Alfred gladly, when the occasion
offered, returned to his outdoor life, which had begun to make the
strongest appeal to him, stronger, perhaps, than he was really aware.
Early in 1844 another break occurred, due to the sudden falling off of
land surveying as a profitable business. His brother could no longer
afford to keep him as assistant, finding it indeed difficult to obtain
sufficient employment for himself. As Wallace knew no other trade or
profession, the only course which occurred to his mind as possible by
which to earn a living was to get a post as school teacher.
After one or two rather amusing experiences, he eventually found himself
in very congenial surroundings under the Rev. Abraham Hill, headmaster
of the Collegiate School at Leicester. Here he stayed for a little more
than a year, during which time--in addition to his school work and a
considerable amount of hard reading on subjects to which he had not
hitherto been able to devote himself--he was led to become greatly
interested in phrenology and mesmerism, and before long found himself
something of an expert in giving mesmeric demonstrations before small
audiences.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51