. William De Morgan and his wife . er chance has placed it. He attached noweight whatever to University residence, as against home and dailyattendance. Of what disadvantage was it to a studious youth to beshut out of his College after hours ? Would any amount of gating makestudy acceptable to an unstudious one ?—No—it was manifestly myaversion to letters, developed as soon as application to them becameoptional; for that was a condition precedent of College manhood, nolonger schoolboy-hood. Thus William, finding no appeal to his imagination in theprosaic surroundings of the Gower Street Univers
. William De Morgan and his wife . er chance has placed it. He attached noweight whatever to University residence, as against home and dailyattendance. Of what disadvantage was it to a studious youth to beshut out of his College after hours ? Would any amount of gating makestudy acceptable to an unstudious one ?—No—it was manifestly myaversion to letters, developed as soon as application to them becameoptional; for that was a condition precedent of College manhood, nolonger schoolboy-hood. Thus William, finding no appeal to his imagination in theprosaic surroundings of the Gower Street University, turnedmore determinedly to the vision of Art which attracted andteased him. The desire for creation, the craving for self-expres-sion which is a complement of all intelligent Youth, was in hima. living force which fought to find an outlet and, at first, spedinto the wrong channel. There is a typical letter from his fatherto him belonging to this juncture, on which pencilled commentsare added in the recipients The Three Sons of Professor De MorganFrom left to ri^lit—Ivlwanl, ^ViIliam aud George THE OLD MANS YOUTH 57 Professor De Morgan to William De Morgan. 7 Camden Street, ,, August 24, 1858.* Dear Willy,— Now that you have fairly left College, it is time to ask yourselfwhether you have really made up your mind as to your profession—andif so, whether you have chosen wisely. I have never interfered, becauseI cared little what you thought at seventeen and eighteen. Do you really think that you are so likely to adhere to the choiceyou think you have made as to make it worth while to spend more timeupon it ? [In pencil, in Williams handwriting, Yes.] Have you considered your chance of success with any other eyes butyour own ? Would it not be worth while to take the opinion of somepersons who have no partiality towards you as to your chances. Have you considered other things as to how you should like them ? Are you fully aware of the lottery character
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