“_November._—I suppose Tom has told you that I have been raised to the sixth form, and am now a præpostor. I do not find the work much harder than it was in the fifth. A Mr. Walker, philosophical lecturer, has just been here, and when he found the fellows would not come to his lectures, and heard that they were playing football, delivered himself of this elegant sentence, ‘Brutes, to prefer football to philosophy!’ which you may imagine caused a laugh, and did not at all further his object of procuring an audience. This same person afterwards caused an article to be put into the _Northampton Herald_ complaining of the conduct of Dr. Arnold, in not allowing the boys to go without permission of their parents. Yesterday the school house, after a resistance of six days, were beaten; but it is not quite certain about whether it was a goal or not, and perhaps we shall play it again. The classing examination is just going to begin. I believe I am pretty well prepared. Clough has gone. Dr. Arnold has been away at London, at an examination of London University. Dr. Arnold’s two sons are now at Rugby, having left Winchester. I have changed my study, and have now a horribly dark place in the bottom passage, which it is the fate of the bottom præpostor in the house to have, but I shall leave it next half.” ... “_March 1838._—I write to tell you that I should like to write for one of the prizes, as I think it will be a good exercise for me; I have no particular choice, but I should prefer either the English prose, ‘On the increased facility of local communication, and its probable effects on society,’ or the Latin verse ‘On the abdication of Charles the Fifth;’ and I wish you would tell me which you think the best. “The London and Birmingham Railroad has been opened from Rugby to Birmingham, and also from Stoney Stratford to London, but, in consequence of Kilsby tunnel falling in, it will not yet be opened the whole way: it is opened all the way now except thirty miles in the middle. I saw one of the trains go by yesterday for the first time in my life, and I was very much astonished.” ... “_June 1838._—Have you read Mr. Dickens’ ‘Nicholas Nickleby?’ I liked it very much, though I thought some parts of it are very much exaggerated and unnatural; particularly that about the school, if you have read it. I am sure no one could help laughing at it; but I think ‘Oliver Twist’ much superior. “The Great London and Birmingham Railroad is to be opened throughout to-morrow week, I believe, so there will be no more coaches to bother us.” [4] Now Dean of Westminster. [5] Master of the Temple.