| Description | He hopes that Louisa is not vexed at William's not having written by the last mail. He thinks that Louisa has done nobly. He imagines being in his father's sitting room and Louisa leaning on his shoulder, with Constance [Constance Anne Herschel] and Fancy [Francisca Herschel] on the terrace, concluding that Louisa was right to stay at Collingwood. He recalls his own first prize, which his father was sulky about, since it was for gymnastics. He described weightlifting. William has been trying to start schools, raising subscriptions, and he describes the difficulties of keeping a school going. He thinks that European supervision would be required. He considers that they cannot expect much of the current generation of children, but the effort should continue. He goes to Calcutta [Kolkata] on the 29th for what he thinks will be his final examinations and before going he will take his oath as one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for India. He comments on letters, including Johnny's [John Herschel] about a railway accident. William relates the case of 'a horrid murder' two days ago in the next house, in which a man's head was nearly cut off by a sword blow. He was apprehended within a few hours and William has been collecting evidence against him. He fears the case will not be proved, despite the right man being caught. A previous case he alluded to, of a derogah [policeman] taking bribes, is quashed, with William noting the reasons. He concludes with a message for Maria [Maria Sophia Herschel], doubting that the picture taken from the terrace steps is hers. |