me. She had married a second time, and my step-father, a wise and large-
hearted man, one of the best men I have ever known, also bestowed much
care on my upbringing.'

As a little fellow he had lived a good deal in London with relations, a
family of whom had a house near Hyde Park. He could call up, from the
farthest caverns of his memory, a Sunday forenoon on which he was carried
off to church, because there was nobody at home, except the servants, to
look after him.

'What West End church it may have been I cannot tell,' Sir George said,
'but I imagine the one the household usually attended. The other detail
that a fire burned in our pew, did impress itself definitely upon my
mind. I was at least big enough to lift a poker, and what must I do but
seize that instrument, and set to scraping the fire, to the confusion of
those with me. Perhaps the idea of a fire in a church pew may be deemed
curious at this date, so much later. But why not? It was really a great
boon to those worshippers whom delicacy of health might otherwise have
kept at home. For, of course, there was then no better means of warming a
church.

'The house of another London relative was in Lombard Street, looking on
to Old Change Alley, and there, likewise, I was a pet. A store of books
filled one of the rooms, and it was my delight, having already learned to
read, to pick out diverting volumes. There were accounts of the travels
of Captain Cook and other explorers, and these quite caught my fancy. I
felt I should like to travel, when I grew up, and this glimmering idea
was advanced by the contemplation of a fruit stall that did business in
Change Alley. I marvelled from whence came the oranges and bananas, and I
whispered to myself, "I'll go where they grow."