passed over here. There is no doubt that his ideas on education were peculiar. The boy was brought up on Spartan principles, and subjected to a sterner discipline than was wise. Indeed Aikin admits that, in after years, Howard "was sensible that he had in some measure mistaken the mode of forming his son to that character he wished him to acquire." 1 But there is also no doubt whatever that he was at heart a most affectionate father, devoted to his child, and that, whatever severity of treatment there may have been was caused, not by unkindness, but by an injudicious attempt to carry out his principles. Frequent references in his diary and correspondence show that his "ever-dear boy" was constantly in his thoughts. It is impossible to read them without feeling that they are of themselves amply sufficient to repel the notion that there was any lack of affection on his part; while the charge of habitual cruelty that was brought against him soon after his death was immediately refuted by his friends, and shown

to rest on a glaring exaggeration and ridiculous misrepresentation of the fact. The story, which is said to have been pretty widely circulated, was that, by way of punishment, Howard was in the habit of shutting up his son in the root-house erected in his garden, and of confining him there all night. Brown, who gives the story, made careful investigation into the truth of it, and states the result of his inquiries as follows:

"One afternoon, as he was walking with the child in the garden, according to his usual practice, whilst the servants were at dinner, he took him into the root-house, and, after having been engaged in playing with him for some time, he sat him down upon the matted bench, and, being called away at the moment by the arrival of a gentleman who wished particularly to see him, told him to stay there until he returned. His mind being occupied with the business upon which he had been brought into the house, he unfortunately forgot the child and the situation in which he had left him; and it was two or three hours before he came into his mind, when he hastened to the root-house, and found him sitting very contentedly where he had placed him. On finding that the child had been left so long alone, he was very much vexed with himself at his absence of mind, and took him immediately in his arms into the house; telling him at the same time, in his most affectionate manner, that he had quite forgotten him."

The story, Brown says, was well known to Howard's friends, and to some of his servants, who had a distinct recollection of it.1 Yet on this simple accident the absurd charge of habitual cruelty has been based; for it was nothing but a baseless calumny which suggested that young Howard's subsequent unhappy career, and the hopeless insanity which overtook him at an early age, were due to the sufferings he was made to endure as a child. This notion was suggested in a singularly ungenerous notice of Howard which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine 2 immediately after his death. Not a particle of evidence was ever brought forward to confirm it, and against it may be set the unanimous testimony of those who were acquainted with the family, and remembered young Howard as a child. The witness of several of these, including personal friends and domestic servants, is quoted in Brown's Life; and it is perfectly clear that, while Howard had a horror of anything like indulgence, and had a great belief in the efficacy of "firmness," on which he evidently prided himself, there was, beyond the Spartan discipline to which he subjected him, never anything of harshness or unkindness in his treatment of his son. As time went on, he was increasingly absorbed in the philanthropic labours to which he had devoted himself. But the boy was never allowed to run wild. Careful provision was made for his training and education; and a review of the dates of the father's several journeys suggests that he often timed them so as to be at home for the holidays, and that he was anxious, when possible, to remain at Cardington, until his son was safely despatched again to school.

We can well believe that the childhood of young Howard, like that of many another motherless boy, with a father immersed in occupations which perpetually took him away from home, must have been a lonely one. But there is no sort of reason to imagine that it was rendered unhappy by any lack of natural affection, or want of proper care on the part of the surviving parent.

CHAPTER IV

HOWARD'S EARLY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE
CONDITION OF PRISONS

Appointed High Sheriff of Bedford-Discoveries as to Treatment of Prisoners - Practical Efforts to remove Hardships-A New Career-Burke's Panegyric - Cowper's Lines on Howard-Method of Travelling-Proceedingsin Parliament-Howard before the House of CommonsA new Subject of Inquiry-Howard a Candidate for Parliament-Foreign Tours-Attempts to gain Admission to the Bastile-Letter from Abroad-Further Tours -Howard at Warrington-Publication of The State of Prisons-Description of the Work.

S

O far there has been nothing remarkable in Howard's life. His desire has been to "sit down at home in peace," and to lead a "comfortable, useful, and honourable life." He realised his duty as a landlord far better than the great majority of country squires of his day, but that was all. He was now in his forty-sixth year, and there seemed every prospect that he would settle down permanently to a quiet life at Cardington,