_Sept. 2nd_.--Mrs. H-- took me to Dr. Bell's (the old
homoeopathic doctor) to hear Lord Radstock speak about
"training children." It was a curious affair. First a very
long hymn; then two very long extempore prayers (not by Lord
R--), which were strangely self-sufficient and wanting in
reverence. Lord R--'s remarks were commonplace enough,
though some of his theories were new, but, I think, not
true--_e.g.,_ that encouraging emulation in
schoolboys, or desiring that they should make a good
position in life, was un-Christian. I escaped at the first
opportunity after his speech, and went down on the beach,
where I made acquaintance with a family who were banking up
with sand the feet and legs of a pretty little girl perched
on a sand-castle. I got her father to make her stand to be
drawn. Further along the beach a merry little mite began
pelting me with sand; so I drew _her_ too.

_Nov. 16th_.--Thought of a plan for simplifying
money-orders, by making the sender fill up two duplicate
papers, one of which he hands in to be transmitted by the
postmaster--it containing a key-number which the receiver
has to supply in _his_ copy to get the money. I think
of suggesting this, and my plan for double postage on
Sunday, to the Government.

_Dec. 19th_.--The idea occurred to me that a game might
be made of letters, to be moved about on a chess-board till
they form words.

A little book, published during this year, "Alice (a dramatic version
of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice'), and other Fairy Tales for Children," by
Mrs. Freiligrath-Kroeker, was very successful, and, I understand,
still has a regular sale. Mr. Dodgson most gladly gave his consent to
the dramatisation of his story by so talented an authoress, and
shortly afterwards Mrs. Kroeker brought out "Through the
Looking-Glass" in a similar form.

_Jan._ 17, 1881.--To the Lyceum to see "The Cup" and
"The Corsican Brothers." The first is exquisitely put on,
and Ellen Terry as Camma is the perfection of grace, and
Irving as the villain, and Mr. Terriss as the husband, were
very good. But the piece wants substance.

_Jan._ 19_th_.--Tried to go to Oxford, but the
line is blocked near Didcot, so stayed another night in
town. The next afternoon the line was reported clear, but
the journey took 5 hours! On the day before the Dean of Ch.
C