"fresh woods and pastures new." 55 



wife of Henry's elder brother, Captain George 

 Lawrence, who had been one of the Kabul prisoners 

 during the first Afghan war. 



In a letter to his brother, Hodson refers to his 

 work at Sanawar : " One is obliged to take to any- 

 thincr that offers to avoid the tcecUum vitce which 

 the want of employment engenders in this ' lovely 

 country,' — in those, at least, who have not learnt 

 to exist in the philosophical medium of brandy 

 and cheroots. Did I tell you, by the bye, that I 

 abjured tobacco when I left England, and that I 

 have never been tempted by even a night al fresco 

 to resume the delusive habit? Nor have I told 

 you (because I despaired of your believing it) that 

 I have declined from the paths of virtue in respect 

 to beer also, this two years past, seldom or never 

 even tasting; that once idolised stimulant ! It has not 

 been caused alone by a love of eccentricity, but by 

 the very sensitive state of my inner man, achieved 

 in India, which obliges me to live by rule." 



During this year Hodson had certainly, to use 

 his own words, "had a benefit of work, both civil 

 and literary, for the Institution ; and since Colonel 

 Lawrence put an advertisement in the papers desir- 

 ing all anxious persons to apply to me, I have had 

 enough on my hands. It is all very w^ell, but 

 interferes no little with my reading ; and I am 

 sure to get more kicks than thanks for my pains 

 from an ungrateful and undiscerning public. How- 

 ever, as long as Colonel Lawrence leaves everything 

 so completely in my hands, and trusts so implicitly 

 to my skill and honesty, it would be a shame not to 

 Avork ' tmlike a nigger.' 



"It is intended that the children should remain 



