168. Edward Moulton-Barrett (brother) to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 166–167.
[London]
[Postmark: 12 October 1822]
My ever dearest Ba
I must write you a fewe lines to tell you that on Monday, tuesday, & Wednesday were examination days we did not go into hall to be examined till tuesday we then went and the Drs set us a thesis to write verses upon the subject was “sol sciens” [1] and there all sat round a long table and we had to make twelve verses Hexameters and Pentameters when we had all finished we gave up our verses and we found one poor unfortunate boy who had only done one verse and that was all wrong, he had to walk to Dr Russell with his single verse in his hand all scratched out however he is to have one more chance next three weeks, another boy (whom Russell has booked as a regular downright “idle, shuffling blockhead”) described the sun as adorned instead of adored by the Ancients and his verses were upon the whole so bad that Russell read them loud out not one of them would scan, on Wednesday we went in again and were examined in our Homer parsing and construing, our Ovid repetition &c and Greek vocabulary all of which I got off famously and am now pretty high in my form 3d or 4th I dont know if I tolled you of a boy who said the Westminsters boys licked him, however his story was this he said he went to Westminster on Sunday to see it and that some of the big boys caught him & licked him so terribly that two men were obliged to come to his assistance. On hearing this Russell imediately wrote to the head Master at Westminster who after inquiry found it was all a lie and wrote to Russell that effect Russell enquired of the boy and after some time he confessed it was not true, and upon confession was sentenced to recieve sixteen stripes, accordingly yesterday morning he was brought to the block & recieved his punishment with four rods, [2] ten shillings Watky was executioner and every now and then through the key hole, between the boys groans we could distinguish Watky’s voice desiring him to “take away his hand” or telling the Monitor to “hold him tight[”] &c &c– And between every stroke Watky waited about half a minute so that he had it most sweetly the blood flowed most copiously. Granny sends her love to Papa and begs <him> let Mathews exterminate the rats (as she <knows> he can) for fear they should bite any body’s nose off for such things have been known you may think I am joking but upon my honor this was Granny’s message and she was quite grave when she desired me to say so. I must wish you good bye my dearest Ba but you shall hear from me in the week again.
Ever believe me
your affectionately attached——
Bro——
Treppy desires Mama will in her next letter acknowledge the reception of her 2 pair of shoes and Cocoa nut & raisins (which were for you) by Treahern [3] ——
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. “Knowing the sun.”
2. “The Block, shaped something like an executioner’s block, with one step to kneel upon, and another over which to bend the head … Six cuts were generally given, and always in camera” (Charterhouse Old and New, by E. P. Eardley Wilmot and E. C. Streatfield, 1895).
3. Probably John Treherne, a tenant on the Hope End estate, or his son William, who was employed in the Hope End stables.
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