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Hereditary Genius
23
mathematical places, has become so enormous that there has been a wider
differentiation of studies. There is no longer time for a man to acquire the
necessary knowledge to succeed to the first place in more than one subject.
There are, therefore, no instances of a man being absolutely first in both
examinations, but a few can be found of high eminence in both classics and
mathematics, as a reference to the lists published in the “Cambridge
Calendar” will show. The best of these more recent degrees appears to be
that of Dr. Barry, late Principal of Cheltenham, and now Principal of King's
College, London (the son of the eminent architect, Sir Charles Barry, and
brother of Mr. Edward Barry, who succeeded his father as architect). He
was fourth wrangler and seventh classic of his year.
In whatever way we may test ability, we arrive at equally enormous
intellectual differences. Lord Macaulay (see under “LITERATURE” for his
remarkable kinships) had one of the most tenacious of memories. He was
able to recall many pages of hundreds of volumes by various authors, which
he had acquired by simply reading them over. An average man could not
certainly carry in his memory one thirty-second—ay, or one hundredth—
part as much as Lord Macaulay. The father of Seneca had one of the
greatest memories on record in ancient times (see under “LITERATURE” for
his kinships). Porson, the Greek scholar, was remarkable for this gift, and, I
may add, the “Porson memory” was hereditary in that family. In
statesmanship, generalship, literature, science, poetry, art, just the same
enormous differences are found between man and man; and numerous
instances recorded in this book, will show in how small degree, eminence,
either in these or any other class of intellectual powers, can be considered
as due to purely special powers. They are rather to be considered in those
instances as the result of concentrated efforts, made by men who are
widely gifted. People lay
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