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On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Thinks they will have their 'quarter marks' today; will tell her them at the end of the letter. Does not think he can come out second, though he might manage third or fourth. Thinks Charlie will also be placed today. Came third in the 'house small-hundreds', very close to Mitchell, who was second. Charlie won the house long-jump; he would not have done so if Henry 'had not sprained himself', but he still 'jumped very well; he also came second in the house hurdles.

[Writing later] He has returned from school, but he has not had his quarter marks. Was third last week. Will not hear their quarter marks until next Monday. Has 'got a composition copy', though could not win the prize as he got it last term; Moss says that he was 'really first'. Vanity [A. G. Watson] has gone to Greece, so Moss took them last week. It has been 'rather hot for the last few days'.

Gladstone is coming to tea with Welldon this evening; there is 'a crowd of chairs [?] waiting to see him'. Robert will bring some of his verses back. Hopes his grandfather is well.

[On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Did not have much time to write yesterday, so waited until today; hopes she got his postcard [45/150]. Mr Owen teaches Robert the epistles on Sunday and Monday morning; the lesson is an hour long, and involves taking down the notes Owen dictates. Nobody in the form does take down the notes, as 'they are absolutely ununderstandable', even those 'high in the form' take none, or 'very few'. Instead, the boys 'habitually write their Sunday letters' then (more than three quarters of the form'), do nothing, or 'possibly read novels'; boys have been caught by Mr Owen writing letters, but he has never taken much notice. Robert used to try to take notes, but 'understood so little of their meaning', and found what he did understand was 'uninstructive' and 'contrary' to what he has always been taught and believed, so ending up following the others' example, taking no notes and 'even now and then wrote a letter' Thinks that the letter-writing is the 'only part of [his] conduct which any reasonable person can blame' and even this is 'somewhat excusable' since everyone does it.

He was caught writing a letter to her last Sunday, and since he has 'never had any success in [his] theological studies', Owen sent him to Mr Welldon, who punished him by sending him to the bottom of his form 'in bill order'. This is not a severe punishment, and is 'never considered a disgrace', though 'being degraded out of the form altogether is'. Mr Bowen of course had to stop Robert's exeat, but 'did not seem very much displeased'. Is sorry that he did a 'bad construing for Mr Welldon', due to 'carelessness' not 'neglect of preparation'. Has been doing well in his other work.

Mr Hallam is ill with the toothache, and Mr Moss and Mr Kempthorne have been taking them instead; Robert likes Mr Kempthorne best. Sends the verses; afraid he has been 'rather long in finishing' them but has not much time. Reminds her that he is not doing more as a punishment, but because Mr Kempthorne 'takes an interest' in his work. Is afraid even now they are 'not a very complete set. They are an imaginary 7th Book of Lucretius'. Ran to Elstree today, but 'not so as to overwork' himself.

[on mourning notepaper]:- Is very sorry to be late writing to her: has been 'in great difficulties for want of time lately', and has even had to ask to be 'let off some work'. There are rehearsals for acting, both in Greek and English, every day, as well as 'a great deal of extra mathematics for the certificate'; Mr Moss has also been 'doubling his demands' on Robert 'just at this most difficult time'. Robert could not do everything, so had to 'forgo the [Greek?] prose' and finally ask Mr Welldon to let him off some work; Welldon promised to do so, but has not yet. Was 'very sorry to complain, but there is a point beyond which one cannot go'; no other monitor who acts also has extra work for Moss, and still say they 'cannot find time for the acting'.

Has not had time for the last month to go to 'ducker' [the outdoor swimming pool], or practice at cricket, though that 'does not matter much'. His house were 'beaten by Bozzie's' [Bosworth Smith's?] in a close, exciting match. Very good that Georgie 'got the Prose' [the Latin Prose prize?]; Robert 'thought he probably would'. Georgie wants to know if he should get 'a whole edition of Macaulay', or if not 'they have a Ferdinand and Isabella [by W. H. Prescott?]'.

Has written to Sophie [Wicksteed]; Aunt Annie [Philips] says she is better now; asks if they will come to Wallington. Thinks he will need another tailcoat for speech day, as his 'best is rather shabby', but will do as his mother thinks best. Thanks her for the 'white waistcoats and the eatables'; and asks her to thank Booa [Mary Prestwich] for the pasties. Read in Chapel the Sunday before last; still finds it 'a severe ordeal to go through'.

Hears Charlie 'has done very well in Mays', though is not sure what that is. The school is 'doing better at cricket now'. Has not had time recently to continue his reading of Arrian, 'or indeed to read anything extra', but will go on with it when he can. Is sorry he had to drop the prose, but 'it was absolutely impossible to do it, still less to do it well'. Is 'glad the Tories are catching it'; sees they 'had a majority of only 29 last night'. G[eorgie] is 'quite well'.

On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland, with 'The Grove, Harrow on the Hill' added in Robert Trevelyan's hand:- His father 'will be very much disappointed' at Robert's place in the exams, as Robert himself is. Mr Moss has shown him the marks, so he can see which papers he failed in: all four composition papers. Did well in the unseens, as he thought, and was first in one. Had 'the old difficulty of not finishing in time', even though he stayed in for the whole time allotted; it is 'very discouraging that it should still be so'.

Mr Moss is sure that until Robert can finish his composition papers he 'can never do well in an exam like this, or the [Cambridge] Tripos, where marks are everything', though it does not matter as much in a scholarship examination 'which goes more by impressions'. Moss says he 'could not possibly have come out higher than 6th or 7th' - his actual place being eighth - though Robert does not agree there. Acknowledges that he has 'been very much to blame' for not working more on 'divinity subjects', in which he 'only did averagely', and which might have raised him a couple of places; should have taken his father's advice. Did as well as he could have expected in Mathematics.

If what Mr Moss says his true, as Robert believes, he will 'have greater difficulty in succeeding than other people' and will therefore 'have to work very much harder than other people'. Intends to begin immediately, and to work hard this week and in the holidays, especially as they will 'not probably go abroad'. Hopes his mother is better, as he heard from her last letter; is writing to her. Amery 'just beat Hicks', but Hicks would have been first if he 'had known that Divinity counted in the classical order'. Though Robert's failure is 'a very serious thing', it will at least 'open [his] eyes to what is necessary if [he is] to succeed at all. G[eorgie] is quite well, and Robert will 'not let him run too much'.

On headed notepaper for the Harrow Philathletic Club, with 'The Grove' added in Robert Trevelyan's hand:- Is 'quite well', as is Georgie, who 'seems to be doing well with Hallam, and has got through all his cons[?]'. Robert is 'getting on all right' with his work, and is studying with Moss again. Read in Chapel yesterday, and 'did not mind it so much as usual, or make so many mistakes'.

They [the Liberal Party] 'seem to be doing badly in the elections', though they are not all over. Asks if there is 'any truth in the report that there will be a general election next holidays'. Hopes Charlie is well, and 'has been successful in his criticisms of the budget'.

His difficulties with the [school news-] 'paper are over', and he has persuaded 'the party that was anxious to go on that it is absolutely impossible to go on unless a work of genious [sic] appears', which, he 'conceive[s] to be impossible'. Therefore, she need not fear it taking up 'so much' of Robert's time. Asks if there is a copy of Mill's [Considerations] on Representative Government at home; he is studying it with Bowen, and would like a copy with 'fairly big print'. If not, he can 'easily order one'. Georgie 'likes his history very much'.

On headed notepaper for the Harrow Philathletic Club, with 'The Grove, Harrow' added in Robert Trevelyan's hand:- Charlie visited on Saturday, and they 'had a very pleasant day'; he saw 'the school do very well [in a cricket match], and Nigel [Bertrand Nigel Bosworth Smith?] nearly making a 100 runs' and get 'into the XI'. The 'Boz family was in as great a state of excitement' as when Robert's father visited. Charlie's hat was 'broken by a cricket ball'.

The school Greek play will be 'fairly good', but he does not think the English one [Poole's Paul Pry] will. Thinks the Don Quixote will suit him 'very well', as 'all [he wants] is to read it, and some of the pictures are amusing'; must not read it now and waste his time. Asks her to tell his father that he has 'met the Old Harrovian with the Majenta [sic] scarf whom he met at York station': Cook, 'an old Welldonite' [Thomas Percy Cooke?], whom Robert believes was 'rather a friend of Charlie's'. Met him yesterday at supper with Welldon, after 'reading for [his] last time' in Chapel.

Hears his father is coming on Thursday; asks if he is also coming on Speechday. 'Ted[d]y Butler is a beak here for a short time while Owen is ill'. Moss also 'is ill of influenza'; Robert is 'very sorry for him'.