Letter of 1833 July 29

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A day at Eton/

Royal College of Surgeons, Lincon's Inn Fields,/

July 29th. 1833./

My dear Mother,/

	As the last letter you would recieve[sic] was in answer/
 to Catharine's I feel inclined to address this to you.  I hope the parcel arrived/
 safe, and if you got it on my birth-day I am sure you would be pleased./
  You were not forgotten that day although I was unable to dine, as/
 has been usual, at the College, when we invariably drink your health./
  I had been engaged a fortnight previously to dine with Prof. Mayo/
 of King's College, and did not calculate when he invited me that the/
 day in question would be the 20th.  However I spent a very pleasant/
 evening, there being but two other guests--Dr. Macartney of Dublin/
 and Mr. Stanley; and we kept the birthday on the 21st at Surgeon's Hall./
  My friend Geo Langshaw will be the bearer of this: he is worthy of/
 every attention from you having taken every pains[sic] to render a/
 visit I have just been paying him agreeable to me.  He wrote to/
 me last week to come over and witness the festivities which usually/
 take place when the Eton boys break up, and the interest of the scene/
 and place with the fine weather made the offer too tempting to be/
 resisted.  I shall attempt a short description of what I have seen/
 during the visit.  First I must observe that as I was mentioning my/
 proposed jaunt to my opposite neighbour in Symonds Inn--Mr. Hepworth,/
 he kindly offered me the use of his mare to ride if I felt inclined;/
 and thinking the exercise would be of service to me I ventured to/
 accept the offer.  Behold me then at 9 a. m., Saturday morning,/
 last, cantering through Lincoln's Inn on a very handsome and/
 pleasant-going Nag, threading my way with some degree of nervousness/
 among the cabs & carts & other vehicles of the crowded streets, and/
 thankfully leaving the same at Apsley House where I turned into/
 Hyde Park.  There a pleasant shady ride extends to Kensington/
 where you again enter the main road, along which I went pretty/
 quickly 'till I got to the Black-Dog near Staines, where we/
 rested for an hour and then went leisurely on to Windsor.  For a mile/
 or/

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of the happy lads who were now enjoying with a double zest, their/
 holiday festivities.  It was amusing to see the little fags each waiting/
 behind his master, handing the wine about &c, and now & then/
 treated with a glass themselves, or a half-picked bone of chicken./
  I observed, however, that the unfortunate bones were not released/
 from maxillary exactions when the fags had done picking them,/
 but were eagerly fought for,-true bones of contention,-by numerous/
 smock-frocked urchins who surrounded the tables at more humble/
 distance--a distance which the fags preserved by bestowing/
 hearty aristocratic kicks on any intruder of the latter class./
  As we returned homeward, we had the fine castle in view, illuminated/
 by the setting sun, and now the distant trumpets mingling with the/
 tum-tum of the drums announced the returning Cavalcade./
  The Horsemen came sweeping past,-one fine young fellow had/
 got a long pole, which he had set in rest like a knights lance/
 and was pursuing at full gallop another who had the start of/
 him.  The boats came racing down, the crews vociferating and/
 taunting each other, elated with wine, and emancipated from restraint,/
 Just above Eton Bridge there is a little island; here they had erected/
 a stage for fire-works, and a triumphal Arch-way, lighted/
 with coloured lamps, bearing the Eton arms & motto 'Floreat Etona,/
 (may Eton flourish); while the fire-works were let off the 10-oared boats/
 continued to row round the Island, passing at each circuit through/
 the arches of the bridge, 16 times these boys continued to/
 pull round, and as they floated with the stream {passed [crossed out]} past[sic] the/
 island every boats crew stood up, with their oars raised, and/
 cheered the insignia of their school, during this time the little/
 Island was illuminated by different coloured lights red, blue, green, &c./
 the effect of which, upon the boats, & the crowds which lined the/
 river banks was strangely beautiful.  We could see lights in the/
 apartments of the Castle where the Royal Party were watching the/
 operations of the boys.  The old moon looked red & sulky through the/
 dark smoke which arose from the fireworks and obscured her/
 beams.  I felt that a Turner was waiting to do justice to these/
 combined/