Thanks his mother for her letter and her cake; this was very good, and he and Hicks (who is as old as Robert), had tea with Mr and Mrs Arnold. A boy who was at Wixenford who has just left Harrow, Walford (Hugh Selwyn or Arthur George Walford?), was also here; he was in Watson's house and says he knows Charlie. Robert hopes Charlie is getting on well. Archie has asked Robert to go to see him next holiday in Ireland, but this 'would hardly be possible'; asks his mother if he could go, as he would like to but knows it would 'be rather a business' going to Ireland and back. The weather is very fine today. There was no match last Saturday, as the 'Farnborough fellows' were unwell. It is the Eton match tomorrow, but there are 'only three or four Eton chaps'.
Thanks his father for his letter. Thinks G[eorge] is happy and 'quite at home' [at Wixenford]. Mr Arnold has told Robert to ask Charlie how much he will have to know when he goes to Harrow; wrote to him a few days ago. Likes the Virgil and Euripides' "Iphigenia" very much. Hears that Welldon has been chosen for Harrow [as headmaster]; hopes he is a 'nice man'. He and George are getting on well in their work. Asks his father to thank his mother for her letter and the umbrella. Tomlin 'took Up[p]er Shell'. [Nugent] Hicks is going to Harrow next term. Has written to Grandpapa T[revelyan]. Sends love to all, 'Spider included'.
They have arrived safely [at Wixenford]. He and Georgie are both all right. [Nugent] Hicks is going to Harrow and will be in Butler's house.
[On headed notepaper for 40 Ennismore Gardens, SW]. Thanks his mother for her letter, and asks her to thank his father for his. The school beat Mortimer one-nil, with Holt ma[jor] getting the goal. It was 'raining leaves as well as rain' during the match, and the 'ground was one mass of mud' and very slippery. By the end they were 'all covered with a thick coating of mud from head to foot' and he does not think their flannels will ever get clean; wishes Booa [Mary Prestwich] could have seen his new shirt. Grandpapa [Sir Charles Trevelyan or Robert Needham Philips] has sent him and Georgie a pound each, and they have both thanked him. Georgie has had a 'slight cold'. Adds a postscript asking if his mother knows whether [Nugent?] Hicks 'has got his dubble[sic]'.
Thanks his mother and father for their letters. The school played Hartley-Row on Wednesday, but 'were licked'. The picnic was on Thursday, and they went to Longmoor (where they went last time). They had 'great fun'; he got leave from Mr Arnold to go butterflying with Smith. Smith is a 'walker alone', so can walk about by himself rather than with a master. Van de Weyer and Hicks did the same thing, and the four of them had 'awfull [sic] fun'. The school was due to play the Camerons yesterday, but it rained.
Forgot to mention in his last letter that Miss Bartlett says his coat does not fit him but that the tailor says it does. The editors of the paper [the school newspaper] are Leveson and Hicks, but 'Mr Evans really does everything'. The Eton match is on the 28th. Almost everyone, including Robert himself, was ill last night, but he was not bad. 'The answers of the riddles [in the school newspaper?] are in next number'. Adds a postscript hoping that Charlie is all right at Harrow.
Thanks his mother for her letter, which he got today. Thinks she 'might as well' send him 'Archie's book' [Henty's True to the Old Flag, see 45/48?] straightaway. Is glad 'Papa is well again'. Charlie has sent 'his first impressions of Harrow', which Robert thinks will go into the [school] paper. Sends love to all. 'Grandpapa T[revelyan]' has just sent Robert '20 bob [shillings]'. The school 'played Cameron on Saturday and were licked'; the score was 'equal until about the last minute, neither side having got a goal', until Cameron scored; it was a 'very good game'. Robert was 'on the right wing with Melly. Leveson and Hicks went as reporters'. Is 'getting on very 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 Grove (corrected from The Knoll), Harrow-on-the-Hill:- Thanks his mother for her last letter. Hopes his parents enjoyed the play, and that it 'came up to [their] expectations'. Asks whether they find Charlie 'quite well and flourishing; hopes to see him up at Cambridge, 'where he is up for this scholarship'. Georgie is well, but Robert has not yet heard 'where he has come out'.
Sees there are 'great rows going on about Parnell', though it 'does not seem it will be as bad as was thought'. Supposes it will 'put off the success of our party [the Liberals]. The thaw has begun here, and he supposes it 'will be all right soon'. They have been playing every day, though 'of course... put off the match on Saturday'; does not know whether he will be played on Thursday, the last match. Is 'swotting' as much as he can.
Thanks her for the trousers, which he will take to Cambridge. Asks if she saw [Nugent] Hicks there, who was going to see the play; believes [Leopold?] Amery was going too. Adds a postscript saying that he is 'sending the tins [?] in a hamper which belongs to Aunt Meg [Price], as well as some books, Charlie's and other peoples.
[On headed notepaper for 8 Grosvenor Crescent, S.W.]:- Is getting on 'very well'. Has had a letter from Georgie, who also seems well. Went to 'ducker' [the swimming pool] on Friday and Saturday, and 'did not find it half so cold' as he expected. Went into the Grove this morning; a boy 'dropt his watch chain into the pond, and it sank into the mud' so Robert does not think he will get it back. A bench collapsed at dinner today: 'there was a crash, and several boys fell over onto the floor'. Went for a walk with Tomlin and Hicks this morning, and will walk with Charlie after school. His room is 'quite full of flies'.
Has paid his cricket subscription, 15 shillings, and another 'which all new boys pay'. His watch has come and 'goes well'. Adds a postscript to say that he will be 'placed next Sunday', and has got his 'blue coat and flannel trousers'.
[On mourning paper for 8 Grosvenor Crescent, S. W.]:- They had their Homer paper this morning; thinks he 'did a pretty good one', and that he will not come out low in the form. Mr [Frederic?] Myers gave a lecture about Nelson in 'speecher' yesterday evening; does 'not think it was a success, though some of it was rather interesting'. Asked Bowen if there would be a holiday on Thursday, but he said it would be on Saturday.
Went to 'tea with Glazer [Mr Glazebrook] on Sunday'; he 'talked a great deal about Darwin' and was interesting. [Nugent] Hicks is doing very well and 'comes out top of Shipper's'. The boy who beat Robert last fortnight [in the marks] was [Frank Staverton?] Beeching; Robert does not think he will do so again. Is glad his father has 'refused to stand for Brighton [in the General Election?]', as he supposes he would not get in.
Trinity, Cambridge [on college notepaper]:- Hopes his mother finds everything all right at Welcombe and is enjoying herself. Aaks how Bathgate and Fairweather are. Supposes 'they will be shooting the home woods about now'. Is very glad she is going to stay with the Verralls; he will dine there on the night she is staying with them.
Is afraid he 'made a sort of promise to go to Oxford on the 13th', since [Nugent] Hicks said he could arrange rooms in Balliol. Is going to Harrow to play football next Saturday, so could come home to see her after that; she might not be in town by then. Is 'playing Rugby football now', though not 'much more than one game a week'; is 'still able to work quite well' and thinks he is 'making progress'. Will see George on Saturday [at Harrow] and 'will report on him'. Had 'a very interesting letter from C[harles]'; he seems in 'good spirits'. Hopes his father is 'well and cheerful about politics': things seem to be 'going remarkable well' as far as Robert can tell.
Trinity [on college notepaper]:- Has had a 'slight cold', but is now recovered, 'chiefly owing to the use of a smoke ball'. Wrote to Lord Compton about Mr Arnold, giving him 'a very good character': Lord Compton seems to want to send his son [to Wixenford School]. Robert is going to play 'Rugby football', since he will then be able to 'get a game' whenever he wants, and 'it is a much better game than the other [Harrow football?].
The Observer has come out again; now 'managed by a new set of people, some... very clever', and so is 'much better'; hardly any of the old people are involved, and Marsh has 'nothing to do with it'. Expects it will succeed now, as they are 'much older people'. Robert is 'on the staff of the Review', but does not have time to do more than write to [Nugent] Hicks asking him to be their 'Oxford correspondent', and to 'look over a few proofs on Wednesday evening'; does not think he 'ever saw a worse paper', but then it is 'semi-official', and they 'must go on'. His work is going well. Has no other news, as 'things are very dull here'.
Adds a postscript asking how 'the Horsham petition' is getting on, as he supposes it must have begun by now.
[On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Was 4th this fortnight; thinks Charlie was 11th. Expects she has heard that Charlie got his fez 'at a second eleven [match]; Davison got his at the same time. Thinks Charlie 'quite deserved it', as he would 'certainly have got it if he had played in the match' [but was recovering from illness so could not]. Went to tea with Houson the Sunday before last, and with [Main Swete?] Walrond, 'a Weldonite in the sixth form', this Sunday; Hicks, who is in Walrond's house, was also there. Walrond is 'very nice indeed' and they had 'great fun'. Is going to tea with Glazer [M. G. Glazebrook?] next Sunday which will be the fourth one in a row he has been out to tea since he went to [J.W.?] Cunningham before.
They are soon going to have a 'trial on Pope's Iliad; this 'counts into the fortnight' and makes a great difference to the marks, so he has 'read it up carefully' and found it 'very interesting'. Around four boys in his form 'have been caught cribbing'. There was a 'concert in speecher [the Speech Room]' last Friday by the band of the Coldstream Guards. Weldon's [house] beat Bozy's [Bosworth Smith's?] today 5-0. His own house 'nearly beat Weldon's' in their match, so they 'cannot be very bad this year'. Hopes his father is 'quite well'.
Arrived safe [at Harrow] with his luggage, though his portmanteau only came this morning. Is having his 'first game of rackets with [Nugent] Hicks'. Will 'hear our order tomorrow'. The weather is very fine. There are '7 new boys' ['chaps' crossed out and corrected] in his house, of whom Pope and Hardcastle are scholars. They [he and his brother Charles?] had a good journey down, travelling with 'a German most of the way, with the Usher in the next carriage'. Will write next Sunday.
Wixenford, Eversley, Winchfield:- Has been meaning to write for 'some days', but has spent 'the last few lovely days almost entirely outdoors', as he hopes Bobbie has also done. Knows Bobbie does not need to be told how 'greatly delighted' Arnold is that all his work has been 'rewarded with success'. They tried their best to 'persuade one another.. it did not so much matter which way things went in the [Harrow entrance] examination', but Arnold is 'not too proud to confess' that since success is 'one of the most practical tests of good work', he at least 'hold[s] greatly to results'. Thanks Bobbie for his 'kind letter' and the postcard sent from Oxford, and offers congratulations.
Is 'much interested by the papers'; probably by now Bobbie will have seen what Mr Bowen said in a letter Arnold sent to Mrs Trevelyan. This was 'not all praise', and Bobbie 'shocked the examiners with blunders', as well as Arnold, but he 'also delighted them all through'. Arnold will 'sadly.. miss' their 'pleasant lessons together'. Thinks that what delighted the examiners is the 'permanent part', and that Bobbie will 'entirely get over' the errors which shocked them if he works hard over the next few years; 'Precision and accuracy is not a talent [Bobbie has] by nature', but he should take courage from the 'great strides' he has already made and feel it is in his power to fit himself 'for the highest achievements' over the next eight or nine years before he takes his degree at Cambridge. Arnold thinks that success which comes from hard work is superior to that which come only from talent without much effort.
Has had good news from Tomlin and from Leveson and Lawrence at Eton. Tomlin, 'not a scholar, mind you', writes that he was first in his form: first in classics, second in mathematics and natural science, and fourth in modern languages, with a prize for 'coming out top in Pupil-room'; he writes that he is 'so glad to see Trevelyan got a scholarship'. Arnold notes that Tomlin has 'done so well since he went to Harrow, without ever flagging', that he intends to give the Wixenford boys a half-holiday in his honour next term. Supposes they may have one in Trevelyan's honour: when Hicks got a scholarship, 'some fellows' said something about a whole holiday. Will give another half-holiday if Trevelyan is 'top of Lower Remove twice in the 3 first fortnights marks'
It is the 'peculiarity of Wixenford boys to wear well', though they do not 'always show all they know at first'; if Robert had not been 'unfortunate' in the Latin prose paper and the 'Greek passage about military tactics', he would undoubtedly have been placed much higher. Arnold wonders if he was hurried in the prose, as he thought an hour and a half short for this. Will be interested to hear what Robert's father thought of the prose Robert took home from Wixenford to show him: Arnold himself considered it 'very promising'. The Greek passage was not harder than many Robert had tried; supposes he went wrong somewhere and 'could not find the red thread again'; the verses were a 'triumph'.
Mrs Arnold sends good wishes and congratulations. Arnold will certainly not forget 'dear Bob', who should come and visit; sometimes Harrow holidays begin before Wixenford's, and then he can visit George. Robert can also send news occasionally 'as short epistles'; apologises for the length of this one. It is kind of Robert to send a present; will find it when they return on Monday, hopes it will be Robert's 'last photograph'. as he will have to have another one taken with his 'new honours'.
Hopes Robert is 'getting plenty of rest and enjoyment' on his holiday, and that George is also having 'plenty of fun'.
Wixenford, Eversley, Winchfield:- Sends 'two capital reports' [not included]. Cannot predict the result of the Harrow examination: Bobbie 'is not a quick worker, and he is too liable to lose his head just when put to the test', but he has 'at times done quite as good and probably better work' when compared with Hicks. Arnold has asked Bobbie to show Trevelyan a piece of Latin prose which 'struck me as quite promising', and he has 'made a good start' in verse, though Arnold wishes they 'could have had another month'. At the moment Bobbie 'is slow and his ideas are often too far-fetched though his attempts show power'. Is sure that, 'whatever he does next week', Bobbie will 'soon prove himself at least fit for Lower Remove'. Is 'thoroughly satisfied' with him, and also with George 'who is very promising, and more wide awake than his brother'. Bobbie's 'influence in the school has throughout been excellent [underlined]'.
Asks if he may beg 'a favour': they [Arnold and his wife] will be in London tomorrow and Tuesday evening, and if possible Arnold would 'so much like to go' to the House of Commons on Tuesday evening as he has 'never heard a debate', though he is unsure whether the House will still be sitting. If so, and Trevelyan can help, he directs him to send the 'order to 24 Norfolk Crescent, Hyde Park; Trevelyan should not trouble to write if it is impossible.
Has got '11 fox caterpillars', and one of the new boys, Hicks, has lent him his breeding cage. The new boys are Holt, Rumbolt, Fleming, Mr Wilkins' son, [Tom] Booth 'a cousin of ours', and Hicks, who is the 'only new boy in the third'. They had honey for tea yesterday.
Asks when Harrow breaks up, as Mr Arnold is going to invite [Nugent] Hicks or [Thomas James Chesshyre?] Tomlin to visit at the end of term. Beat Farnborough away this afternoon, one-nil'. Sends love to all. The train 'comes in at 10.27'. Is glad 'Mr [Charles?] Fenwick and Uncle Harry [Holland] have got in [to Parliament in the General Election].