| Description | "Report on his new residence at Eton, and observations as to the respective arrangements of Mr. Coleridge and Mr. Chapman. Room for a bookcase. Astley’s place in the school; and satisfied with Eton." (Sent by cross-post.)
Eton. Friday, Sep. 25. 1835.
My dear Papa,
I like my new house and companions very well, and when I have been here a little longer, I think I shall like it quite as well as Mr. Chapmans, There are no very great differences in Mr. Coleridges regulations. We have prayers here every night, whereas at Mr. Chapman’s we only had them on Sunday, I think that the rooms in general are rather larger than most of Mr. Chapmans, but not so high, Mine is very nearly as large as the last one that I had there, and there is plenty of room for a book-case. The dinners here are much better than Mr. Chapman’s, as Mr. and Mrs. Coleridge dine with us. We have also three rolls given us at breakfast, instead of two, I do not think that Mr. Coleridge is so strict as Mr. Chapman he allows the boys to talk at dinner, whilst Mr. Chapman set them a punishment if there was any talking or laughing at dinner. We have private business every Saturday, and once on week-days if it is a four-exercise week, twice if it is not, We have not done it yet, but it is to be Plato. I have looked about Mr. Oke’s age, and it seems that he is not more than thirty eight or thirty nine years old; though all the boys that I have asked say that they should think him to between fifty and sixty, and some even sixty and seventy. I am up to Mr. Coleridge in school again, though I was very nearly up to Mr. Wilder, as there is only one boy below me in Mr. Coleridge’s division Baring did not come till last Tuesday, and he messes with Fane instead of me; for even if I had breakfast with him, I could not have tea, on account of our being locked up so early. He boards now at Mr. Harry Dupuis’ where a good many of Mr. Chapman’s pupils are gone; There is a new master, whose name is Elliott, come to fill up the vacancy occasioned by Mr. Chapman’s departure. Astley boards at Mr. Pickering’s, and was placed in the Lower Remove, Fourth Form, he says that he likes Eton very much. I do not think that I have any more news to tell you, so believe me to remain
Your affectionate son,
M. P. W. Boulton.
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