| Description | Manuscript. Letters in 1867 to 1869 whilst Karl and Arthur were on separate vacations in either Southam, Bournemouth, or at Mr Gee's in Wadhurst, letters to Karl from September 1869 concern Arthur's first year of school life at Rugby, covering his homesickness and sadness at missing the company of family, asking Karl to write often and that he will "live on letters", first impressions of bullying at Rugby, on his progress in studies, on making friends and practical jokes by older boys, on being called "Balbus" by the boys, on boxing often and unsuccessfully, asking for news of Karl's school work and the family, enclosing riddles, a letter in French, wishing Karl a happy thirteenth birthday, a letter on 22 May 1870 looking forward to the summer break and on "speech day" at the school on 1 July 1870.
Letters from September 1870 concern Arthur's second year at Rugby, enclosing a descriptive account of "Parish-scrummaging", describing his new study, asking Karl for papers and magazines (particularly Routledge), on his blocked ears and a spate of vandalism in the School House, on pleasure at being able to attend Karl's "prizes" at University College School, the end of academic year sporting matches, and preparation for his exams.
Letters from September 1871 concern Arthur's trip to Rouen, and his third year at Rugby, covering his "double-remove" (promoted two years), about class schedule, enclosing a sketch of University College School, describing how football is played at Rugby with a diagram of the pitch, about work leading up to end of term, asking for news from London, and on getting equal first for the Chemistry Prize.
Letters from September 1872 concern Arthur's fourth and final year at Rugby, asking about Karl's aviary, on the "dull" term up to Christmas, on having lots of extra duties including being House Librarian, head of the football second "xx" and a member of the Debating Society, letter dated 6 November about fireworks let off in the School House and catching boys in the act and "sending them up", on exchange of their respective school magazines, asking after their mother and father, on packing for the Christmas holidays, on Dr Hayman's case, on fear of being found "shallow" compared to pupils from other schools due to lack of "scholarship" at Rugby, asking Karl to prioritise his health over school work and the London Matriculation exam, writing from Newmarket in May on the "2000 Guineas Stakes", on coming second in the Queen's Medal, and enclosing a programme of the Rugby Speeches on 25 June 1873 where Arthur took the part of "Verges" from Much Ado about Nothing.
Letters from September 1873 contain a letter written from home advising Karl on how to get through his difficulties with other boys at Mr Hensley's school in Hitchin, about his trip to visit Cambridge with their father, on learning Association Football, rowing, on his lodgings in Cambridge and being in first class mathematics and classics, about his rooms at Trinity Hall (moved in during Lent term), on coming second in the College exams whilst his friend Foà came first, on Ben Latham taking a "paternal interest" in him, on Karl's marks in his Cambridge scholarship and preparing for his own scholarship exam, on looking at a new house for their parents,on father's behaviour "like a lodger in his own house", letter dated April 1875 congratulating Karl on his Open Scholarship, on a holiday to Germany and Brussels with their parents and sister Amy (Karl to join them), about his planned trip around Europe with Frankau in August and September 1877, on recovering from illness, Karl's new kitten and Amy's attendance at the Polo Ball, congratulations to Karl on his 21st birthday, suggesting a statue of Karl be erected following his successful attack on the Cambridge Divinity system, a letter from the Isle of Wight with their father persuading Arthur to read Roman and Civil Law, congratulating Karl on exam success and his own success in Roman Law exam, a letter in October 1879 on lack of legal work and describing proceedings at court sessions, enclosing a paragraph on copyright in photographs following a conversation with Karl on the subject, about sending law papers to Karl for study, about Ernest Hatton and Amy's relationship (they married in March 1880), on meeting Karl's "inamorata" Miss Cohen at the Goldsmid's Ball, letter to Karl at Bideford in North Devon in April 1887, on Arthur and Amy's (his wife) plan to stay with mother on the coast after their return from the continent in the summer of 1888, and letters from the summer of 1890 congratulating Karl on the renewal of his engagement to Maria Sharpe, a letter on the eve of Karl's marriage, and advises Karl not to miss any of the beauty of the Norwegian fjords during his honeymoon. |