“The books could not be despatched at once. Sam says the Shakespeare is a bad bargain, but we will talk it over again—oh how I should enjoy a half-hour with thee over this nice library fire!” Early Letters. There are some interesting letters of this period, which have been carefully preserved. The earliest of these, written when he was eleven years old, is characteristic. It is addressed to his mother, who was away from home, and begins with an apology for not having sent her a letter before: this is based upon an accident at cricket, which he describes graphically, the ball “ascending to a great height” having fallen upon his thumb and so disabled him, etc., etc.; but the pathetic narrative is followed by a burst of honesty—“however, as that happened only yesterday it is not much of an excuse”! Another, a year later, written from Ryde, after describing a boating and fishing expedition, relates further a conversation with the boatman, whom they saw doing something to the dogfish that they had caught. “He replied” (and here the young scribe phonetically renders the local pronunciation), “‘O Lar, I’m only tormenting ’em.’ We asked, ‘Why?’ ‘Because ’em has a pisonous prick on ’em’s back.’ We asked him how they could help that. ‘Oh, I knows ’em needn’t have it if ’em didna like!’” The letters that follow were written from Brighton, and describe his arrival at Mr. Elliott’s house, and sundry events that took place from time to time; they are full of affection to his mother, and abound likewise in touches of humour, but they show also a diligence and steadiness of purpose, and a liking for good things, remarkable in a boy of that age. Subjoined are a few extracts as specimens:— “I suppose Jack told you of the famous hunt we had the other day when we were going out riding and met the hounds, half by accident? We had a run of above an hour, and the hounds were in full cry all the time; but, alas! the other day a bill came in from the horse-keeper, which informed us that we were to pay a pound for each of the horses because we had been with the hounds. . . . I like Abercorn {15} very much, but he is excessively idle, as my shoulders will bear witness, as it is his great delight to get up and thump Ted Buxton and me on the shoulders; but fortunately he is tired of hitting me, as I repay the blows tenfold with a singlestick, and the consequence is that poor Ted gets double his former allowance.”