But I
fancy that there are not a few worthy men who, shy and reserved, are
only intimately known by the children whom they love.
I may say that not only did I owe much more than mere learning to Mr.
Andrewes, but that my regular lessons were a small part even of his
teaching.
"It always seems to me," he said one day, when my father and I were
together at the Rectory, "that there are two kinds of learning more
neglected than they should be in the education of the young. Religious
knowledge, which, after all, concerns the worthiest part of every man,
and the longest share of his existence (to say nothing of what it has
to do with matters now); and the knowledge of what we call Nature, and
of all the laws which concern our bodies, and rule the conditions of
life in this world. It's a hobby of mine, Mr. Dacre, and I'm afraid I
ride my hobbies rather like a witch on a broomstick. But a man must
deal according to his lights and his conscience; and if I am intrusted
with the lad's education for a while, it will be my duty and pleasure
to instruct him in religious lore and natural science, so far as his
age allows. To teach him to know his Bible (and I wish all who have
the leisure were taught to read the Scriptures in the original
tongues).
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