Dummer House Hants.

Dec 22

Dear Sir,

I beg to thank you for informing us of Charles’ safe arrival, and I hope that M^rs Talbot and yourself will find him improved in strength – as I think that he has been very well lately –

I am happy to be able to express considerable satisfaction with his industry and general conduct, and although we still hope that he may pay more attention to the courtesies of society we find him much improved with his manner to ourselves and to his companions. I have found him always attentive to his lessons and hope he has made good progress, as he passed a good examination, I think the following list of the marks he obtained in July last, and now is a good test of his improvement

<table follows>

he also passed a very good examination in Geography & English History – <ill.del?> is <ill.del.> improving in Arithmetic, altho’ I am afraid I cannot say the same of his writing, and I find his French Master characterizes him as “quelque peu négligeant” –

With his verses he is making way, but I <firmly> that <ill.del.> at a certain point boys often make a long halt before they can attain to any nicety in the art – I should feel much obliged if he could do something in the holidays, and perhaps his best practice would be to translate a few lines of Caesar into English, and back again (and the same with Ovid for verses) on the following day –

With Comp^ts to M^rs Talbot I beg to remain, D^r Sir, Yours truly

James A. Williams