Item 126 - Letter from Max Beerbohm to R. C. Trevelyan

Abinger Manor Cottage. - After his conversation with Trevelyan about the death of Little Nell [in Dickens' "The Old Curiosity Shop"], it has occurred to him that a good composition test for the young would be to write the scene in the style of Thackeray, followed by the death of Colonel Newcome [from Thackeray's "The Newcomes"] in the style of Dickens. He thinks of establishing a fund so that his old school, Charterhouse, may offer a yearly prize along these lines in his name. He fancies he himself, in his youth, might have completed the first part of the task well, and writes out the attempt he made at the second yesterday evening. Is greatly enjoying Trevelyan's translations from Horace and Montaigne.