Their wages at that time could not have exceeded from eighteen to twenty shillings a week.
Two of the young men, who worked at the same bench, contrived to save enough money to enable them to attend college during the winter.

At the end of each session they went back to their hand-labour, and earned enough wages during the summer to enable them to return to their classes during the winter.

The third did not adopt this course.

He joined a mechanics' institute which had just been started in the town in which he lived.

By attending the lectures and reading the books in the library, he acquired some knowledge of chemistry, of the principles of mechanics, and of natural philosophy.