Ious and solitary boy; instructed by his father in French, the rudiments

of Latin, and above all, in geography and history, which the old traveller taught him to illustrate by
maps and plans, and by digging regular fortifications in the garden. The sheriff of Meldorf,
and editor of the _Deutsches Museum_,
a man of both

fancy and learning, assisted in this early education; and the boy--who
had never been a child--employed himself, even at seven
years of age, in writing
down the instructions
he received. In future years, he regretted his having thus 'lost the life of a child.' 'I found matter for my childish fancy only in books,
engravings, or conversation. I drew into its sphere all I read, and I read without reason and without
aim; but the real world was closed to me, and I could not conceive or imagine anything which had not been first conceived or imagined by another.' From this _second-hand

world_ he removed at the age of thirteen, when he was sent to the school at Meldorf, where the principal, Dr Jaeger, gave him as much attention as he could spare for a pupil, who, though much the youngest, was the most advanced in the class.
Afterwards, finding it was impossible to do for him what this strange child required, Dr
Jaeger advised his removal, and gave him a private lesson of an hour every day instead. This was continue d with only a few months' interruption and unsuccessful