| Description | William notes his poor correspondence and comments on changing mail dates. He has received a pair of drawings from Louy [Margaret Louisa Herschel] or perhaps Maria, of the drawing room and the terrace view at Collingwood. He reminisces about home and changes to it. He writes that it is not unusual for landowners in India to imprisioning some people in cellars to obtain some object or to terrify others. The magistrate must find and release them. William has been experimenting with employing secret agents, but owing to his inexperience he is letting loose 'a set of the most unscrupulous villains possible'. It is the ambition of some to become a magistrate's spies, to make their fortune. He outlines the problems he has encountered, including the untrustworthiness of the police and the unreliabiity of their information in freeing such prisoners. He is glad to receive Alick's letter and is sorry about 'poor Johnny' [John Herschel] who will be prevented from getting a Pollock Medal. William has also had 'a wigging' for exceeding his powers, but most young magistrates are put in this situation by indignant indigo planters. He has been thinking about what line of public life he would like to enter, but is probably in the best situation for the moment. He discusses his opportunities to observe people. He wishes Alick would ask their parents if he is right to recommend studying history, and he gives his advice on this. He has a fever, which he describes, and thinks he should go for some leave to Darjeeling or to sea, and he will take quinine. He notes Louy's letter about 'the little ones' and comments on this. |