24 "MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE!" 



Yet even before that period there is a letter written 

 from Balliol College on soth October 1870 : 



DEAR POLLY, 



It seems that you and Tom nearly won much money 

 the other day. I did win, though it was only the sum of 3. 

 Still, that is better than losing. I also went out one day with the 

 intention of backing Bonny Swell for a place I should have 

 got 25 to i but I unfortunately forgot, and the next day was 

 too late. Of course he did get a place. 



My scout and I were both of opinion that Adonis would win, 

 and are now both of opinion that Syrian will win the Liverpool 

 Cup. 



Now I will lead the opponent of racing a stride or two 

 further and leave him to digest this Prologue, which, I 

 warn him, will not ultimately work out to his own satis- 

 faction. I find a letter of I7th March 1871 : 



DEAR POLLY, 



The Term is now well nigh over and I am at present 

 engaged in the arduous occupation of passing, or endeavouring 

 to pass " Smalls." I have done one paper (Euclid) and do not 

 think I am ploughed as yet. But there are several more horrid 

 ones impending and the issue is doubtful. 



Friday. 



I am through " Smalls " all right, and was even compli- 

 mented on the excellence of my papers a thing which is very 

 rare. We had the hardest arithmetic paper there has been for 

 some time, and I only just managed to avoid getting ploughed. 



We pass on to 1872, and I present the anti-racing man 

 with the following awful example : 



If there was ever anything in which I was pre-eminent, 

 it was in the writing of Latin verses a most useless 

 accomplishment, but my own in those days and to prove 

 what the strength of it was I give the record of results 

 of an examination at Rugby in the winter term of 

 1868, prior to which time I had been absent for nearly 

 a year. 



