The Note-Books of Samuel Butler

Biographical Statement

1835. Dec. 4. Samuel Butler born at Langar Rectory,
Nottingham, son of the Rev. Thomas Butler, who
was the son of Dr. Samuel Butler, Headmaster of
Shrewsbury School from 1798 to 1836, and aftenvards
Bishop of Lichfleld.

1843-4. Spent the winter in Rome and Naples with his
family.

1846. Went to school at Allesley, near Coventry.

1848. Went to school at Shrewsbury under Dr. Kennedy.
,, Went to Italy for the second time with his family.
,, First heard the music of Handel.

1854. Entered at St. John's College, Cambridge.

1858. Bracketed I2th in the first class of the Classical Tripos

and took his degree.

„ * Went to London and began to prepare for ordination,
living among the poor and doing parish work: this
led to his doubting the efficacy of infant baptism
and hence to his declining to take orders.

1859. Sailed for New Zealand and started sheep-farming in

Canterbury Province : while in the colony he wrote
much for the Press of Christchurch, N.Z.

1862. Dec. 20. " Darwin on The Origin of Species. A

Dialogue,1' unsigned but written by Butler, appeared
in the Press and was followed by correspondence to
which Butler contributed.

1863. A First Year in Canterbury Settlement: made out of

his letters home to his family together with two
articles reprinted from the Eagle (the magazine of
St. John's College, Cambridge): MS. lost.