be commensurate with this honourable beginning.”

“Of the men whom I have named, Drinkwater (Bethune) was afterwards Legal Member of the Supreme Court of India, Field was afterwards Rector of Reepham, Romilly (afterwards Lord Romilly) became Solicitor-General, Strutt (afterwards Lord Belper) became M.P. for Derby and First Commissioner of Railways, Tate was afterwards master of Richmond Endowed School, Childers was the father of Childers who was subsequently First Lord of the Admiralty.

“I returned to Bury immediately.  While there, some students (some of them men about to take their B.A. degree at the next January) applied to me to take them as pupils, but I declined.  This year of my life enabled me to understand how I stood among men.  I returned to Cambridge about July 11th.  As a general rule, undergraduates are not allowed to reside in the University during the Long Vacation.  I believe that before I left, after the examination, I had made out that I should be permitted to reside:  or I wrote to Mr Hustler.  I applied to Mr Hustler to be lodged in rooms in College:  and was put, first into rooms in Bishop’s Hostel, and subsequently into rooms in the Great Court.

“The first affair that I had in College was one of disappointment by no means deserving the importance which it assumed in my thoughts.  I had been entered a Sizar, but as the list of Foundation Sizars was full, my dinners in Hall were paid for.  Some vacancies had arisen:  and as these were to be filled up in order of merit, I expected one:  and in my desire for pecuniary independence I wished for it very earnestly.  However, as in theory all of the first class were equal, and as there were some Sizars in it senior in entrance to me, they obtained places first:  and I was not actually appointed till after the next scholarship examination (Easter 1821).  However a special arrangement was made, allowing me (I forget whether others) to sit at the Foundation-Sizars’ table whenever any of the number was absent:  and in consequence I received practically nearly the full benefits.

“Mr Peacock, who was going out for the vacation, allowed me access to his books.  I had also (by the assistance of various Fellows, who all treated me with great kindness, almost to a degree of respect) command of the University Library and Trinity Library:  and spent this Long Vacation, like several others, very happily indeed.