nary in arranging his neckcloth, which is a curious piece of mechanism. However, he contrived to talk more, and cut more jokes, than any other in the room, though only in half the time. The conversation turned a good deal on the "Etonian," a book which is written by some of the boys, and comes out monthly. I verily believe that some of the company I have just numbered have a pretty deep interest in it. I remember now, very well, having seen the magazine in the bookseller's shop, with a dismal print of the King of Clubs on the outside, and this is no doubt what Swinburne wished me to pay allegiance to. I shall certainly buy the last Number, thus far testifying my good disposition; and shall send it to you pretty soon, for I am sure you would like to see anything that comes from Eton. Henry is to have the Liberties as well as my self; I am to give him instruction about them. Now all this I with very good reason attribute to you; and I have taken an early opportunity to testify my gratitude, although an unlucky Saint's Day has given us what the Head Master calls a "wholesome "four Exercise-week, and we are just in the middle of it. The cricketers complain bitterly of the cold weather. I begin to understand the game, and to handle the bat with proper attitude, which all agree to be indispensible. In deed, all the best players have each his peculiar, and, as it appears to me, inimitable, sort of action, which they display while the bowler is preparing to deliver the ball. This consists in squaring of elbows, in various contortions of the wrists, and many other evo

lutions, equally useful and elegant. Some shake their bats with considerable violence, others wield and flourish them with perfect ease and command. In fact, there seems to be as much art necessary for the management of this instrument, as a lady requires for the graceful use of her fan; so, of course, an inexperienced boy like me cannot expect to attain it in a day. However, I flatter myself that I shall astonish you when I come home, for I positively bowled out one of the first-rates in our club the other day, and once hit hard enough to entitle me to walk with a great air once or twice round my wicket after I had done running, by way of recovering my breath. To do this in proper style, is, I assure you, reckoned a most difficult thing among the most expert performers, utterly unattainable, I am sure, by any of the rustics (Etonicé Clods) whom one sees playing at home. I have written to you in plain English, fearing that the dialect which we use in general has been imported since you left the School. By the way, your name still continues in existence on several of the Upper School pannels, though the art of cutting out seems to have been considerably improved since your time, or rather I suppose it was not formerly considered too much trouble for a boy to undertake the task himself; whereas now, very few boys condescend to be seen engaged in such a degrading employment. Indeed, there is a man who is specially occupied, and, I fancy, gains no inconsiderable emolument from the simple office of conferring immortality at the moderate charge of

half-a-crown, (be the length of the name what it will-monosyllabic, or tetrasyllabic) on anybody who chooses to pay for it. As it is the fashion, therefore, for boys on leaving school to be so immortalized, I have given special injunctions that a space may be reserved for Henry and myself, immediately under "M. BRADSHAW, 1787."

Swinburne and Henry desire me to remember them kindly to you; and, with many thanks to you for this friendly introduction to Swinburne, believe me

Your affectionate nephew,

S. RASHLEigh.

P. S.-Remember me kindly to Guidott. I hope he was in time for "the Little Salisbury."

MY DEAR BOYS, Your letters came quite as soon as I could have wished; that is to say, much sooner than anybody expected. The news, too, is as good as we possibly could have desired; and, in fact, the whole Epistle is quite free from that heaviness and sorrow which used to distinguish the first notice of your return to Mr. Plodwell's; and which was never enlivened by the various touches and alterations which it used to receive from the hands of that worthy gentleman. You seem to be rather vexed at arriving so much earlier than you need have done. It was entirely owing to our over-anxiety for you to be in good time, and we will take care, in future, to manage these matters better, and not to commit so serious a mistake. We think of you very often, and miss you very much, I assure you. It is not a little consolation, however, to think that you like Eton so well, as hardly to consider it in the light of a school. I do not think that you looked very gloomy at starting; and I am sure that

Stapylton Hall.

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your late letter bore no marks of Black Monday. You are a happy person to live in such a busy place, where you have always plenty of subjects for writing upon. Here we go on in our regular course; and nothing appears to occur that you would wish at all to hear. The dogs, horses, and the other living creatures, will not furnish a single line; and our neighbours' affairs are not a bit more interesting than our own. must not forget to tell you that the gamekeepers have discovered two fellows in the act of stealing some pheasants' eggs. How they are to be punished I do not at present know; but your Papa declares that they shall not escape with impunity, if he can prevent it. I hope that he will not put himself too much forward on the occasion, for these poachers are always in confederacy, and perhaps they will attack us in gangs, as they have done other people, when they find that they will be caught if they come singly. We positively think of going to town

very shortly, and Mr. Rashleigh is at this time looking out for a house. Perhaps you will be able to get leave to pass a day or two with us there; perhaps even we shall come down to Eton, which I have a great wish to see: but nothing is settled, and I would not have you flatter yourself too much with any expectation of the sort. The principal object of our journey would be to get masters for your sister, which, as you know, are not to be met with at home. It does really seem quite a pity to leave the country just as it is beginning to look pretty; and I cannot conceive what infatuation it is that induces everybody to crowd to London in the very loveliest time of the year. You talk a good deal about your cricketclub, and seem as if you liked the thoughts of it. You must not suppose me to know anything about the game; but I have always

understood that it is a good one for boys and men too: so I am glad to hear that you take an interest in it, particularly as I think it much better to amuse yourself in that manner, than in going on the water. Pray do not get into one of those odious boats before you can swim. I shall trust to you for preventing Henry. When he likes to write, and has plenty of time, we should be very glad to hear from him, as well as from you ;— the oftener the better. The Westburys intend to send their little boy to Eton as soon as he is old enough. Your account has quite turned their heads; and your being there is not a little inducement; for no doubt you would be able to help him on a good deal. Your father and sister desire their best loves to you and Henry. Yours, very affectionately,

C. RASHLEIGH.

MY DEAR SISTER, I am determined to show you that I have not forgotten the promise that I made you in the Holidays; and partly from my own inclination, and partly too, it must be confessed, from my brother's orders, I have sat down with a sheet of letter-paper before me, manfully resolving to cover it at all hazards. Samuel has written to my Uncle to thank him for asking Swinburne, one of the Sixth Form, to take notice of us, which he has done very effectually; and is a capital friend, I assure you.

Eton, June 7,

One would hardly suppose that anybody could have been so goodnatured, who knows as little of us as he does. But I will not talk to you about these stupid things any longer; for I am certain that they will suit my brother ten times better than me, as you will discover when he chooses to give his account. I am much too cunning to take so much trouble; besides, I think I shall eclipse all his prosing by the splendid description I mean to give you of the annual Regatta which took place on the 4th, and

a very pretty sight it was. You must positively come here when it happens again, and we will take care to send you timely notice. All the long boats (to the number of nine or ten) were ranged along the bank of a large meadow, just out of Eton, and, at a settled time, they all set off, in order, to the sound of music, and rowed a long way up the river, to a place called Surly-hall, where there was a large supper laid out in the open field, not only for the crews, but also for all the Fifth and Sixth form. If it had been a week later, Sam would have been there; as it is now, he is not better than I am-merely a lower boy. But to return to my story. The river-side was lined with an immense number of people -all collected to see the boats start, or rather to see the dresses of the rowers. They had mostly straw hats, and very gay embroidered blue or white jackets, besides great gilt buckles in their shoes, such as one observes old codgers wearing, only that they were newer and wreathed. But the steerers were the principal attraction-all dressed out in silks and velvets, and gold, after the Turkish, or some other outlandish fashion. I must say, some of them looked more like girls than boys, and I cannot help thinking that those were the wisest who had naval uniforms; for it seems more in character. I must not forget to mention that every boat had a particular flag, painted with some device or other, and a motto. Di rectly after the procession had begun there was such a scamper ing and racing about, that you would positively have imagined that half Eton was on horseback. I could hardly recognise some of

my acquaintances, metamorphosed as they were by their new equipments of spurs, top-boots, hunting whips, and straight-cut coats. What capital fun it must be hiring a horse for a couple of hours, just to show off! (to be sure we were not locked up in our house till half an hour later than usual that night.) The Master said, that he could not tell the reason why that indulgence should be given then more than at any other time; but I dare say in reality he knows well enough. I do believe that Smirk would have cut a very respectable figure there, and I am sure he would have beaten most of them. You never saw such animals collected together in your life before, many of them with hardly a leg to stand on, and bones peeping through their skins; others just taken up from a common, with all their winter hair about them, as if they had never felt a curry-comb ; and the best were but poor creatures. Then there was such flogging, and hollowing, and riding against one another, that the Epping Hunt could never have been more ridiculous; and great part of the company preferred going to look at them to eating their supper. However, all managed to arrive at Windsor Bridge, or somewhere about it, before the fireworks began; and most of the carriages, as you may imagine, brought with them pretty good loads of the boys, who managed to cram themselves in every part. Samuel and I got into a house, which commanded an excellent view of the place where the fireworks are exhibited, viz. a sort of island in the middle of the river, covered with willows, which they call here an eyot, and perhaps

elsewhere too, but I never heard of the same. It was quite dangerous to stand on the bridge, from the pressure of the horses and vehicles, not to mention that the fabric itself is very shaky, and not at all unlikely to tumble down with many extraordinary weight. When the boats came down, they pursued each other round this eyot, and under the bridge with the ut most rapidity; and I understand it is reckoned a great triumph if they can strike the one before them with their bow, and this they call bumping. By this time it was getting quite dark, and the fire works, which they tell me were unusually good, showed themselves to the greatest advantage, as well as some variegated lamps, which were ranged about upon trees and poles. The water-rockets pleased me better than any thing. The Captain of the Oppidans has the arrangement of all; and they say that the present one (Sir Thomas Nesbit) deserves great praise for

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his part of the business. I am very well content that he should have as much as he can possibly wish for, because I think him a very good fellow, which is quite as much as one Eton boy can say for another. Of course it is quite unnecessary for me to inform you that we all got home at the proper time. And so much for the 4th of June! If you are half as well pleased with the relation as I was with the sight, I shall be perfectly satisfied; and you must allow that I have sent you a very full one. Samuel is at this moment deeply employed in his verses, or he would have sent a few lines... However, he begs to join in love to you, Mamma, Papa, with, my dear Harriet,

Your very affectionate Brother,

H. RASHLEIGH.

P. S. I have already ascertained that our Election Holidays (so they call them), commence.on the 30th of next month.

MY DEAR FATHER, I am so well pleased with my elevation to the dignity of a Fifth Form, that I have taken up my pen to give you the very earliest intelligence of my delivery from fagging, which, by-the-by, I always cared for but little, and of my power to fag, which at present I care for still less. I have passed through my trials much more easily, and much more successfully, than I expected; for I really have taken the places of three boys who were before me. Neither of them were

very transcendent geniuses; but still I had not the most distant idea of being put above them. The change of which I have just informed you is termed a Remove, and affects more or less the whole School. Henry, among the rest, has felt its influence, and is now in that part which I have just left. He has acquitted himself extremely well in trials, and is very happy at the thought of changing his Terence for some other Authors, which I do not wonder at; for it