Item 210 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Sir George Otto Trevelyan

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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'.

Pencil note dating the letter to '[18]91'.