310 HENRY KIKKE WHITE S REMAINS. 



TO HIS MOTHER. 



St John's, 9th July 1805. 

 My dear Mother, 



I have scarcely time to write you a long letter ; but 

 the pleasing nature of my intelligence will, I hope, make 

 up for its shortness. 



After a week's examination, I am decided to be the 

 best man of my year at St John's; an honour I had 

 scarcely hoped for, since my reading has been so very 

 broken and interrupted. The contest was very stiff, and 

 the >uen all acquitted themselves very v/eli. We had 

 thirteen men in the Jlrst class, though there are seldom 

 more than six or eight who attain that rank in common. 



I have learned also, that I am a prize-man in classical 

 composition, though I do not yet know whereabouts 1 

 stand. It is reported that here, too, I am first. 



Before it was known that I was the first man, Mr 

 Catton, our College tutor, told me that he was so satisfied 

 with the manner in which I had passed through the ex- 

 amination, that if I chose to stay up during the summer, 

 I should have a private tutor in the mathematics, and 

 that it should be no expense to me. I could not hesitate 

 at such a proposal, especially as he did not limit the 

 time for my keeping the private tutor., but will probably 

 continue it as long as I like. You may estimate the 

 value of this favour, when I tell you that a private tutor, 

 for the whole vacation, will cost the College at least 

 twelve or fourteen guineas, and that during term time 

 they receive ten guineas the term. 



I cannot of course leave the College this summer, 

 even for a week, and shall therefore miss the pleasure of 



seeing my Aunt G at Nottingham. I have written 



to her. 



It gave me much pleasure to observe the joy all the 

 men seemed to feel at my success. I had been on a 

 water excursion with a clergyman in the neighbourhood, 

 and some ladies, and just got home as the men were 



