red at
the last election and comes up to the scratch next morning, for the next
election, fresher than ever. I devoutly hope he may get in, and be lost
sight of for evermore.

Pray give my kindest regards to my quondam Quickly, and believe me,

Faithfully yours.

[Sidenote: Mr. Joseph C. King.[43]]

DEVONSHIRE TERRACE, _Saturday, December 1st, 1849._

MY DEAR SIR,

I hasten to let you know what took place at Eton to-day. I found that I
_did_ stand in some sort committed to Mr. Evans, though not so much so
but that I could with perfect ease have declined to place Charley in his
house if I had desired to do so. I must say, however, that after seeing
Mr. Cookesley (a most excellent man in his way) and seeing Mr. Evans,
and Mr. Evans's house, I think I should, under any circumstances, have
given the latter the preference as to the domestic part of Charley's
life. I would certainly prefer to try it. I therefore thought it best to
propose to have Mr. Cookesley for his tutor, and to place him as a
boarder with Mr. Evans. Both gentlemen seemed satisfied with this
arrangement, and Dr. Hawtrey expressed his approval of it also.

Mr. Cookesley, wishing to know what Charley could do, asked me if I
would object to leaving him there for half-an-hour or so. As Charley
appeared not at all afraid of this proposal, I left him then and there.
On my return, Mr. Cookesley said, in high and unqualified terms, that he
had been thoroughly well grounded and well taught--that he had examined
him in Virgil and Herodotus, and that he not only knew what he was about
perfectly well, but showed an intelligence in reference to those authors
which did his tutor great credit. He really appeared most interested and
pleased, and filled me with a grateful feeling towards you, to whom
Charley owes so much.

He said there were certain verses in imitation of Horace (I really
forget what sort of verses) to which Charley was unaccustomed, and which
were a little matter enough in themselves, but were made a great point
of at Eton, and could be got up well in a month "_from an Old Etonian_."
For this purpose he would desire Charley to be sent every day to a
certain Mr. Hardisty, in Store Street, Bedford Square, to whom he had
already (in my absence) prepared a note. Between ourselves, I must not
hesitate to tell you plainly that this appeared to me to be a
conventional way of besto