COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 21 



Once Northcote had to go away in the middle of 

 a game, having lost about two shillings. He handed 

 over to the boy who took his place a sheet of paper 

 with these words, " Here is a schedule of my debts, 

 and here is the sum of my possessions," and handed 

 him a halfpenny. 



We sometimes had singing parties too. I can 

 remember a song of Tab's called " The One Horse 

 Shay," beginning 



Mrs. Bubbs was fat and free, 



And fair and forty-three, 

 And blooming as a peony in buxom May. 



She long the toast had been 



Of Farringdon-Within, 

 And took up the better half of the One Horse Shay. 



In July, 1833, Mr. Coleridge wrote again to my 

 uncle : 



" MY DEAR SIR, 



" As your nephew is to see you on his way 

 through London I shall send you a few lines to as- 

 sure you that he is going on very well in all respects, 

 except his school exercises. He is extremely good 

 tempered, regular and attentive enough to his lessons ; 

 but he does not take as much trouble as he ought with 

 his prose or verse composition. He might do more 

 without any great act of self-denial, and I wish you 

 to make a point with him of his raising himself by 

 his industry. Could we effect this it would be of 

 value not only for itself, but also as a probable means of 

 keeping him out of the only evil into which I have any 

 fear of his falling namely, a reckless, coarse manner, 

 and an excessive abandonment to bodily, rather than 



