THE SCHOOLBOY OF FACT.
[To THE EDITOR 07 THE " SPECTATOR:1
SIR,—Having read with appreciation your article on "The Schoolboy of Fiction" published in the Spectator some weeks ago, it occurs to me that the following copy of a letter written in 1834 by a schoolboy of fact may have some interest. The writer was at a private school at Clifton, and just past his tenth birthday, which occasion had been celebrated by the usual "hamper" and a letter from every member of his family, including his parents and the governess. Here is his reply :— "Mr DEM?, THE WHOLE or THE LOT,—I am now going to give you a whole account of a day at schoole we get up at six when a great bell is wrung we are ready at about seven when Mr. H— comes in. we say our prays by turns every morning we have to wait to get to the tub to wash your hands then we go to lessons and go on till about nine when we again have prays then we have our breakfast in the room where we eat there are two long tables then we sit down and eat upon rather dry bread and scrape as may be expected and an emence cup full of dish water or as you may call it milk and water tea for there is about a drop of tea in an emence jug of milk and water in which it is served out. after this we go and take a walk which takes us to about ten then one set of boys go down to Miss Augusta of which I am one we stay there one hour then we go back again into school and stay in till one when we have our dinner after dinner we go out again till two when we come back again and stay till six when we have our tea which is the same as the breakfast that is to say in the eatables then we go in again for half an hour to learn our lessons for the next day, then we go out on the downs till eight, then we go to bed and talk till about nine (when we are not heard) then we go to sleep till the time we get up. in the evening we usually play at cricket and Crowder and O'Callaghan are the head of the too sides for we are playing a match of three games and three inings each I am on Crowder's side and so is Caddy we have beat one out of the three and are beating the Second we won the first by 84 the other side 76 notches. Now my dear all I am very happy and comfortable and have a very nice bed to sleep in I sleep next bed to Coker. I am going to write to you every other Sunday to you but you must not be disappointed if you do not hear sometimes for fear some- thing sould prevent me nor must you you be surprised if you hear from me in a week day for fear anything should happen for my writing, the cake was a very good one and the biggest that has ever been seen in the school but the key of the Closet in which it was put up having been lost it cannot be eaten yet awhile yet a bitt of it has been eaten. Mrs. Cookson has envited me out to her house for one day which is very kind of her Newman has asked me to come and dine with him have you any objection to my going he is much better now he came over Thursday to Unpack a hamper of pery and he put in with the pery a bottle of ginger beer If you have no objection I would be much obliged if you would send me the Saterday magazine for most of the boys have newspapers and things sent to them for it is very amusing to have some thing to do on a rainy half holyday and I would be very much obliged to you and I would send them to Grandmama after I have read them I thank you very much to have heard from you all and I am very much offended with Miss Boughan and I think it is nothing but an excuse about throwing into the fire and all that nonsense, all send their love and thanks
—I am, Sir, &c., B.
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