When he was twenty-three or twenty-four my father began to learn German and read philosophy in his spare hours, which did not look as though he were destined to remain long on board ship!

The closing words form the epitaph engraved on his tombstone:

"Do not think too much of the dead husk of your friend or mourn too much over it but send your thoughts out towards the real soul or self which has escaped — to reach it. During 1886 he had a brief relationship with George Hukin[citation needed] who was employed in the Sheffield razor trade; despite Hukin's subsequent marriage which caused a rift between them the men ultimately formed a close and lifelong friendship. Their remoteness from society allowed Carpenter to indulge in naturism which he believed was a symbol of a life at one with nature.

K. Lawrence and Aurobindo and inspired E. H.