Harrow

To Lady Olivia Sparrow, February 22 1815

Tho I sent you a few days ago a longer letter than I write to any body else, yet I thought you would wish to hear from me on a Subject so interesting to you. The day after Mr. Hodson got my letter he and his pupil presented themselves in the morning and spent the day here. With the latter I had only general intercourse, my chief object with him being to make myself as pleasant as my state of health allowed, and to remove any prejudice he might have entertained of my being severe and dictatorial. While I sent him walking and talking with young Gisborne, I took the Tutor into my room for a couple of hours. I will as nearly as I can recollect, tell you our chief discourse. His first endeavour has been /not/ to give him any disgust, but to gain his affection. He finds him conformable and complying with his injunctions, but not in habits of application, or much given to reading He is more anxious at first to bring him to stated habits and a regular disposition of time than to force too much reading upon him till he discovers more liking to it. At half past 8 he gives him, I think about a dozen verse of the Greek Testament to study and meditate upon alone. At Nine he sets him to construe those passages to him and after they have discussed the Greek in a literary and grammatical point of view, he then expounds them to him spiritually and Theologically: then their devotions and a little walk before breakfast. I suggested that as he is inclined to sit over his Meals that a short thing, a medium sort of reading such as a paper in the Rambler^* might be well taken up. His Mornings are at present engaged with Quintilion whom they study /both/ separately and together. I ventured to give my opinion that as he would fill a great station in the world, and was not much addicted to study it might be well to endeavour to imbue his mind with general knowledge such as would be useful in life, and to allure him to the perusal of history and Travels; to make him learn a passage from the Orations of Demosthenes or Cicero, in the Greek & Latin and then to translate and recite them in English, and to labour after a good manner of recitation. Mr. H. told me, and Mr. S. himself told my Sisters that they had spent their time in the most trifling manner at Harrow, and that very little was required of them there. In consequence Mr. H says his habits of conversation are too frivolous, horses &c &c being the favorite theme. Before evening prayer Mr. H. reads and again expounds Scripture. This he says is all the formal religious instruction he gives, for he /is/ afraid to weary him, but he tries to make their walks, their common reading instructive. I insisted much on the necessity & importance of this, knowing it is the best way to mix up instruction with the common pursuits of life. They sometimes dine and drink tea out, but as it is in correct and pious company, I thought it better for his youth than to be confin’d to a tete a téte always with his Tutor. The latter likes his young friend who has yet given him not the slightest cause of complaint.

To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 16 March [1815]

Conceiving that you will be glad to hear from time to time a word from me respecting your Son, I resolve to scribble a line, tho yesterday was a peculiarly bad day. Mr. Sparrow his Tutor and Mr. Hensman spent a long day here lately. I took Mr. H. as usual into my room; we had a very long discussion, and I required an explicit account of their goings on, which he very minutely gave me. I have the satisfaction of reporting that every thing seems very promising; if the improvements are not rapid they are at least progressive. At my request he has begun to attempt composition. He reads Watts’s Logic^*and Mr. H. makes observations on their joint perusal both of that and whatever else they read together. As the days lengthen he rises earlier which gives him more time for the Greek Testament before breakfast. He is translating some passages from Demosthenes^* which will help to form his Style. I suggested that here after he should learn and recite some fine passages in Burke’s Speeches.^* He reads by himself more than he did, and I lent for that purpose Plutarch’s Lives;^* and Travels thro Germany.^* I have also presented sent him with the Saint Paul of Barley Wood,^* which he has promised to read; I told him that being written by one who had the honour to be his Mother’s friend, it might interest him more. Mr. H. says that tho he cannot say he sees as yet any decided piety, yet he has great pleasure in seeing that he [has] not the slightest prejudice against religion or religious people. This is /a/ great point for ‘a Harrow fellow’.^* But what I rejoyced at as the most gratifying circumstance, was that he told me he possessed great purity of mind. This is a blessed thing at an age when boys have commonly their minds tainted. May God’s blessing preserve it to him! I think a very fortunate situation for him. I think now he is getting a step towards manhood he would hardly endure the dullness & total want of society of an obscure Village, where he woud probably be too solitary, or led into inferior company. Now at Clifton their little social intercourse is entirely among religious, and well mannered people, and his Sunday’s Instruction sound and good. It was Providential for poor distressed Hensman to get Hudson to fill at once the Niche so fortunately vacated by Cowan,^* or he might have forced himself into it again at his return. There appears to subsist a pleasant affection and confidence between the Tutor and Pupil and Hensman says the latter has easy access to his house where he often calls, and where he will get nothing but good. I have said so much about this interesting youth that I have left myself no room for other Subjects.