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4 Woodchurch Road, Claughton, Birkenhead. - Houghton has previously received a volume of poems by her husband [Francis R. Statham] and must sympathise with his present suffering; own evidence of her husband's true nobility of character makes present stigma the more astonishing; his endurance of public prejudice argues great self-knowledge; his complete honesty as to life story; Matthew Arnold and the Deans of Chester and Westminster have faith in his abilities; believes Houghton's support will help him regain public esteem.

Enclosed: account by Francis Statham of his early career in Liverpool, failure in business and circumstances of his criminal conviction for removing a large sum of money from the country; offers medical explanation of former mental condiion, now alleviated by a happy marriage and devotion to literature. Copy letters from J. S. Howson, Dean of Chester (13 Jul. 1874), Henry Percy Smith (7 Sept. 1874), and P. W. Clayden (20 Jul. 1874).

Volume of letters arranged alphabetically by correspondent, with usually no more than one letter per person, each correspondent identified at the top of the page on which the letter is mounted, in the form of an autograph book.

Rouse's signature is on the verso of the front endpaper, with a note of the bequest below. Includes a copy of the order signed by Christopher Wordsworth, Master, 7 Feb. 1838, requiring all undergraduates to attend Chapel at least eight times a week. A note by Rouse Ball below suggests that this was moved by William Carus, who became Senior Dean on 3 Oct. 1836, and describes the undergraduate reaction. W. J. Conybeare, G. E. L. Cotton, J. S. Howson and C. L. Rose are named as 'originators' of the 'Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Undergraduates'.

pp. 9-25: copies of 'Attendance-Sheets' recording attendance of Fellows at Chapel, issued by the Society for the weeks ending 17 Feb.-24 Mar. 1838; the last of these also lists the Fellows by number of times they attended, and awards them classes as if for an examination.

pp. 27-81: note by Rouse Ball on a 'large number of squibs, epigrams, &c the majority of which (according to Dean Peacock) were written by E Crookenden, A. C. Gooden, J. B. Hume, Lang, and Tom Taylor'. Four of these, with accompanying notes, are copied out.