54 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. III. 



look over our subjects. I luckily got hold of mine at the 

 College, so they had no idea at home that I was going up. 

 I shall not trouble you with a recital of the toils and 

 troubles through which I passed ! suffice it to say that I 

 began yesterday at ten o'clock, and studied straight on 

 without stopping till three o'clock this morning, so I am 

 rather wearied now, which is my only excuse if this letter 

 be dull and uninteresting. I might amuse by reciting the 

 contrivance I fell upon to keep myself awake last night. I 

 was in the finest studying trim all day, and dreading I 

 should become sleepy at night I pilfered a portion of tea, 

 kept a slice of toast, a little cream and butter, which I hid 

 behind a rampart of books, and having commissioned 

 Margaret [a servant] to leave the tea-kettle where I put it, 

 I made myself a cup of tea, and got on excellently ; the 

 object of all this secrecy being to conceal my intention of 

 going up for examination to-day. 



" Don't you fear that I will take into consideration the 

 getting to London ; if possible, I shall come, for nothing 

 could be more delightful, and I could study excellently 

 beside you, but I cannot say anything yet very definite, 

 although I shall write to you more explicitly afterwards. . . . 

 Albums are the most flattering and comfortable records of 

 poetry for folks like you and me ; one is sure to please, 

 and I should never think of writing songs did not the wish 

 to please, or promise to fill a page, form a stimulus. Now 

 for the story of the soap-bubble, which is certainly, as 

 the sternest mathematician would allow, a trifle light 

 as air. 



" Miss reproached me for not writing in her album. 



I told her I never wrote without being asked, but would 

 willingly if she wished. On receiving it, I inserted the 

 following verses : 



