1966 - Arnold, Thomas. New Zealand letters of Thomas Arnold the younger... - New Zealand, p 40-169

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New Zealand

20. To MRS. ARNOLD

'John Wickliffe'
Otago Harbour April 26th 1848

My dearest Mother

It is now more than a month since I sent my last letter to you, just after we had entered this harbour; and yet here we are lying still. The cargo however is now all discharged, so that if the wind serves, we shall probably go to sea before the end of this week. I am very anxious to get to Wellington and be doing something. You must not suppose that I have remained in the ship all this time; most part of the month I have spent on shore, at the place where the new town 1 is to be, living sometimes in a tent, sometimes in a wooden house, belonging to Mr. Garrick (who, as I think I told you, is a lawyer who has brought out his wife and family to settle here and is a very pleasant hospitable little man) which he brought out with him from England. My mattress has been a bed of fern, and a softer and more comfortable one could not easily be found. You will wish to know what this place is like and I will try to describe it, though as I know of no part of England at all like it, it will not be easy to give you a clear notion of it. This harbour is a narrow sheet of water, 14 miles long, closed in by steep hills on each side, averaging 400 or 500 feet in height, and clothed with wood from top to bottom. These hills are just pretty, and no more. They are not high enough to be grand as hills, and there is no level land anywhere to give an appearance of richness and fertility to the landscape. Now I think of it, this harbour is not unlike the lower part of Windermere, from Fontbeck down to the foot, but there is here no grand view of a mountain-group encircling the head, as there is in the beloved English lake. About half way down, there are two rocky wooded islands. It must be confessed that, owing I suppose to most of the trees being evergreen, there is a

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certain stiffness in the appearance of a New Zealand forest, which contrasts unfavourably with the fresh tender green of an English wood. But some of the trees and shrubs are very beautiful. There is a kind of pine with the most delicate feathery foliage, such a tree as one would expect to see growing in a conservatory in England. Then there is the cabbage-tree

and the beautiful tree-fern,

(not that this smudge will give you the faintest notion of what it is like) both of which seem to transport you to tropical regions. Taking it altogether, there is nothing either in the country or in the colonists, which would make me wish for one moment to stop at Otago. Of course every one tries to convince me that there is no place like Otago, that it must soon outstrip the other settlements, etc etc; to all this I listen attentively, make polite answers, wish them all manner of prosperity, but- remain fixed in my intention to go to Wellington, and if I did not like that, to New Plymouth, or Nelson, or Wanganui, all rather than to Otago.

The Philip Laing came in last Sunday week, 3 weeks behind us, having nearly 250 souls on board. Mr. Burns 2 and his family have come in her, and I like what I have seen of them much. The emigrants that have come by her, are, according to Mr. Burns' account, a bad and disorderly set, indeed this Free Church Colony, which had the impudence to announce itself as walking in the footsteps of the Pilgrim Fathers, and the founders of which were to be so eminently religious and moral, seem to be mainly formed of as pretty a set of knaves and idle vagabonds as ever was seen. Out of all the single women on board the Philip Laing, Mrs. Burns could only recommend one as a maidservant. Two of the cabin passengers, who when they came on board represented themselves as man and wife, were married in the course of the voyage. The fact is, it was a clever dodge, in order to make the lands sell, to represent this Colony as connected with the Free Church movement, and to establish a Church and School fund, etc; but if any one were so deluded as to come out here under the expectation of finding a religious community, in the true sense of the word, he would find himself, I think, very much mistaken.

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Monday, May day.

Heigho! we are still here, and when we shall sail, I cannot say. I wonder what sort of a Mayday it is with you. Here, after a rainy night, we have a dull cloudy morning, so calm that there is not a ripple on the surface of the water, white misty clouds hanging about the hills, and altogether a cheerless aspect of things. With you perhaps, the garden is gay with flowers, and the hyacinths make blue the sides of the hills. With you Spring is ripening into Summer, with me, Autumn is declining into Winter. Perhaps you do not know exactly the relative times of the day and night in England and New Zealand, so I will tell you, having learnt all such things on the voyage. About 3/4 of an hour after K has been wakened by the rising sun shining into her little room (supposing her to be so wakeful, that is) she may suppose me to be watching his setting behind the hills that bound the harbour westward. Thus we have 3/4 of an hour of sunlight in common. On the other hand, when I am looking at the sunrise behind Tairoa's Head at the entrance of the harbour, he has already set with you some 20 minutes, and you are most likely sitting round the tea table after tea and just thinking of ringing for the lamp,--Some days ago, while I was up at Dunedin, I fell in with a man by name James Bell, who is well acquainted with the Northern Island, and I had much talk with him about Wellington, and the relative merits and capabilities of different districts. He is the son of a Scotch farmer, of whom honourable mention is made in Wakefield's New Zealand, 3 and who was one of the first settlers at Wanganui in the North Island, but being driven from thence by the constant annoyance of the natives, went and settled at Nelson. I liked exceedingly what I saw of Bell; he seemed to me to be an essentially upright and fair minded man; and upon enquiry, this was just the character that I heard of him. Well, said I to myself, here am I, about to engage in an undertaking of the details of which I know next to nothing, and which yet I must learn somehow or other, if I wish to get on. These details I might learn in one of three ways. I might go for a year into the household of some settler, or I might hire labourers to get my farm in order for me, and learn from them,--or, lastly, I might enter into an agreement with some intelligent working man, that he should help me in getting

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up a house and getting some land under cultivation during, say, two or three years, and in return for that, instead of paying him in wages, I should give him a share in the profits of the farm. For many reasons I decided on pursuing the last course if possible; and I was so much pleased with what I had seen of Bell, that I resolved, however unlikely it was that he would leave Otago, just after the arrival of the settlers, that I would at least sound him on the point. I did so, and found, as I expected, that he was engaged in a speculation here which promised to be an advantageous one, and therefore did not think of leaving the place; but he entered quite kindly and heartily into my plans, and said that he knew a man at Wellington, who he thought would just suit me, if I could get him; and that he would give me a letter to him, which he did. Of course this letter does not pledge me in any way, and it is quite possible that his friend and I may not be able to come to an understanding; still it would give me great pleasure if I could contrive an arrangement of this sort, for it is so much better to have been working with you, than merely for you, as hired labourers do. I shall not be able to tell you the issue of my meeting with this man at Wellington in this letter, which I am going to send by the John Wickliffe to Bombay, there to be posted by the Overland Mail, but you may be sure that I shall write by the earliest possible opportunity. The name of the man is also James Bell.

Tuesday May 9th.

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. We are still here, and though the captain talks of sailing on Thursday, he has disappointed us so often, that I do not place much reliance on his assurance. I believe the true cause of the delay is the captain's attachment to Miss Cargill, and the shilly-shallying evasive manner in which the young lady has treated him. You would scarcely believe me if I were to tell you what her conduct has been, even that part of it which has come under my own observation. But such tattle would be none the better for coming a distance of 15000 miles. Most part of last week I spent up at Dunedin, wretchedly enough. There has been a great deal of rain lately; and as the soil there is a tenacious clay, you may conceive what a state of mud every pathway is reduced to. Things get on but slowly there, because there is no hearty cooperation amongst the settlers, but on the contrary almost every one you meet has something to tell you against his neighbour. When I speak

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thus of the settlers however I ought to except carefully those whom we found here on our arrival, most of whom as far as I have seen, are good men and true, honest, independent and intelligent. I have absolutely nothing to tell you more, so I will leave off. Oh! while I remember it, I promised Capt. Cargill to ask you to present copies of the Life and works to the Public Library of Dunedin. I suppose you have still got some of Miss Portal's money 4 for the purpose. All you will have to do is to tell Fellowes to send the parcel to New Zealand House, thence to be forwarded to its destination by the first ship. Mentioning Miss Portal reminds me of the £20 worth of books which she was so kind as to promise me, but which as you know I had not time to get before leaving London. If they are not already got, and if you do not think it improper to recall the thing to her remembrance, after this lapse of time, will you ask Matt to select the books for me and send them to me at Wellington. Dearest old Matt! when I think of the last look that I had at his tall form on the wharf at Blackwall, it is almost too much for my manhood. Unlike as we are, and perhaps even by reason of that unlikeness, there is not, I think, another person in this world whom it is such an entire satisfaction to me to be with and talk with as Matt.

May 18th. Thursday evening.

Again we are on the free waters, and rejoicing in our liberty. Today, after a great deal of trouble in heaving up the anchors and getting them clear of each other (for the two chains were intertwisted in the most curious fashion) we made sail at about 3.45 p.m. and under the guidance of Driver the pilot, a gigantic raw boned Yankee, made our way safely out of the intricate channel with a leading wind, and got into the open sea. John Cargill, his sister Annie, Cutten, Mr. Strode (the new police magistrate lately come down from Wellington) Captain Ellis and Dr. Ramsay of the Philip Laing accompanied us outside the heads, and then returned in a whale boat. Miss Annie has made herself very agreeable during the last part of the time she has been on board; and I believe no one regrets and condemns the conduct of her elder sister more than she does. The only cabin

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passengers left are the Nicholsons, Miss Alexander, Lieut. Smith and myself. The last week has been more rainy than any week I ever remember. From Friday afternoon to this morning it literally has not stopped raining for more than half an hour day or night. Every house almost in Dunedin has become leaky, and I heard of two unfortunate men living in a small thatch house with a mud floor, who had the pleasure of seeing two 'pearling brooks' running right thro' their house and reducing the said mud floor to a very nice state. These are some of the minor miseries of colonization. I laugh at them just now, but my own turn will come next. This is just the middle of the rainy season, and I cannot expect to get housed on my section without having a good deal to go thro'. However I am in very good health and quite enjoy the prospect before me.

Tuesday May 23rd.

Here we are, dearest Mother, at last anchored in Wellington Harbour. On Saturday we met with an adverse gale, which raised a nasty pitching sea; and alas! I was sea-sick, tho' not very seriously. At noon to-day we sighted Cape Campbell, and soon after the hills round Wellington, but it was dark before we came up to Pencarrow Head at the entrance of the harbour, so that I can form no idea of the country just yet. Indeed had we not fortunately been boarded by the pilot off the head, we must have anchored outside all night. The harbour is a beautiful sheet of water, and the lights of Wellington lining the beach are pleasant in our eyes after the dreary solitudes of Otago. We find that accounts from home have been received up to the beginning of February, so that there is almost a certainty, and a delightful certainty it is, of my finding letters from Fox How at the Post Office when I go on shore tomorrow. Goodnight dearest.

Friday May 26th

I am now staying for a day or two at the Revd. Mr. Cole's. 5 This morning I got all my goods out of the ship and stored them safely in a warehouse. Every one is exceedingly kind to me. On Wednesday finding that the Bishop 6 was staying at Mr. Cole's, I called upon him; he was certainly most kind and insisted on taking me, undressed as I was, to the levee at Government

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House (it was the Queen's Birthday) to introduce me to Mr. Eyre the Lieut. Governor. Eyre was very civil and asked me a great many questions about Otago. It was amusing to see all the people presented, and to notice the ungracefulness and gaucherie with which most of them made their bows. In the course of the afternoon the Bishop embarked in his schooner to sail to the Chatham Islands so that I just caught him in time. I dined after the levee with Thomas the Auditor General, a half brother of Gov Grey, a frank pleasant young fellow. 7 He has a little bit of a wooden house consisting just of two rooms and a kitchen, but very snug. We did not dress, but there were silver forks etc, and everything went off so exactly the same as in England that I could have fancied myself at an undergraduate party at Oxford. That night I slept at an inn, and the next morning breakfasted with Domett the Col. Secretary. 8 But as I shall if possible send you another letter this same mail, I shall now close this one merely telling you that I have got all my goods and chattels out of the ship and lodged in a warehouse, and that so far as I know not a thing has received any damage. 9

Ever dearest dearest Mother and all
yours most lovingly,
T. Arnold

21. To JANE ARNOLD

Wellington May 29th 1848

My dearest K

I have just received your letter, dated January 17th, per Elora. A thousand thanks for it, my darling. It is the first that I have received since leaving Portsmouth, so you may fancy how I grabbed at it, when Mr. Cole showed it me. I never received any letter from Mamma about the loss of the Avenger. The only account that I had seen of it before your letter, was a short

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extract from some English paper quoted in the Wellington Spectator, in which it was said that only 3 officers and 5 sailors had been saved, but did not give any names. Fortunately I knew before leaving England that Walter had gone to the St. Vincent, or I should have been in a fearful state of suspense.

Wellington is a most beautiful place; far more so than I had expected. From my window in Mr. Cole's house, which is high up above the rest of the town, the view, on a fine day, across the beautiful lake-like harbour, to the mountain ranges which rise beyond it, tier above tier, then to the low and level Hutt valley farther to the left, and behind that again, far inland to the lofty Tara-rua chain, the backbone of the island, is really more beautiful than I can describe. Since I have been here, we have had several calm and brilliant days, on which the sun shone with a power which he seldom has in England in June; yet this is our November. The town of Wellington is principally built on two level pieces of land backed by hills, called Thorndon flat and Te-Aro flat. These flats are about a mile from each other, and for that distance there is barely room for one row of houses between the sea and the hills. Our town-acres are on pretty steeply sloping ground close to Thorndon flat; and very near to Government House; and I believe they are likely to be valuable in process of time. I have been to-day over to the Makara valley to look at the country sections, or rather at one of them. For about 5 miles there is a cart road, though a most infamous one, leading to the end of what is called the Karori district; thence a very good bridle path, recently cut, conducts you over a pass in the hills about 2 miles down into the Makara valley, and stops about half a mile from our section No. 19. I ascertained however that from one point in this path, a path equally good might be cut right to the middle of our section which would only need to be 20 chains (1/4 of a mile) in length, and which I could get done for £5. There are many clearings in the Karori district, and the huge pine logs and the charred blackened stumps lie about, just as they are described to do in the American backwoods. The land is very much parcelled out among small proprietors, so that one sees a great many small wooden cottages, and children running about, and every-where the saw and the axe are busily at work, for it is from Karori that Wellington is principally supplied with sawn timber. But after leaving the Karori road and entering upon the bridle path, you plunge at once into the unbroken solitude of the forest. The path gradually ascends,

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winding a good deal, for about a mile, when you find yourself at the top of a hawse 10 in a high range of hills, with the Makara valley, one mass of waving wood, deep down beneath you to the west, while to the North you see part of Cook's Straits, near where the River Makara empties itself. Descending by many Zig Zag turns, for the hill is very steep, and always thro' wood, you find yourself at last in a native clearing at the bottom of the valley. Here at present, the bridle path ends. But my guide struck the line originally cut by the surveyors between the sections, and led me on through the bush to a place where XIX was rudely cut in the bark of a tree. Here then was our section. The Makara, a pretty little clear stream, somewhat less than the Scandale beck, runs thro' a good part of it. You will understand its position better by this little plan.

The dotted line is the bridle path Thus you see, I had to go right down into the Native clearing, and then back again along the line between the sections, to get at No. 19, and you may observe how much it would save, if a path were cut along the pencilled line. Most part of our section seems to be level, as far as one can judge in such a thick bush. The timber is not very heavy, nor therefore would the price of clearing be. No. 14 is ours also, but I had not time to go and examine it. 11 Altogether I was pleased with the aspect of things. The greatest drawback is that horrid Karori road, which is the only approach to Makara from Wellington. Oh for another General Wade! I think those lazy lobsters the soldiers, of whom there are 500 here, ought to be employed in road making, for they are of no earthly use else.

May 30th.

I believe the mail for the John Wickliffe closes today, so I must finish my letter at once. The fine old ship looks like a

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frigate among the clumsy merchantmen around her. She is going straight from here to Bombay thro' Torres Straits, that most dangerous of all navigations. Letters usually arrive to us here by way of Sydney; there being a regular mail between London and Sydney, sailing on the first of every month. Remember therefore, please, always to post a letter within two or three days of the end of every month; because this is the surest way of bringing about something like regularity in the correspondence. Of course letters would be most welcome also by any ship that you may see advertised to sail direct to Wellington. Only never write by a ship bound for Auckland, for a letter might lie there for months without there being an opportunity of forwarding it here. I hope my friends will remember that I am still in the land of the living, and that such loneliness as mine is rather hard to bear; and that they will write as often as they conveniently can. Stanley, Clough, Shairp, and Mr. Price, 12 all promised to write. Make Matt tell that dear old Shairp that he will very soon hear from me. 13 Always remember this; that not the minutest particulars about persons or things at home can ever be dull or uninteresting to me here. It is those very details, trifling as they seem, which enable one to realize home-life vividly; and there is no pleasure like that to a lonely man, who has no friend to whom he can turn and pour forth his heart. Were there but one 14 --But wishes and complainings are vain; I have done my duty, and it was never promised me that I should be the happier for doing it, but only the better and the purer.

I was much interested by this last Hampden row. I wonder at the boldness of all these ecclesiastical agitators. As if the ground on which they themselves stand had not all long ago been undermined, the thirteen bishops and others talk of hetereodox [sic] opinions and the Church's freedom, and seem to forget that the only chance of stability for a system like the Church of England, is in silence and making no noise, and letting things go on by custom and use and wont, avoiding to excite thought and investigation. Trusting in the power of habit and prescription, the Church is strong; but it is madness in her to make any appeal to reason or justice, as if her system had anything to do with

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these. There is a homely proverb which says, 'The more you stir it, the more it will stink.'

Deeply grieved am I at your account of Aldred, 15 for I had allowed myself to hope better things. And Mr. Hearn too; it is indeed most sad. I am glad that dearest Mary is at Fox How; there if anywhere her sorrow may be lightened. Nature 'the homely nurse' doth all she can for us, and insensibly smooths off the edge of the roughest sharpest grief.

Remember my request, that in your letters you would always mention what letters you have received from me; in order that I may know whether any miscarry. You do not mention Wordsworth in your letter, or any one else in the valley. When I next write, perhaps it will be from the Makara. My true love to all, dear Rowey among the number; believe me ever, my darling K

your most loving brother
T. Arnold

[P. S.] My love to Uncle and Aunt Trevenen. I shall write to Uncle soon.

22. To MRS. ARNOLD

Wellington Terrace June 16th 1848

My dearest Mother

I have left Mr. Cole's, and am now in lodgings, waiting till the weather improves enough to allow me to take the first steps towards settling in the bush.

When I first arrived, Col. Wakefield 16 told me that if I did not like my Makara sections, I might exchange one of them for a section amongst those which the Company still hold in their own hands about Wellington. Upon consideration, and after taking the advice of several persons, I resolved, if I could get a section equally or nearly as good as those in Makara, and close to a good road, that I would make the exchange; for the advan-

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tage of having a good road to one's section is really incalculable. So Col. Wakefield pointed out to me on the map 2 or 3 sections on the Porirua road, which he said I might go and look at, and if I approved of any one of them, I might have it. The road to Porirua is the best out of Wellington, and what is more, it is sure always to be kept up, as it is the only line of communication between Port Nicholson and the settlements to the North, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Auckland. You will find all these places in Arrowsmith's map. Mr. Cole advised me, as I was going to Porirua, to extend my travels farther up the coast to Otaki, where there was a horse of his, which had been turned out some time before, which I might ride back. 17 So on the 5th of June, with a havre-sac on my back and furnished with letters from Mr. Cole to different persons along the coast, I set forth, having for a companion Capt. Collinson of the Engineers, who was going to visit the officers at Porirua. Collinson is I suppose about 26 or 27 years old, a sincere good man, with something of a sarcastic turn ordinarily, but when there is any good work to be done active and earnest at once.

We started after breakfast, and crossing Thorndon flat, ascended the hills that bound the harbour. The day was brilliant and warm. Flocks of goats were clambering about the gullies, and the birds filled the air with their songs. At the top of the hill we came to a pretty undulating country, partially cleared of forest, and with a few white houses scattered here and there. Crossing this clearing, all was forest again on both sides of the road; but from one or two points we caught beautiful glimpses of the harbour, looking like a blue Swiss lake, and the mountains beyond. I made Collinson take a sketch here, and if I can get him to give me a copy of it, I will send it you. At 6 miles from Wellington is a little village in the midst of a tolerably large clearing. 18 Near this was the first section I was to look at, but upon coming upon it, I did not like it by any means, as it was all hill and dale, and in a very elevated region. So on we went, and now we began to descend by the side of a stream that runs into Porirua Harbour. After a time the valley opens out; and near an old stockade, built originally to keep the Maories in check, is the second section that I was to look at. This I liked very much; it seemed to be tolerably level, a great thing in this

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very hilly country; the timber was not very heavy, and the land seemed to be good. The third section was of a similar character. 19 At the end of 13 miles we came to Porirua harbour, at the head of its southern arm. Here the scenery somewhat changes; it is pretty and riant but nothing more. Low rounded hills, covered for the most part with forest, encircle a narrow inlet at every part, except where by a gap in the hills, it communicates with the sea. Walking for a mile or two across the sands, we reached the farm of a man named Cooper, to whom I had a letter, and here we rested for the night. Cooper is a shrewd Scotchman, who came to New Zealand without a penny in his pocket, but who by various shifts and speculations has made himself one of the richest men in the colony. Yet, as I asked myself while walking round the farm next morning, and observing the untidiness and squalor which prevailed everywhere,--no garden, no orchard, an ugly house, and a filthy homestead--everything else sacrificed to the one end of making money,--what does such success as this really amount to? What is the use of money, if it does not tend to make its possessor, and those who live about him, and the place of his dwelling, more beautiful or more happy? What folly to attribute a sort of magical power to gold and bank-notes, as if the more a man had of them, the happier he must necessarily be. Yet I have heard many persons speak of this Cooper as a man very fortunate and greatly to be envied, who would not for the world live the same unpractical disorderly life that he does, but would account such a mode of living in their own case, to be not success but failure. Mr. Cooper however has the merit of being very hospitable; I can not deny that he pressed me to stay over Tuesday at his place, saying that on Wednesday he was himself going up the coast with some cattle and that we could go together. So I stayed there on Tuesday, and amused myself with riding over the

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farm. On Wednesday, Cooper not having yet got together all his cattle, I would not delay any longer, but bade him farewell and set off, with a little Maori boy for a guide part of the way. We walked along the beach of the inlet before spoken of, the water on one side, and the virgin forest on the other. Suddenly upon rounding a point, a curious sight presented itself. Separated by a narrow arm of the sea from the place where we stood, rose a large castellated building, which at first sight looked like a baron's castle of the olden time. 20 On a parade ground in front of the building a body of soldiers were drawn up at exercise. I stood like one in a dream. In a minute or two, the drums beat and they dispersed. Coming to the water's edge, I shouted 'Boat ahoy'; the ferry boat came across, and I and my little guide were ferried over. The large building proved to be a barrack, occupied by the troops during the time of the disturbances as a military outpost, and where they were frequently annoyed and harassed by the natives. Soon after leaving it we struck inland, and ascended a hill from the top of which there was a glorious view of the mountains of the Middle Island. For seven miles we walked through a wood called the Pukerua bush; upon emerging from which, we found ourselves on a hill from which we looked down on Cook's Straits, with the beautiful island of Kapiti in front, and the low shore trending away in an endlessly long curve to the northward. Here I dismissed my guide with a bonne-main of two shillings; though the little dog had the face to ask 'sicca-penny more', which of course I did not give him. This is always the way with the Maories; the more you give them, the more they will ask. Descending the hill, I was upon the shore of Cook's Straits. Grandly and with a thundering sound the surf rolled in upon the beach; grandly rose the great mountains across the Strait, and as I walked along I could not help thinking of the heroic sailor who first sailed through this noble channel, and whose name will live for ever in connexion with it.

Sunday June 25th.

I shall wind up the account of my excursion for the present by saying that I went along the coast as far as Otaki, stayed

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there a day, and returned on horseback by a different road; 21 and come to something of nearer and more personal interest. You must know that of late I have often been revolving in my mind, how I might turn to use, if possible, whatever of natural faculty or acquired knowledge I may have, and make these minister to the good of those amongst whom I am now to live. For I am well enough aware that I have no particular genius for farming, and that I am better fitted to teach little boys English History than to invent improved methods of cultivation or breed fat cattle. So I had been forming various schemes of getting together the neighbours' children when I go to live in the bush, and teaching them, in short of making myself a sort of village pedagogue. Well; today I was out walking with Domett, the Colonial Secretary, and he began to speak of a certain sum of £8000, with which the New Zealand Company were proposing to found a College at Nelson, according to the original plan of the settlement. It was to be founded, he said, on broad and liberal principles, and no particular set of opinions was to be taught there. He then asked me whether I would consent to be the Principal or Provost, or whatever the name might be, of such a College supposing the appointment could be got for me. I answered that I would most gladly, if I were left entirely unfettered in the matter of opinions. He said that there was no doubt at all of that; that he was extremely glad I was willing to undertake the thing, and that he thought there was every probability, such being the case, of my being elected without opposition. That however it would be necessary to communicate with the Company at home on the subject, and therefore no positive steps could be taken in the work for about a twelve month. What am I to say about this sudden change in my prospects? I only know that it is of little moment to me in what sort of employment I am engaged for the rest of my life, so only that I can feel that I am doing, or trying to do, the work of God, and fulfilling the purposes for which He sent me into the world. Since I lost Etty, my heart is much deadened both to pain and pleasure, and nothing can now affect me so vividly as it could in times past. Still I can look forward with thankfulness and joy to the prospect of being enabled to train up young and opening

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souls in what I believe to be the ways of truth and peace; and I must say also, that it would be no small satisfaction to me to counteract, as far as I could, the mischief which is being done by the Bishop's High-Church and exclusive College at Auckland. 22 'Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and drink freely'; such I think, is the motto that should be engraved over the gateway of every place of education, or at least written in the hearts of those who preside there. Dearest Papa, in whose spirit God grant that I may ever work, says at page 192 of Vol II: 23 'I have often thought of New Zealand, and if they would make you Governor and me Bishop, I would go out, I think, tomorrow,--not to return after so many years, but to live and die there, if there was any prospect of rearing any hopeful form of society.... I confess that my thoughts often turn thitherward, etc.' I really think that such a hope as is here mentioned is not altogether extravagant. Almost my first thought, after Domett's proposal, was, that if I got the appointment, perhaps that dear old Clough would come out and join in the work. Then if he came, no doubt that would attract others of the right sort. Clough in many ways would be much fitter to be the Principal than I should, that is as far as talent and intellectual power are concerned, and I was half thinking of telling Domett so; yet I thought on the whole, considering how much of a purely administrative nature there is in such an office, that I should perhaps be as well calculated to fill it as he. I think you had better say nothing about this matter at present, as it is quite a contingency of course, as yet.

Tuesday June 27.

Tomorrow I am going to the Hutt to stay with the Swainsons 24 for a few days. I walked out there last Thursday to pay them a visit, and after it was over, how often I thought how amused you would have been if you had been there, and had overheard

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June 1848 To Mrs. Arnold 22

what passed! Mr Swainson, as perhaps you know, married again just before leaving England, and he has two children by his present wife, who is therefore stepmother to Miss Swainson and her brothers. She has rather an arbitrary temper, and contrives, so it is said, to make the house so uncomfortable to Mary Swainson, that the latter stops away from home as much as she can, staying with different friends in Wellington. I had heard these and other particulars before I made my call; especially that the stepmother wishes of all things to get Mary Swainson out of the house by marrying her off, and so make room for her own children. When I called, Miss Swainson was not at home; she was stopping in Wellington. After a little while, Mrs. Swainson, who talks well and seems to be a clever woman, proposed a walk in the garden. Here while looking at shrubs and plants, she lost no opportunity, to my great internal amusement, of shoving in something about Mary--Mary's love of gardening, Mary's attachment to a country life etc. E. G. she asked me whereabouts my section was. 'Eight miles down the Porirua road, near Leigh's stockade' was the reply. 'Ah, I don't know the place myself, but Mary will be sure to know it; she is so fond of the country, and of living in the country.' Then she asked me to come and stay with them, indeed they had sent a note to me already to that effect, which I had never received. Then it was 'Would I bring with me when I came a volume or two of my Father's sermons; his views were so perfectly in accordance on all points with Mr. Swainson's.' 'Unfortunately my books were not yet unpacked; but I could bring a volume of the Life if they had not seen it.' 'Oh yes, they had seen that; Mary had it; it was sent her by a friend in England.' Never was there anything so cordial as the good lady's manner. Meantime I have never seen the subject of all this manoeuvring except for a moment; and am naturally curious to see what sort of person she is.

I have only heard once from home since leaving England; and that was K's letter of Jan. 17th; so I suppose when letters do come, they will come in a flood. This will reach you I hope, in 3 months, as it is going by Singapore and the overland mail. Love to all the darlings, and believe me dearest Mother,

Ever your most affecte son
T. Arnold

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23. To A. H. CLOUGH

Wellington June 26th 1848

My dear Clough

Though I have not hitherto had time to write to you, I have often thought of your jolly old countenance, and longed for a sight of it; especially when walking alone in the forests or among the hills of this beautiful country, where every thing is so novel, and yet so immediately recalls everything beautiful that one has seen in former times and in other countries. It is wonderful how soon the country winds itself about one's heart, and steals one's affections, partly from its own beauty, and partly perhaps from the delightful sensations which living in such a heavenly climate inspires. I have now been here for more than a month, part of which time was spent in an excursion 50 miles up the coast to Otaki, a fertile and beautiful region on the shore of Cook's Straits. Tomorrow I am going to the Hutt Valley, to stay some days with Mr. Swainson, and after that I am going to stay at a small house on the Pori-rua road, 6 miles out of town, in order to be near my section, which is 3 miles farther on on the road, and until I can get some sort of house put up on my own land. However better, and, I must confess, more congenial prospects have opened upon me, than that of farming. As however they are as yet only contingent, I think you had better say nothing about them to others.

You must know that when the settlement of Nelson was founded by the Company, it was arranged that a certain proportion of the purchase money which they received for the lands should be devoted to establishing a College; and accordingly there is now a sum of £8000, which is ready to be employed for that purpose. The first step would be to elect a Principal; and it has been proposed to me by Domett the Colonial Secretary, who was formerly a Nelson settler, that I should undertake the office. I told him that I would most gladly do it, if I were left quite unfettered in the matter of opinions. He said there was no doubt at all of that; for that in fact the College would be founded expressly on the principle that no particular religion was to be taught there. This of course would suit me perfectly. He added, that as I gave my consent, he thought there was little doubt of my being elected without opposition; but that as it would be necessary to communicate with the Company at home on the subject, a twelve month must elapse before any actual

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steps could be taken. It appears that none of the details of the plan have yet been fixed upon, but that they will be settled by a Committee which will represent the Company, the resident settlers, and the absentees, and will also, I suppose, include the Principal himself. Thus a very great deal will have to be done before the thing is licked into shape; but when it is, do you not think, my dear Clough, that you could make up your mind to come out and join in a work which seems to promise so well, and which would require no unworthy compromises in order to embrace it? 25 Fancy if Shairp and you and I were working together here, living in the light of a common faith, and united by the affection--which we already bear one another,--do you not think we might make a glorious onslaught on the great kingdom of Darkness, and do somewhat towards speeding the coming of that day, when King craft and Priest craft shall be among the things that were, and Love shall bind up the wounds of this bruised and suffering Humanity. Perhaps I speak too wildly, but at any rate it is my fixed belief that until Education is taken out of the hands of the priests, little will be done.

Although the details of the thing are altogether unsettled, it seems to me probable that the first appointments would be those of a Principal and one or two Professors, all of whom would act at first as school-masters, but it is much better, as Domett observed, that they should have the right names from the commencement, as that would keep people in mind that it was a College, and not a School, which was ultimately in view. I think the Principal ought, and probably would, have the appointing of the first Professors. Supposing then that I were elected Principal, do you think there would be any chance of your accepting a Professorship? Here are a heap of contingencies, I allow; but what I want to know is, whether there is the slightest chance of your accepting the thing if it was offered; because if I thought there was, I would move heaven and earth in order to obtain the power of offering it to you. It seems a preposterous thing to ask of a man, that he should cross the Ocean-stream, and remove εισ τα περατα της γης; 26 but I do not forget that when I last saw

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23 To A. H. Clough June 1848

you, you said the thing was not utterly impossible, should circumstances permit. Shairp's family would never allow him to go,--else how delightful it would be if the dear old boy could come out too, beard and all! Please write to me as soon as you can after receiving this.

I have only heard once from home, since leaving England; and then it was a hurried letter from my sister Jane, of no later date than Jan. 17th. I think the next ship ought to bring a good packet. Every particular about Oxford will always be interesting to me. I am curious to know whether any other parties have made the 'startling discovery' which the writer in Fraser's Magazine announced, of a set of Rationalizing tutor and undergraduates at Oxford, headed by the Revd A. P. Stanley. 27 Hampden's case interested me very much. The poor old Church will not stand much more of this poking about and rough handling, I should think; and the clergy are acting most suicidally in thus exciting discussion and inquiry, when their only strength is in the power of custom, and respectable prejudices, and long established prescription. 'The more you stir it--' etc, as friend Sancho says; no, I believe it is Don (Quixote). 28 I have seen the Bishop since I came, and I liked him much. Thinking is not in his line, of course;--how else could he be a Bishop and an Anglo-Catholic? --but he is a fine brave fellow, and a thorough gentleman. 29 This letter will reach you, I hope, within 3 months, as it will go by way of Singapore and the Overland mail. Give my love to Stanley, Walrond, Shairp, etc etc. Do you see much of Matt now? Believe me ever,

my dear Clough
yours most truly
T. Arnold

24. To FRANCES ARNOLD

Porirua road Port Nicholson
Monday July 24th 1848

My dearest Fan

After the pleasant surprise which your note has given me,

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July 1848 To Frances Arnold 24

which I found on opening the parcels of hips and haws, you quite deserve a letter all to your own self and you shall have it. You wished to know when and how I found your note, so here is the extract from my journal: 'July 8th Saturday. My luggage and bedding arrived. Opened the Fox How hips and haws, and found a note from dear Fan. Rambled about near the village. Fine and warm. Wind S. E.' I was then staying, and am still, at the house of a small farmer, by name Barrow, who lives about 5 miles out from Wellington. I came here in order to be near my section, which is a little more than 3 miles further on on the road. This family are from Kent, and we all live together in a most sociable and pleasant way. There is the old man and his wife, then come their four children, one of whom is married and has her husband and two children living in the house, and lastly there is myself. I have a comfortable bedroom to myself, and have my meals with the rest. My own little ware, 30 or house, will be put up, I hope, in the course of 3 or 4 weeks, but I have had much difficulty in getting men to work at it. However I have engaged two men at last, a Sandwich islander from Tahiti, and a New Zealander. 31 Do you know, my Skrattel, that your dear brother is actually the possessor of a cow, a real live cow, with two horns four legs and a tail. Mr. Barrow bought her for me at a sale last Friday, and I only gave £4.17.6 for her, including the auction duty. She is one of a lot of cattle that have just been landed out of a ship from Sydney, and the poor thing is very lean now, as is natural after a long voyage, but she is now out on the clearing with Mr. Barrow's cows, and feeding away heartily, so that in 3 week's time I expect she will look very different. She is a small red cow, and I intend to call her Lucy, after Lucy Hardinge. 32 She will soon have a calf, which makes her of course more valuable. With this cow, supposing she turns out a good one, I shall manage to live very comfortably, for I shall grow my own wheat and vegetables, and as I shall not eat much meat, I shall have scarcely anything to buy in the way of provisions, but tea and sugar and salt. A sister to keep house

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24 To Frances Arnold July 1848

for me is the only thing wanting, but we must not expect to get everything that we wish. My present notion is to try to get a boy and girl to live with me, keep the house in order, and look after the cow, etc; I should give them as much schooling as I could, and should treat them more as companions and helpers than as servants. But time will show what I shall be able to do in this respect.

Saturday August 12th.

The corner-posts of the ware are now put up, and by the end of next week, I hope the walls will be finished, and perhaps the rafters on. It will be a diminutive place, but I think it will look pretty. The gable end will front the road, or rather half front it, like this: When the house is finished, I will send you such

a sketch of it as I can manage to do. On the opposite side of the road, about the same distance from Fox How minor as K's crag is from Fox How major, runs the stream, to which I have cleared a path, and cut steps in the bank, to make access easy; for it will be here that I shall have to fetch water from. The stream is about as large as the Scandale stream, it is full of fish (a sort of broad-headed trout) and the water is capital. To-day a man of the name of Angel came up to me as I was at work, and asked me whether I was willing to let him have any part of my section on lease, with the right of purchasing at a fixed price per acre. I said that I would certainly let him have a portion of the section on those terms, but that I could not actually give him the lease at present, because I have not got a stamped power of attorney from Uncle and Coleridge. 33 Well, we agreed that he was to have ten acres, for which we are to draw up a written agreement that I am to give him a lease for 21 years, as soon as I get the necessary power from home, with the right of purchasing at the rate of £2 an acre at the end of 3 years. So he will come and settle on the section immediately, and from what I hear of him, I think he is likely to make a desirable neighbour. Especially I am delighted to hear that he is a good gardener, because it is gardening in particular that I wish to get some knowledge of. I mean to sell in this way about half of the section, if opportunity offers. And as there is a great inquiry now for land among labouring men, I think it likely enough that in the course of a year or two, there will be 5 or 6 families settled on

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August 1848 To Frances Arnold 24

my section alone. This is a pleasing prospect to me, you may well believe. And even though I were to get this College, and have to go away to Nelson, yet still I should have made a beginning, by clearing away some of the bush; and a beginning once being made, the work is sure to be carried on by others, whether I am there or not. For the section is really a good one, great part of it being level, or on a moderate slope, whereas most of the sections on this road are nothing but steep hills and gullies.

Thursday Aug. 17th.

Today, as I was down at work in the bush, dressed in a blue serge shirt such as labouring men wear, and in an old canvassed hat, and employed in patching up a temporary ladder, three horsemen came galloping up the road. When they had reached me, they pulled up, and one of them, Thomas the Auditor General, whom I knew, said, 'Arnold, the Governor is come to see you'. Capt Grey, for he it was, shook hands with me, and they all three got off their horses. The third of them was an officer of the 58th. Grey is a man of middle height, brown hair, blue eyes, rather thin face; manner good; voice remarkably pleasing. Something less manly about him than I had expected, perhaps. We talked about the colony, Otago, the revolutions in Europe, friends at home etc; I mentioned that I had a letter to him from the dear Archbishop, 34 about whom he enquired very kindly. He asked me whether I had received a letter from the Bishop, 35 about a new (Episcopal) College to be established at Porirua; I said I had not. It appears the Bishop wants me to be the head of this college; so I am in the ludicrous position of having two colleges thrown at my head at the same time! After this, Edward Whately may well say that we Arnolds are born with silver spoons in our mouths. However there can be no possible question on my part as to which I shall take. For to be obliged to teach Anglo-catholicism to unhappy juveniles, would infallibly make me sick, which would be highly indecorous in the Head of a College, would it not, my Skrat? Head of a College! to think that I, the Radical, the--etc etc-should ever come to be classed in the same category with those dear old respectable Conservative pudding-headed worthies of the Heb-

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24 To Frances Arnold August 1848

domadal board! I could laugh till I cried at the ludicrousness of the thought.

Neither Mother's nor Mary's letter make any mention of the Whatelys. I should like to hear of them from some of you, especially of Edward, about whose course in life I feel the gre(atest) interest. Dear fellow! I find that I miss my intimacy with him much. For twenty persons that I could get on with, and make friends of in the common sense of (the) word, there is not one with whom I could arrive at that footing of intimacy and perfect confidence, which existed between me and Edward Whately. And I don't think, though I say it that shouldn't, that he will find many who will be so fond of him, and so indulgent to his littlenesses, as I was.

For some time past I have been giving lessons to the little Barrows in the evenings in reading and arithmetic. The lesson book which they showed me when we began, was full of the most stupid prosy reading-lessons that can be imagined, all about morality and the pleasures of virtue and so forth. So, happening to have my Wordsworth unpacked, I thought that I would try them in some of the Lyrical Ballads. I read 'Lucy Gray' with the girl, and 'Dungeon Ghyll' with the boy. It answered very well, and what is more, the old people, who cannot read themselves, listened to the verses, as they were puzzled out, with the most fixed attention, and thought Lucy Gray in particular 'as pretty a sad story' as they had ever heard. Living so long with these people, I have learnt many things that I had little idea of before. Their superstitions and belief in ghosts astonished me. In an age of materialism and steam, here are people who firmly believe that a fiery serpent as big round as a man's leg, once appeared in an iron furnace at Tunbridge a few years ago, and that it was just going to spring out and destroy every one about the place, only fortunately the fire was immediately put out and the serpent vanished. In consequence of this, they believe that now all over England the iron-furnaces are put out once in every three or four years, in order that the too long continuance of the heat may not breed fire-serpents! 36 More than one of the ghost stories which they have told me in the most simple natural way, have something quite poetical and beautiful about them. For my part, I confess that it is rather a relief to me to find, that this faith in a particular Providence and

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August 1848 To Frances Arnold. 24

in visitations and warnings from the unseen world, still holds its ground firmly. Real life wears such a harsh and forbidding aspect for the English poor, that one must rejoice if some belief or other, though it be but a superstitious one, remains to poetize and ennoble their daily life.

Goodbye, my dearest Fan. Think of me sometimes as you are walking round the path or climbing about dear beloved Loughrigg. I for my part shall not fail to think of you, and all the dear ones.

Ever your most affectionate brother
T. Arnold

[P. S.] This letter will go by H. M. S. Calliope.

[P. P. S.] Aug. 22nd.

I open my letter again to say that I have just received dearest Mother's and K's joint letter dated March 29th, 37 and also a letter and a newspaper of earlier date from dearest Matt. Dear K has had the sense to twig sending letters by the Sydney mail; which is much the surest and most regular mode of conveyance. I will answer these letters very soon. If you should ever hear of any benevolent individual who would like to make me a present, apprise such individual that no present would be so acceptable as a violin with a book of instructions. And any old music that any one would send out would always be welcome.

25. FRANCES ARNOLD to T. A.

Fox Flow. January 26th 1849. Friday Eveng.

My dearest Tom

There are no less than 3 opportunities for writing to you within the next week. The Sydney Mail on the 1st. of February. The 'Jane Catherine', one of the New Zealand line of packets, also on the 1st, and the 'Mariner' on the 5th. If I can manage it you shall have a letter go by all three, so that if you don't get one you will the others. And now perhaps you will like to hear about what we have been doing the last week.

On Sunday Jane and I went back with the Crewdsons to Elleray after afternoon Service (which however we could not

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25 Frances Arnold to T. A. January 1849

go to, as it was raining cats and dogs) and on Monday morning, we went with Mrs. Crewdson to Major Rogers' at Raysrigg to see a collection of beautiful pictures he has got. There were 5 of Turner's, some of Copley Fielding Stanfield Cooper Callcott Harding and Roberts, they were extremely beautiful. Major Rogers had sold three other Turners for a 100 guineas each. We came back from Elleray on Wednesday and in our way called at the How in Troutbeck. Yesterday was so rainy, we could not go out, so we spent the afternoon in putting the books in order for they had long been in a state of awful confusion. Today, K has been to Ambleside, Mamma out in the little carriage, Susy to the Davys, and I staid at home in the garden with Jamie. Now, between 7 and 8 o'clock, after tea, Mamma Susy Jamie and I are sitting round the table in the drawing room, Mamma writing, Susy reading 'Das Fidei Commiss', the German Novel K read to us in Borrowdale--Jamie drawing, Jane reading Mr. Maurice's Sermons over the fire and I am writing to you.

This morning we heard from that beloved Corus, the first time we have heard since he left Spithead on the 16th. of December. He writes from Lisbon it is a splendid letter and when it comes back from Coleby where it has gone, I will copy out some for you.

I daresay you will see in the papers an account of the discovery of 'a great Sea Serpent'!! by Capt. McQuhae (pronounced Qua) of H. M. S. Daedalus. They declared it was 60 feet long, with a mane on its neck, etc etc. They said they saw it close and of course one can't disbelieve the Captain and officers of a Man of War, or think they would invent the story. However nobody hardly believed them and a Professor Owen wrote a long letter saying there couldn't be a Sea Serpent or its bones would have been found, and he said it was a seal! that had floated from the South Pole on an iceberg which had melted under him and when Capt McQuhae saw it, it was looking for a resting place. Of course the Daedalus men were very indignant upon which Punch wrote the following.

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January 1849 Frances Arnold to T. A. 25

I think this must amuse you I should say that Professor Owen said that what they called a tail of 60 feet was the track of the seal.

Poor Hartley Coleridge died a few weeks ago after only 3 weeks illness I believe it was Bronchitis he died of. His brother Derwent was with him some time before his death. I believe he is going to publish Hartley Coleridge's Poems and works. I do not suppose he could write a life of him well. A day or two before Edward went away last, I went with him to Mary Fisher's. I thought she was going to throw herself into his arms she was so delighted at seeing a boy. 'My old favourite friend', she exclaimed as she opened the door and then she made us sit down and brought out a table and a jug of Xtmas Ale, and a remnant of plum cake, 'whereby hangs a tale'. She told us that 'the first time I cut this cake was for dear Mr. Tom and Mrs. Twining!' Just fancy, that must be two years ago. However the ancient cake was very good indeed.

Janry. 27th. 1849.

This letter is to go on Monday to sail by the 'Jane Catherine' so I must get on with it. Walter's letter will not I am afraid be back in time for me to copy it so I will do it in the letter to go

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25 Frances Arnold to T. A. January 1849

by the 'Mariner' on the 5th. To day I read History and learnt Scripture History before breakfast, and afterwards we had the Psalms and Lessons and then the letters came, then I practised while Susy heard Jamie his lessons, and afterwards I did my German, Schiller's 'Don Carlos', French Exercise etc etc till dinner, after which Miss Quillinan and the Miss Stotter(forths) called. The Stotterforths are people who have been in the coun(ty some) time. They lived at Dover and were friends of the Wards so Mamma called (on them) they are living at Miller Cottage now. They are goodnatured kind people but we do not see much of them. Afterwards K Jamie and I not forgetting Ruby set off over Loughrigg to the Cherry Tree, while Mamma and Susy went in the little carriage to make calls at Grasmere. Loughrigg had not a dry inch on the whole of it, and the consequence was we got wet directly Jane indeed did so wilfully, for having a hole in one boot it made that foot wet first, and she said it was so uncomfortable having one foot wet and the other dry that she dipped the dry one in the first pool she came to. Ruby added very much to the variety of the walk as she darted away every minute into the middle of some bog hunting on her own account poor thing! and then returned suddenly when you least expected her, putting her dirty paws all over one. When we came back I went up to change and then sat in Rowland's room telling Jamie a story till near tea when I came down and read Basil Hall till tea and after tea I played 2 duets with Susy then read Basil Hall again to Mamma while Jamie did his delectus 38 to K and Susy read. Then I drew, then Jamie went to bed and since that I have read alone one of dear Papa's Manuscript Sermons and now Susy and Jane are reading Lamartine's History of the Girondins and Mamma is working by my side. I must try and finish my letter to night as tomorrow I shall have no time for I go to the Rydal School at half past nine in the morning, and directly after dinner in the afternoon so that I have not much time. Jane is as I daresay she has told you, going to illustrate a poem of 13 stanzas written by Miss Emmie Fisher and another young lady. There is to be an illustration to each stanza. Tidings and Boadicea are in excellent health and spirits. Tidings has lately taken up her abode on the stool beside the fire and is rarely absent, except at meal times. Boadicea is as lovely and wicked as ever. When we were at Elleray, we went

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January 1849 Frances Arnold to T. A. 25

to dine with a Mr. and Mrs. Cropper. Mrs. Cropper was Miss Fanny Wakefield whom I daresay you have seen and Mr. Cropper is exactly like you. He is very pleasant indeed, and just your age, 24. Jane and I scarcely took our eyes off him hardly it was so pleasant to be so reminded of you. Matt, and Edward are talking of having their pictures taken in the Daguerrotype and then we shall have all five boys so I hope they will. Walter was actually nearly 8 weeks getting from Portsmouth to Lisbon and the Dido a ship that has just come to England has been only 81 days in coming from Auckland New Zealand. We thought at first we should have heard from you but we saw afterwards that it was only from Auckland.

Jenny Lind has gone to Norwich again to the Stanleys. The people of Norwich gave her a 'dress and a shawl and other articles, of Norwich manufacture. She received the presents graciously and afterwards delighted the company with singing some Swedish Melodies and Airs from Der Freyschutz.' That is out of the Illustrated London News which came to day and is full of pictures of the Indian War etc. Colonel Lawrence's brother Major Lawrence and his wife and children are prisoners with the Sikhs but they are treated well. Colonel or rather now Sir Henry and Lady Lawrence have just gone out to India again. I wish I could see your red cow Lucy I suppose you do not milk her yourself. Now I must stop (as it on)ly wants 10 minutes to 10 by Mamma's c(lock and) I must leave a 39

[P. S.] 40 Just one word to say--God (bless) my son! I write by the Mariner to sail (on the 5th) Yrs ever M. A.

26. To JANE ARNOLD

Porirua Road. Port Nicholson
Tuesday. August 1st 1848.

My dearest K

It seems fit that on your birthday I should not only think of you but write to you. May God bless you, my darling, and give you such length of days and such outward fortunes, as shall be best for you. At this moment you are probably asleep, for though it is noon with us, it is but 1 oclock in the morning with

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you. How beautiful Fox How must be looking at this season. I am getting quite impatient to hear from some of you, for I have never received any other letter but yours of Jan 17th. Yesterday I got a Sheffield Times for the 29th of January, sent I suppose by Mr. Platt, for I did not know the handwriting of the direction. [There] 41 are so many in England in whom I feel an interest, and should be glad to hear of, that you can never give me too many particulars about persons in your letters, x x x x 42

Sackcloth and ashes are out of date, but humiliation, the deepest and painfullest, is the fittest apparel of the heart for an English person to wear about him constantly in these days. For who can avoid making comparisons? These Frenchmen of whom we have been accustomed to think so lightly, are seen united in noble and wise action, putting down the false and unjust, and setting up, striving at least to do it, the just and true. And what allows us to be very hopeful of their success is that they seem to love each other. It is not a class triumphing over a class, but a whole people getting rid of a sham, trampling under foot a lie. This is the only sort of National triumph that can be real or permanent, the only one that leaves nothing to repent of behind it. How often have I prayed to God that France may be true to Him and to herself, and may carry on in the spirit of love what she has so worthily begun! How often have tears risen to my eyes when I looked in thought across the Channel to our own unhappy country! There divisions abound and multiply day by day, and the ideal unity of England must be sought for either in her past history, or in the distant future which faith anticipates, anywhere rather than in the present. A clever writer 43 calls England the Two Nations, and there is but too much truth in it. The Rich are one nation and the Poor are another; and each knows next to nothing of the other.

August 8th.

Since writing the above I have had the great pleasure, the greatest I could have had, of receiving two fat letters from England. One was from Mother, enclosing a letter from dearest Mary, the last date being Feb. 27th, and the other from Clough,

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a long and interesting one. In answering Mother's and Mary's letters I scarcely know what to begin with first. I was delighted with the extracts from Walter's letters, and read them out to Capt Collinson, who was exceedingly amused by them. Apropos of Collinson, will you remember that a sister of his is married to young Mr. Rawson, living on Wastwater, and if you should ever have an opportunity of showing them any civility I shall be very glad of it; for Collinson's sake, who is a great friend of mine, and has been as kind to me as a man could be. Fancy the young naval brick coming out here in the Havana, how glorious it would be! Still I should be sorry that he should lose the opportunity which seems likely to be offered, of winning his spurs in combat against the great Sarmatian Bear, at the entrance of the Dardanelles. A report has reached us within the last few days that England and France have already declared war against Russia Austria and Prussia, and that our fleet in the Mediterranean has been ordered to the Dardanelles to blockade the Russian fleet. But the report is considered to stand in need of confirmation as yet.--It is but a poor account of Aldred, but I had not ventured to hope for a better. Poor dear Mary! I have not seen the Life of Sterling which she speaks of; Clough mentions it in his letter; but seems to have been rather disappointed with it. I hope to hear from some of you full particulars about Emerson's visit to the Lakes. Clough mentions an amusing story, almost too good to be true, that directly after Emerson landed, he and Carlyle had a confabulation which lasted three days and three nights, about everything in the Universe, and that after that Carlyle pronounced him a sham. Carlyle's article in the Examiner about the French Revolution has delighted us all here. But perhaps there is no revolution that will interest you so much to hear of, as the revolution that is going on in my bush. After many vexatious delays I got two men to set to work last Wednesday, to clear a felled place for the ware, or small house, that I intend to build. The trees after being cut, have to be lopped and logged, that is, the branches lopped off, and the trunk sawn into moveable logs which are then put up in a pile, together with the small branches supple-jack etc, and the whole after being left to dry a few days, set fire to and burnt away. A great rata (the largest forest tree in New Zealand) was to be removed; and as it would have taken too much time to fell him, we heaped logs round him and set him on fire. The tree was already dead, you must know. It was a beautiful sight to see the flames en-

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compassing the massive trunk and soon climbing up it, and licking off, as it were, every vestige of moss and lichen that hung about the cavities of the old tree, at whatever height they might be. It was on Saturday that we set him on fire, and yesterday (Monday) the fire had penetrated right under him and burnt away several of his roots, and by this time he is probably down. The crash with which they fall is tremendous. Last Sunday evening while we were in Chapel a very large rata fell down at about a hundred yards distance with a crash like thunder. We have now cleared out a triangular space, the base of which is about 60 yards long and fronts the road, and all is ready for beginning to set up the house, which will stand on slightly rising ground about 20 yards back from the road, with the dark background of forest behind it. The open space I shall divide between garden and kitchen garden, which will be separated from each other by the path leading up to the house. The section, as I have before mentioned, is 3 1/2 miles from the house where I am now staying; so when I go down there in the morning I take my dinner with me, and do not return till supper time at 6 oclock.

I always correct people's spelling--so tell my Bacco 44 that she has spelt likeness 'likness'. Dearest Mother's is a most capital letter and just the sort of one I like, so much about persons in it. That letter of Capt. Grey's in Oct. 1846 is very strange: who can have told the Bishop then that I was coming out? The letter is very kind, but the prospect of getting the Nelson College would be enough of itself to hinder me from taking advantage of it, even were there no other reasons. 45 But I have now seen a good deal of officials, both at Wellington and at home; and nothing should induce me to return to such an idle unprofitable and unsatisfactory sort of life; I know there are some officials who are not idle; but most of them are, and what is more, they must be, unless they make work: and the whole tribe is unprofitable, a ce qu'il me semble. Don't tell Mrs. Fletcher the following: but the fact is that even Lieut: Governor Mr. Eyre, although a very well meaning good sort of man, is of as little use in Wellington and is as little thought of by the people, as if he were a stick or a stone. And how could it be otherwise,

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when a man is sent out here by the appointment of an autocratic Col: Secretary to govern people who never saw or heard of him in their lives before, who never asked for him, who don't want him, and who have no voice in his election? But who have got to pay him nevertheless. 46 I am glad that my letter from 4°N. Latitude arrived safely. The next that you would get would be the few lines that I sent by the Woodbridge, which we met off the Coast of S. America; she would reach England about the middle of March. After that I don't think you can have got one till the end of July. Tell me where to direct to dear Willy, and make that lazy old Matt write to me: I am sure if Clough does he may. Ah! if Clough would come out and help me in setting up this College, how happy I should be. Alone, I feel as if I could do next to nothing; but with such a helper and such a friend as the old Stupe, I feel as if everything might be done. And honestly I think, that in many respects he would find this place more favourable to his vocation of teaching than England. For he finds himself obliged to give up his post at Oxford; and fancy setting up a College in England anywhere else! Though it were founded on the truest principles, and in the noblest spirit, yet still it would be new: and as such how infinitely inferior to Oxford: and if Oxford men were to teach there, would not imagination and love be always drawing their thoughts away to Oxford, and making them feel as it were traitors to the dear and revered Mother? To me it seems as if the struggle and conflict of feelings would be enough to break a man's heart. God knows, that the years I passed at Oxford were the unhappiest of my life; yet still I feel that her beauty and majestic antiquity have sunk into my soul, and are a very part of myself. And if a College be founded here, it will not be in rivalry to the great Mother, but rather a reverent transplantation of her idea and vital spirit into a new soil: at the same time striking off the fetters which in later times she has chosen to impose on herself and on her children: and which while they continue to be imposed prevent some of the most conscientious of her sons from serving her in her own original seat. Should you see Clough at any time you can tell him the substance of what I have said here. I am in the middle of a letter to Fan, which will perhaps

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26 To Jane Arnold August 1848

arrive as soon as this. So now goodbye, dearest K, and with best, best love to all, every soul at Fox How, believe me,

Ever your most affecte. brother,
T. Arnold.

27. A. H. CLOUGH to T. A.

Oriel [College, Oxford], Jany 31st [1848]

My dearest Tom

Whether this will be in time for the Packet of to-morrow, I have some doubt; but I will hope. Moreover I don't know whether to direct to you at New Plymouth 47 or at Wellington: and Matt to whom I wrote on the subject of your letters, did not answer me.

Well--of course one asks about your voyage, and your companions, specially the young Scotch demoiselles--and whether after all you have turned FreeKirkite and settled at Otago... and if not, what are the mountains of New Plymouth like, and whether you are likely to find a roof to shelter you till you have built yourself a roof of your own. It appears that your retreat from New Plymouth to Wellington by land is cut off by the hostile tribes near Petre: 48 and it is imagined in the North that the Bishop will throw off his allegiance and become a Maori of the Maoris; such wicked words has he uttered in respect of the Lord-Grey-land-doctrine.

Meantime in England we go on in our usual humdrum way. The ecclesiastical world agitated by all manner of foolish Hampden-rows: of the confused babble about which all quiet people are infinitely tired. It is said that Gladstone and Peel have agreed upon a bill for amending the manner of Episcopal appointment, which is (perhaps) to turn out the Whigs and solder up the old Corn-Law-breach: Lord Geo. Bentinck and Disraeli having fairly been rejected by the Protectionist World.

But wherefore carry the echoes of such things into your unpolluted solitudes? --You will be more interested in hearing that Brodie is going to be married--engaged since Xmas, and to complete the thing in April. To a Miss Thompson, daughter of Vincent Thompson Esqre a titular Serjeant, living on his means,

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in Belgravia. Age, 21; he being 31; complexion dark, character, conjectured immature, but not quite decypherable to my informant; manners, lively; and indicative of intelligence; on the whole follows Mama rather than Papa, Papa being slightly Evangelical, Mama exclusively accomplishmentarian. I have not seen, but only heard. Brodie appears impatient of delays and obstacles and not well pleased to have so many things (he lectures at the Royal Institution on Chemistry 3 times a week at 9 a.m.) to prevent his being in Belgrave St, whither however he goes diligently every day and stays long enough in general. Otherwise I presume he is in full bloom of delight. And Roundell Palmer is to be married the day after-tomorrow, to Lady Laura Waldegrave, sister to Samuel of that name, not so utterly Evangelical as her brother, but of that education. This whole matter has only taken three weeks, since first sight--'twenty days after sight' as your friends the mercantile people say. Lonsdale is to be married to a Miss Michaelson of Bowness, and his sister to Bryans, curate to Graves of the same.--

Also do you know I have asked Emerson to come to Oxford, and received answer that he will, but when, does not appear. He stays here till June, i.e. in England: Carlyle and he talked for three days and nights, and then Carlyle is said to have called him 'a sham', but that is probably an exaggeration.

It is generally said that your eldest sister 49 is engaged to be married to Maurice of Guy's hospital, but we do not believe it:-- I for one, because Mrs. Price told it me: tho' indeed she does not believe it. Bob Stanley has gone mad and is placed in Hanwell Lunatic Asylum: his last appearance in Rugby terminated by his telling the Prices, who were with him in the omnibus that he had made his will and had left a small legacy to all their children and to the children of all the Masters, except Tait, and double to Lee's children; and finally insisting on paying their fares by the Omnibus, which indeed he actually did. Bonamy, I presume, nothing loth to allow the 3/- saving.

Shairp, I rather expect, will himself have written to you by this opportunity. I gather from his own story that he is nearly well again. They say he proposes to be Government Inspector of Education in Scotland. This, I think, will do for him. It is at any rate better than the Bar: and family considerations would keep him from going abroad. I saw Conybeare in town on Friday; he is very angry with you for cutting the country and

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27 A. H. Clough to T. A. January 1848

all your loving friends: and with Matt for being the Puppy.

I have given our Provost notice of my intention to leave his service (as Tutor) at Easter. I feel greatly rejoiced to think that this is my last term of bondage in Egypt, tho' I shall, I suppose, quit the fleshpots for a wilderness, with small hope of manna, quails, or water from the rock. The Fellowship however lasts for a year after next June: and I don't think the Provost will meddle with my tenure of it, tho' I have let him know that I have wholly put-aside adhesion to 39 Articles. (But don't mention this in your letters to other folks--for Praepositus perhaps would not like it, and he has been very liberal on the whole, tho' greatly 'pained and perplexed'). I am not quite sure, my dear Tom, how far you would think me honest in my correspondence with him--and you being away, I don't know who to ask. In some matters of this kind, you see you will have abandoned a useful post in your native land. Perhaps when old Shairp comes up, as I hope he will before he goes back to Rugby, we will talk over the thing together.

This morning I breakfasted with the Prices at Stanley's. They have been staying with Jeune; and are just gone.

I had not, I think, seen the Rajah Brooke 50 when you departed. No, surely not, had I? --I liked him extremely; met him once at breakfast with Stanley, and once in the evening with our Provost; quite a kingly man, clear-sighted and simple minded; full of will and purpose, but without a grain of selfwill or ambition. Stanley, who saw him at home at Norwich, says he was very reserved--(I dare say Stanley funked him) and that he deprecated English or indeed European colonization in Borneo, as bad for the natives--He had had 2000 offers, but declined generally, saying the time was not come.

Well, my dear Tom, farewell, and let us hear of all your doings.

Ever your affectionate friend
A. H. Clough.

Feby 25th.

The enclosed unskilful first attempt at foreign correspondence I should say antipodistic correspondence--may as well go, I suppose. The 'not-paid' error was not quite my fault for I sent

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up to Town by private hand, and that on the day before the ship's sailing which I thought would be early enough. But diis aliter visum, 51 so my packet has had to lie by one month. Meantime, Willie has gone to India and the French have begun a new Revolution. Possibly my letter may bring you the news, so I will give a few lines thereto.

Odillon Barrot and about 60 or 80 deputies resolved to continue their agitation by a great Reform banquet in Paris. The Ministry about ten days ago declared they would not permit it. The Opposition replied that they would go all the same. 'You are worse than Polignac and Perronet' exclaimed Od. Bt. and so ended a very stormy debate. The banquet was prepared-for Tuesday last, the 22nd February; but at the last moment Odillon Barrot, who is rich and old, seems to have funked, and to get off, asked in the Chamber if the Ministry intended to resist by force. Yes. Very well. Then it was settled it should be given up, and Ministers impeached instead. But would the People give up their fun? Tuesday seemed to show they would. There were 100,000 soldiers in Paris, lots of ammunition etc etc had been got ready, and on Tuesday there was merely a great assembly of people, shops shut and so on--a few slight contests between the Mob and the Municipal Guard or Mounted Police. But on Wednesday, the Authorities called out the National Guard. One legion declared for La Reforme and fraternized with the Mob. A corps of the Line came up--the officers parleyed--Line-Officer declaring he must charge them; but somehow ending by ordering his troops to face about. The infection spread. And a force of the National Guard moved on the Tuileries, the Line-troops not resisting. This was about 4 on Wednesday. The King then gave way and Guizot resigned, and Count Mole was sent for. According to one story, the Due de Montpensier (for he and his brother Nemours were on their horses for the defence) gave the first news 'Vous aurez la Reforme; le Ministere est change' and so it was hoped it would end: in spite of ill omened cries of cela ne suffira pas and the like.. This was yesterday's news. Today we hear that there has been frightful fighting at Paris; that the railway-rails have been taken up--and the communication with the North cut off. Amiens has revolted: and Paris is? in possession of the Mob. But...

Switzerland has had its revolution; and Naples also; Tuscany and the Sardinian States have in consequence got new Constitu-

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tions and the Pope has turned off his cardinals and replaced them by lay ministers and it is said is preparing a constitution for his People. Surely we Frenchmen mustn't be behind hand! However Guizot has been very rash; surely; and perhaps at the last moment Louis Philippe was weak.--

One can hardly talk of other things when one once gets on this topic. However, there is no more to be told, I think.

Meantime Walrond is gone to Rugby to take Price's form, while Price takes Tait's, for Tait is laid up with Rheumatic fever, and two days was in danger. How long he'll stay can't be said. Very likely till June. Unless he gets in here: which is κατ'ευχην, μαλλον η κατ' ελπιδα. 52 Shairp never came up here; he is well however, and perhaps no worse for avoiding Oxford. Fanshawe who was to take a school and (I suppose) get married, is taken with his fits again and probably won't be able to undertake the work. Froude, of whom I see a little is to publish per Bentley a 3 volume novel. Palgrave has become a great disciple of Froude's. The life of Sterling by Hare has appeared, but disappoints me, i.e. I can't read it. The Bp of Chester is Archbp of Canterbury, and who will be Bp of Chester the papers are a-guessing. Whewell, Peacock, Philpot, Hare, (but Hare says Stanley will decline). Concerning which you will not care. Lee has taken his seat in the Peers and voted with the Ministry in a minority against Lord Eglinton's amendment that the Papal Envoy here must be a layman.

Well, my dear Tom, and when shall we hear from you? ο θεος οιδεν. 53 Your affectionate brothers and sisters begin to say that you'll have to hire yourself out as a common labourer: I hope not: but one may do worse undoubtedly. It is at any rate honester than being a Teacher of XXXIX articles. I rejoice to see before me the end of my servitude; yea, even as the weary foot-traveller rejoices at the sight of his evening hostelry: though there still lies a length of dusty road between. But what will follow I can't say. The chances of going abroad will very likely be cut off--for we may shortly see Europam flagrare bello: the Austrians driven out of Lombardy by French bayonets. Alter erit tum Lodi, and another Arcola shall crown delectos heroas with we will hope a better-used victory. 54 But the French armies are not quite apostolical, nor do I put much faith in Michelet's holy

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bayonets as preachers of any kind of Gospel. Meanwhile I don't think there's likely to be any stir in our own blessed country, if only the money bags get tolerably replenished to set people to work, be it at railways, or anything else.

Well, my dear Tom, I fear I must stop, and leave the Revolution to take its chance.

Matt perhaps will send you later details, but surely the republic will last a day or two--?

Feby 26th

Louis Philippe has abdicated in favour of his grandson. This was formally announced to the Chamber at 1 p. m. on Thursday; and the Count de Paris with his mother took refuge there soon after. A few speeches followed; while the Hall filled with Nationals and hommes du peuple. At the declaration of the Abdication a voice from the Gallery cried 'It is too late--' and perhaps it was. For the President left the Chair; and the Mob occupied the seats, and put a republican in his place, while the majority of the Deputies, with the Princes etc went off, and a provisional government was formed consisting of Arago, Ledru Rollin, Marie, La Martine, Louis Blanc, and perhaps two more, but excluding Odillon Barrot and Thiers. The same names including Odillon Barrot and Marrast editor of the Nationale are also given as the new Ministry under the New King and Regency of the Duchess of Orleans. The question is: Will the army and Nationals rally around this government, or allow the people to set up their Provisionals. Inasmuch as the Provisionals are all in the Ministry, I suppose they may please themselves.

Saturday night (26th.)

The evening papers give intelligence of Friday Morning. A Republic but with two conflicting accounts of the Men at its head. Arago is in both lists--The King is said to be at Eu (packing up the silver forks). The Red Flag flying at Paris.

And so my dear Vive La Republique, Vive le Drapeau Rouge! But I anticipate considerable trouble in getting any Constitution into Marching Order. Our friends the Communists will give a little trouble, I think, and perhaps be unreasonably eager to introduce the millenium.... Good-night.

Sunday

No more news of course--But the cause of the catastrophe aforementioned was that on Wednesday night after the change

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from Guizot to Molé people who had been fighting in other parts came up towards the Place de la Concorde. Near the Hotel des Affaires Etrangères which is near the Madeleine a collision took place; some say a Communist shot the Colonel of the regiment drawn up to protect Guizot's Hotel. (Guizot was off, Brussels wards). Others don't say this but, au contraire. However the Men fired on the people and killed 5, and so the row was recommenced--Barricading went on all the Wednesday night.... On Thursday after a fight the Palais Royale was carried with considerable loss, and gutted. Then the Tuileries. The King abdicating and cutting to Neuilly. But perhaps Matt will send you a paper.

Monday

The Republic lives and thrives. The 2d list is correct, but now there is added War--Bedeau, Justice--Cremieux, and as Secretaries Ferdinand Flocon, Louis Blanc, Armand Marrast and Albert, ouvrier. 55

They are said to display great steadiness and vigour. Armies of poor Natl Gds for the Rhine and the Alps lest Austria and Russia move. A National Assembly to be. Meantime Provisional Republic. The Due de Nemours is in London--Brussels remains quiet. Lamonçièere commds on the Rhine.--

In the middle of the night, Louis Philippe had received Count Molé's resignation, and appointed Thiers Minister, who stipulated to have Odillon Barrot. But il etait trop tard! They went in the morning, but cela ne suffirait pas!

Arago Marie Marrast (Natl)

La Martine Ferdinand? Flocon Albert (ouvrier, who headed the Lyons row of '34)

Ledru Rollin Louis Blanc

or

Dupont de l'Eure Presidt Marie, Minister ")

La Martine Foreign Carnot. I

Arago Marine Garnier Pages Mayor

Ledr. Rollin, Interieur

Monday evening.

Nothing new since the morning. A report that Louis Ph. is

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February 1848 A. H. Clough to T. A. 27

dead, that he is to land at Portsmouth and that he is at Brussels. A declaration (so said) that the Rhine is the frontier.... Farewell; I have just heard of your letter from Lat. 4°N.--To what place shall I direct?

28. To A. H. CLOUGH

Porirua Road, Wellington August 13th 1848

My dear Clough

Many many thanks for your two letters, which were sent up from Otago by a small vessel, the Victory herself being detained there by an émeute, Anglice a drunken row, among her sailors. I had heard already of the French Revolution, but your letter was not the less interesting. You may imagine with what joy and thankfulness I heard this great, this heart-stirring news. I was even so far moved from my propriety, as to write a letter to a newspaper on the subject; a thing which I never did before, and probably shall never do again. My first feeling about it was, 'a God still lives then! Justice is still at the basis of things! I had thought that aspirations after the good and the true, that endeavours to realize them, could only be found in a few individuals, but lo! a whole nation rises as one man, and declares that it will have no more to do with lies and hypocrisies, but that God's will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven.' Carlyle's article in the Examiner pleased me very much. But after all, by the time this letter reaches you, you in England may be in the midst of a Revolution yourselves, the cockneys guillotining the aristocrats on Bethnal Green, and Commissioners sent down to Oxford from the National Convention to lay hands on all the plate etc etc; 56 so that I shall cut short my reflexions on an event which may be so stale four months hence.

I am living the life of Equality in good earnest at present. I am staying at the house of a man of Kent by name Barrow, who owns some 20 acres on the Porirua road, 5 miles out of Wellington. He and his wife, both old people, are as good specimens of the Kentish peasantry as one could meet with. Both unable to read and write, both industrious and saving, yet withal never losing sight of the decencies and amenities of life, such as a clean roomy well kept house, and a pretty flower garden in front of

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it, both lastly deeply imbued with what we call superstition; that is to say with a belief in a particular Providence, and in visitations and warnings from the unseen world. Some of their stories are most laughable, others again are quite poetical and beautiful; and in all of them, however extravagant they may be, they put the most naive and undoubting faith. Their children are far inferior. Most of them were too young when they left England, to have imbibed to any extent the local tradition; and since they came here, all the settlers have had to 'rough it' to such a degree, that, to speak in old Cromwell's dialect, the care for Being has left no time for the care for Well-being; and therefore the young of both sexes are not only uncultivated, but prosaic, which the English peasant, when you come to know him, seldom is. This makes it of such great importance to a colony to have good schools, where, to fill up the void occasioned by the absence of the local tradition, the great historical tradition of England should be worthily imparted, and the colony thus attached to the mother country by nobler and more enduring ties than those of mere Government or commercial interest. The passage in Carlyle 57 always pleased me, where he speaks of Shakespeare as probably to be acknowledged some day as the great spiritual King over all branches of the English race throughout the world, long after the Empire, as at present understood, is split into a hundred fragments.

Sept. 6th

In my former letter I told you that the affair of the Nelson College would not be actively proceeded with for a twelvemonth to come, but now, through the Zeal of Governor Grey, there seems a prospect of setting to work earlier. Last week, the Governor, in speaking of the College, said that he saw no sufficient reason why the Nelson settlers, who are only waiting till they get the funds from the Company at home, should not act in the meantime as if they had them, and elect the Principal, and let me set to work at once. In that case he said that the Local Government would advance such sums as were necessary to start with on the faith of the Company's repaying them, and also give two houses at Nelson, which are on Government ground, for the present uses of the College. I seconded the motion with all my heart, of course; and the Governor then sent for Domett the Colonial Secretary, and proposed his plan, which Domett

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September 1848 To A. H. Clough 28

was quite ready to further. Since then Domett and Dillon Bell 58 (a capital fellow, lately Company's agent at Taranaki) have written to Nelson, exhorting the settlers forthwith to choose a committee of trustees, who may take the Governor's proposal into consideration, and if they come in to it, may proceed to elect a Principal, and to take other necessary preliminary steps. Thus the matter now stands. There is still of course the chance that they may not elect me; yet I think it likely they will, faute de meilleur, if for no other reason. Ah! my dear Clough, you cannot conceive how I long for your cooperation, though I scarcely dare to ask it. If you devote yourself to education, as I suppose you will, shall you be able in England to undertake it under the conditions that you would desire? I almost doubt it. Where will you find that Lehr-freiheit, 59 which has worked so admirably in the German Universities, and without which a man like you could not, I should think, find much satisfaction in teaching? Here, where we could work with a free activity, we might lay the foundations deep and wide, of an institution, which like Iona in the middle ages, might one day spread the light of Religion and Letters over these barbarous colonies and throughout the great archipelago of the Pacific, where hitherto only the white man's avarice or lust or his imbecile Theology have penetrated. How many things would become possible, that now seem visionary, to two or three men animated by the same spirit, and working under favourable conditions! Well; I have said enough; you know the circumstances of the case and what is my darling wish; you will decide whether it can be gratified or not.

Sept. 9th.

The Governor passed by yesterday, on his way back from Otaki, whither he has been to have an interview with the great chief Rangihaeta. 60 He was attended by Captains Maxwell and Oliver, the captains of the two men of war, the Dido and Fly, lying in the harbour, and by Capt. Collinson R. E. a great friend of mine. Grey said that on looking over the correspondence about the Nelson college, he had come to the conclusion that the trustees could not proceed, with(out) first writing home and

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getting an answer. So here is another change. In (the) meantime he offered to make me his Private Secretary, and I rather thin(k) I shall accept it; 61 for it will enable me to see a great deal of New Zealand, and I could give it up the moment the College affair was settled, as Grey himself quite agreed with me that the College was the best and most useful employment I could have, both for myself and with a view to the good of the Colony. It is unpleasant thus to see the time postponed, when one might be useful; but it cannot be helped. At least I shall be able to be of some use to Grey, whom I really like. I might certainly rusticate in the bush as a free and independent citizen, until the College was ready; but the fact is that housekeeping in the bush without a wife is next door to an impossibility.

Sept. 21 st.

Since the last date, Domett and I have been carrying on a sort of negotiation with Grey about the College. Grey has suggested that an Ordinance should be passed, on the petition of the Nelson settlers, in which the principles on which the College is to be founded should be laid down, and Trustees named, who should administer all funds that the College might derive from any source according to these principles. This I think is a very good idea; and if the Nelson people can be got to elect the Trustees and do their part, the Ordinance may be passed in three months' time, by the Legislative Council for this Province about to be assembled at Wellington for the first time. In the mean time I am going over to Nelson by the first opportunity, to make myself acquainted with the settlers there, and to help on the business as much as a man in my position decently can.

Col. Wakefield died the day before yesterday, in consequence

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September 1848 To A. H. Clough 28

of a stroke of apoplexy. As Agent for the Company, he had been, until lately, unpopular with a large part of the settlers, but all those who knew him well, were exceedingly attached to him. Even I, though I have been here for so short a time, have had to thank him for many acts of kindness. He was cut off, like my father, at the commencement of his forty eighth year, in the full vigour of manhood, and by a death nearly as sudden. Though not what is called religious, he was a brave and honorable man, and his death has left a void which will not soon be filled up in the society of this little town. 62

Oct 3rd

Adieu, mon cher ami. I am just going to cross the Straits in a little boat of 10 tons to a point south of Cape Campbell, whence I shall walk overland to Nelson. The weather is glorious, and if this fair wind holds, we shall be across the Strait in 6 or 8 hours. How I wish you were going with me, and could enjoy the sight of the magnificent snowy peaks of the Middle Island glittering in the sun. Love to Matt Walrond Shairp etc, ever yours most lovingly

T. Arnold

29. MARY ARNOLD and JANE ARNOLD to T. A.

Fox How. Sept. 10. 1848.

My dearest Tom,

[Opening of letter missing.]

Sept. 25th.

The first longed-for letter has been received, finished by you on the 22nd March, when you were anchored and about to land, and it came here on the 22nd of September--six weary months--but O! beloved son, how joyful was it to your mother's eyes and heart, and to us all again to see the well-known hand-writing.

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29 Mary and Jane Arnold to T. A. September 1848

Edward had received the letter from the postman, and I heard his voice singing through the house 'A letter from Tom!' It was the very gift we should all have asked for if it could have been of any avail.--It was on a lovely September morning, and I sat with my treasure by the Ambleside window, and all the sisters and dear Edward drew round me--and I read to them as well as my broken voice would let me.

The voyage does not seem to have been enlivened by anything congenial in your companions. On the contrary, their tone seems to have been low, and I can well fancy that you would sigh for liberty and solitude. Your descriptions of Kerguelen's Land, as you saw it on the southern side, and of your approach to New Zealand are delicious, and do as much as can be done to make the picture real to me. I have copied some of them for dear Matt, who is wandering about in Switzerland 63 and will be impatient to hear of you.--And now your next letter! what will it tell us, my dearest Tom? and what new prospects may it not open before us--for with so much to be done for the good government of that new country, and with such good and honest men as I cannot but believe both Governor Grey and Lieut. Governor Eyre to be, I can hardly help thinking that in some way or other you will work with them, and perhaps be a blessing to many by helping to bring order out of confusion, and thus giving a better opportunity for the individual growth and improvement which is most to be desired. But I must lay down my pen for a time--or at least give it another direction--for I have to tell Arthur Stanley of you. He well deserves it of me, for he has a true faith in you....

[Continuation by Jane Arnold]

Fox How, Thursday, Sept. 28, 1848.

I must write a few lines in this letter, my dear, dear Tom, to tell you how happy and thankful we were all made by the arrival of your precious letter, finished just before landing at Otago. How glad I am that you were not disappointed in the first appearance of N. Z., but that it looked to you familiar and friendly--soon I trust it will look home-ish also to my beloved brother. The events of this year in Europe make one's eyes turn more longingly than ever to a colony where all is yet young--where all good things are yet possible; and I feel with what an

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unwonted spring, and intense but not as yet painful interest a man must labour while the stream of national life is still a little rill which may be turned hither and thither at the bidding, almost, of one steadfast will, one fervent, God-inspired heart, instead of being, as in our old countries, a mighty and irresistible current, against which individuals may successfully struggle, but whose course they can no longer change. However this is perhaps too melancholy a view, but looking from country to country, from France to Germany, from Germany to Italy--and to Ireland (to speak of no others) the prospect is not encouraging. Weakness and the want of any deep faith, social, political, or religious, among the higher classes, and if one looks for some regenerating power in the lower classes, one sees a spirit of violence, ignorance, and disorderliness, which promises little good from a revolution which should transfer all power to their hands. But this is a season of shaking and convulsion, trying the worth of men, of what sort they be, and of the governments and systems which have fallen beneath the destroying hand, there is not one which was not in itself an evil and unblessed thing--that we must all acknowledge, and perhaps a more enlightened and discerning eye may trace through the Chaos the germ of future order and beauty.

This is a lovely September day--autumn is early this year, and the fern is already quite red and the cherry trees bright crimson--few of the leaves have fallen, however, and even the fresh breeze which is making music among the trees as I sit at my open window, cannot shake off any leaves, except those of the Virginian creeper. Susy and Edward are spending a few days at Arcathwaite. Mary and Mamma and I are going presently to Lancrigg in the little carriage to a two o'clock dinner. I shall walk over old Corruption to Town-End and let them overtake me there.--Ah, dearest Tom, do you think we do not remember Borrowdale, and Isabel and Richard, and how angry you were with me because I would not translate all the love-scenes. I shall always love that book for your sake, and try to get it some day. Fan and I and Mamma often talk of that happy time, and do you remember our walk over the Stake? 64 Good bye, dearest.

Your loving,
Jane M. Arnold K.

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30. To MARY TWINING

Wellington Oct 1st 1848

My dearest Mary

I have received your letter in which you tell me of Aldred's death. God bless you, my poor child! I feel much for you, but I will not say much, for in such a case it is of little use. It is the hand of God, who to you and K and me, as you truly say, has dealt out many sorrows, some of which can never, while we live, be thoroughly healed. It must have been a comfort to you to have had Matt at the funeral; I can fancy the expression in his dear eyes at the time. I hope that you will not fail to write to me, when you have determined your plans for the future. About which all that I will say is this; if you should ever find a difficulty in England in attaining a position where you may be useful to yourself and to others (for I know that an inactive and unprofitable existence would be intolerable to you) then think of New Zealand, and remember that you have a brother there, who, whether he has much or little, will always be ready to share it with you to the last penny, who loves you dearly, and who would always do his utmost to further your plans. I foresee that if we get this Nelson College to work, we shall need activities of many kinds, those of women as well as of men, and I am sure that any labour in such a cause would be blessed. For seeing that Education is that in which we English, as a nation, have most signally fallen short, there is no employment to which any of us, who are fitted for it, could with more satisfaction of mind devote ourselves.

October 3rd Tuesday.

This evening I am going to cross the Straits in a little vessel of 10 tons belonging to a Mr. Weld, 65 a Roman Catholic, and the nephew of Cardinal Weld, who has kindly offered me a passage in her. We are to land at his sheep station, a little south of Cape Campbell, whence I shall make my way to Nelson overland. This will probably be an interesting journey for there are rivers to cross that descend from great snowy mountains, vast grassy plains to traverse, and I suppose a good deal of forest also, or bush, as we call it here. This is our spring, and the weather is

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most delightful, such brilliant cloudless days as you can form no conception of in England. The harbour embosomed in wooded hills, looks on these days like a blue Swiss lake. Indeed the hills along its east side remind me very strongly of the Jura ranges, as seen from the Lake of Geneva.

I must not forget to acknowledge dearest Mother's letter by the Havana which reached me after those by the Cornelia. I will answer it by the next opportunity and I will also write to Matt. I hope that all of you will keep in mind that I am one writing to many, and therefore I cannot always answer letters as speedily as I could wish, but I hope this will not keep any one from writing to me as often as he or she is able. I think I have as yet told you very little about Governor Grey. He has been very kind to me, but he evidently wishes to get me up to Auckland, where I have no wish to go. Mrs. Grey is an exceedingly nice person, and you can imagine how pleasant it is to talk to her about the Whatelys and other old friends. She told me that they had been expecting me at Auckland for the last eighteen months. She said also that as long ago as 1842, the Governor, then in South Australia, got a letter from Mr. Stephen, 66 in which, speaking of Grey's book that had just come out, he said, 'Whately is very much interested by it, and so are my sons, and so is young Tom Arnold. You must not despise the opinions of these young men, for I think there are no better judges of books of travels', or something to that effect. I suppose Stephen must have heard from the Archbishop that I liked the book, for I hardly knew Stephen himself at that time. Mrs. Grey is a daughter of Sir Richard Spencer, who was Governor of Western Australia when Grey arrived there after his perilous journey. As to Grey himself, what strikes you at once is, how admirably well fitted he is for the place he holds. Poor Colonel Wakefield, whose death you will have seen in the papers, said to me once that Grey 'enjoyed governing'; and it is quite true; all the administrative details, and even the very difficulties and obstacles that he meets with, he seems to enjoy for their own sakes. He has also a great facility in adapting himself to men of different characters, and seeming to sympathize with their views and wishes, in fact he does sympathize with them to a certain extent, because, from his great versatility of mind, he can understand the point of view of a number of minds widely different from each other. But being equally interested in all subjects, he takes them up

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[one] after another and does not let himself be absorbed by any, and hence one often hears him called insincere by men who have got some favourite hobby, which the Governor at one time may have seemed to take a great interest in, but which, when the owner of the hobby is out of sight, passes out of his mind altogether. In short Grey is a thorough statesman, and I have no doubt that he will succeed in any position that he may be placed in. A character so without enthusiasm may not perhaps be the highest, but at all events it is a most useful one, for the world cannot yet do without statesmen. 67

Tell Richard Twining with my kind remembrances, that I have this day signed and got properly witnessed the deed which he sent me, and that (it will) 68 be forwarded to England by the first vessel. Do you know that (this) will cost me in postage altogether, £1.1.4; which to a man whose account at his banker's is not inexhaustible, is 'nui nui te utu', as the Maories say, that is, a great deal to pay. A few more deeds, unless they were for the purpose of conveying a legacy or some such thing, would ruin me.

Have you seen in the papers the Prospectus of the new settlement of Canterbury, which is going to be established in the Wairarapa plains? 69 It is to be an exclusively Church of England settlement, it appears. This exclusiveness is extremely absurd, especially as it will be quite impossible to keep it up in the colony; but of course we are all pleased at the prospect of such a large accession to our numbers. Tell Edward that he had better come out as rural Dean to the new Settlement, and 'astonish the natives' by those unparalleled Lectures on the character of Elijah, which have so often struck us dumb with admiration. Ask him whether he knew an Exeter man of the name of Blackmore, a conceited muff, but amusing, who has lately come out, and is now acting as Private Secretary to the Governor. And give my best love to the dear old dog, and ask him why he does not write to me.

I could find a good deal more to say, but my boat is on the shore, or rather Weld's, and I must get all ready before sailing,

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which will be about midnight. A shift of wind prevented our starting earlier in the day. Goodbye, dearest; love to all ever your most loving brother

T. Arnold

31. To MRS. ARNOLD

Flaxbourne near Cape Campbell
Oct. 10th 1848

My dearest Mother

This is Fan's birthday, and I wish her many happy returns of the day. My impression is that she is 15; am I not right? Give her a kiss for me. Here the day is rough and stormy; the wind is blowing great guns from the South East, the surf is roaring upon the beach, rain falls, and the clouds are flitting along the sides of the bare desolate hills around this place. I am staying with a young man of the name of Weld; he comes of an old Roman Catholic family in Dorsetshire, and this is one of his sheep stations. The house is half a mile from the sea, and about 8 miles S. W. of Cape Campbell. It is surrounded by bare limestone hills and plains, which yield excellent pasture for his 5000 sheep; and there is no chance of their being disturbed, as there is not a single human habitation of any kind within 15 miles distance. In this lonely spot Weld with his 3 or 4 shepherds, passes a great part of his time, crossing the Straits occasionally to Wellington in his little vessel the Peterel, in order to visit another sheep station, which he has in the Wairarapa. I came over with him from Wellington last Wednesday, making the passage in 24 hours; and as soon as the weather settles, I shall pursue my way overland to Nelson, where, as I told Mary in my last letter, I am going to make the acquaintance of the Nelson settlers. I do not think there is any doubt but that they will elect me to the College, and probably the only question will be as to how many months' delay there must be before it is started.

Tuesday Oct 17th.

If Matt were to stay here for a few weeks, he would not so altogether despise New Zealand as a shooting country. Last Wednesday Weld and I went out shooting, and we killed 4 different sorts of game on the same day, a brace of grey plovers, a Paradise duck, a quail, and a teal. I shot the teal, and Weld shot all

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the rest. We went out after luncheon, and walked along the river towards a small lake or lagoon about 2 miles off. The weather was cloudy, but allowed us glimpses from time to time of the great snowy mountains to the south. At a bend of the river we came to a place where some natives of this part were overtaken by their enemies a few years ago, and all tomahawked. Their bones were whitening there, though the rank grass is fast growing over them and hiding them. The skulls all showed the deep clean cut of the tomahawk; one was cleft in several places, each blow 'a death to nature'. I took away with me a piece of one of the skulls that had been cut clean out. When we came to the lagoon, we found that we had to wade pretty deep before we could get to the fringe of flax and rushes which lines its margin in dry weather. I had the gun, and peeping through the rushes saw several teal swimming about quite unconsciously. I shot one and wounded another, which escaped, but the dog brought out the other; Weld also killed two, but somehow or other we lost them. But to see the flock of teal and widgeon and wild-ducks that got up and flew in all directions after we fired! --it was very clear that they were very seldom disturbed by the visits of sportsmen.

Yesterday a little before 2 o'clock, I was awakened by feeling the bed shake under me; my first impression was that the wind was shaking the house; but Weld cried out 'An earthquake', and indeed there was no doubt as to what it was. For about a minute the bed was violently shaken from side to side; every plank in the house creaked and rattled, the bottles and glasses in the next room kept up a sort of infernal dance, and most of them fell. When the shock was past, there came a few spasmodic heavings, like long drawn breaths, and then all was still. But for the rest of the night and all yesterday there were slight shocks at intervals. In the morning we found that the kitchen chimney which is of stone, was cracked right through. And while we were out walking yesterday, we came to several large cracks in the ground, and in one place several fragments of rock had been detached from the cliff by the shock, and were scattered on the beach. There has not been an earthquake for many months before, and that is the reason I suppose, why this shock was more violent than ordinary. There has never been any serious harm done by them, so that people think very little of them now, though they used to be frightened at first.

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Nelson. Nov 23rd.

After many wanderings I have arrived at Nelson, the place where I hope my apprenticeship to life is to cease, and life itself to commence. If it be so, I have much cause to say, 'the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places.' I had heard much of the climate of Nelson, but I have found the reality far more excellent than the report. Here is almost realized the 'heaven we idly dream',

I do not know whether the parallel holds good as to the dark maidens, but in both the other respects it is almost literally true. The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, the melon, besides all our English fruits, ripen with luxuriance in the open air. This of course implies a hot sun; yet there is always a freshness in the air, perhaps on account of the nearness of the sea, which prevents that feeling of oppression and languor which heat so often causes in Europe. To a stranger (at least I found it so) the climate at first has a sort of intoxicating effect; you feel as if the burden of life and human cares were suddenly thrown off, and as if you had nothing now to do but to enjoy yourself. But before I say any more about Nelson, I will journalize my proceedings after leaving Weld's station. I was detained there by bad weather, longer than I had intended; but at last the little Peterel came round from Cloudy Bay, 71 and Weld, who wished to see Queen Charlotte's Sound agreed to go with me in her to Port Underwood. 72 So on

Thursday Oct. 26th.

We got on board the Peterel, which was lying out in the roadstead, in a whaleboat, having first got wet through in passing thro' the surf. I never saw such a tremendous surf as this; every wave that came in lifted the boat to an angle of 45° nearly, and if her head had not been kept straight by the brawny Yankee

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who had the steering oar, some of us perhaps would not have got off with a simple ducking. We weighed anchor, and having a strong Southerly wind in our favour, we reached Port Underwood in Cloudy Bay in 6 1/2 hours. The transition was complete, out of a mountainous and rolling sea into the smooth lake like harbour. Port Underwood is surrounded by steep wooded hills, which leave scarce any level ground between them and the sea. The scenery would be beautiful, were it not for the want of repose and contrast for the eye, caused by this absence of level land. We landed in the boat at one of the little bays, where there is a whaling establishment belonging to a Capt. Doherty, a native of New Brunswick. 73 He was not at home, but Mrs. Doherty, who knew Weld, received us and made us welcome with the greatest kindness. She is a very agreeable well informed woman, and has a family of four pretty little girls. She told us some amusing stories about the bears wolves and deer of New Brunswick, her native land. The next day we remained at Port Underwood; but the day after that we wished Mrs. D. goodbye, and started for Q. Charlotte's Sound. The custom of the country is that when you are travelling in the bush, that is, in the wild thinly inhabited country, you may go into any house you come to, and get food and lodging there, and it would be considered an insult if you were to offer payment upon going away. Also if you fall in with any one on your road, whether it be a poor or a rich man, you are expected to share equally with him any food you may have got. Both these are very good customs; indeed there is almost a necessity for them in a country like this. Ascending a high range of hills, and following down a spur on the other side, all the way through forest, we found ourselves, on emerging from the bush, just above the Sound. We were at the head of an inlet, which here ran deeply into the land, and received the waters of a beautiful and fertile little valley. The Sound appeared like a lake, surrounded by wooded hills and mountains of the most varied forms, and with two lovely little islands gemming its blue waters. Descending to the shore, we followed it for some miles till we came to Waitohi at the ex-

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treme end of the Sound, where it is proposed to found a town, 74 to be a shipping port for the produce of the interior. The scenery of the Sound is lovely in the extreme; it is Loch Katrine or Derwentwater under the sky of the South of France. We slept at Waitohi, at the house of an old Scotchman named Macdonald, who is married to a Maori woman, and lives entirely amongst the Maories. This man in talking to Weld, spoke of the inconveniences of having a large family, and said that he had four children living in England, four in Australia, three in New Zealand, and that sixteen were dead, 27 in all! He is now married to his fourth wife. Next day, Oct. 29th, (by the way I did not forget on the day before that it was dear old Didu's 75 birthday, give him my best love) we entered the Waitohi pass, and after a tiring walk of 15 miles thro' woods and swamps, we found ourselves, on ascending a hill, looking down on the great plain of the Wairau, with the scene of the Wairau massacre just below us. 76 I dare say you have heard of that catastrophe, when Capt. Wakefield and about 30 more of the Nelson settlers were massacred by the natives. Descending into the plain we bore straight across it for the pah or native village on the (far)ther side. For more than an hour we had to wade through deep swamps, where the water was always up to our knees, and sometimes up to our middles; but we contrived to reach the pah before dark. Here we found Capt. Doherty, who was all kindness, giving us dry clothes to put on, and making us as comfortable as it is possible to be in a Maori warè, where for want for chairs or tables you have to sit on the floor, and the smoke finds its way out through the thatch as it best can. The next day we went some miles up the river in Capt. Doherty's boat, and slept at the Big Wood, a solitary wood of dark pines standing in the very middle of the plain. Here the effects of the earthquake were very apparent on the river bank; there were a great many (cr)acks in the ground, some as much as two feet wide; and I also saw numerous deep holes, by which a lower stratum of sand and water had burst its

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way thro' the overlying ground, and covered everything with sand for some distance. The next day I parted with Weld and Doherty who returned to the pah, while I set forward by myself up the plain. The Wairau valley much resembles the Valais in Switzerland, except that the mountains here are less high, nor is the Wairau so deep and furious as the Rhone. The road to Nelson goes for about 60 miles up the valley, and then turns off to the right thro' a pass in the mountains; 77 as the road turns off from Brieg to go up the Simplon. Before I had gone ten miles from the Big wood, I was so fortunate as to fall in with a Mr. Sweet, a Nelson settler, who said that he was himself about to return to Nelson in a day or two, and that if I would wait I could ride one of his horses. Of course I gladly accepted the offer. It would be tedious were I to go into minute details about the rest of the journey; suffice it to say that three days' travelling from Mr. Sweet's sheep station brought us to Nelson. 78 After staying for two or three days with the Sweets, I went to stay with Cautley at his farm in the Waimea eight miles out of town, and here I still am. I had a letter to Cautley, who is a Cambridge man and about 27, from Domett, whom I must have mentioned to you in former letters. Since I have been here, I have heard very little about the College, and cannot yet make out with exactness when active steps are likely to be taken about it.

I wonder whether you have taken any interest in the proposed Canterbury settlement. Of course I do not approve of the silly exclusiveness of the plan; still, I very much hope that the scheme will go on, as it will probably bring out some desirable settlers to the Colony. Why should not the blessed Didu, if he still intends to take orders, be one of the clergymen of the new Colony? He would have £200 a year and a house, and living in this heavenly climate would, I should think, be very good for his health; and if he did not like it, he might at any time return to England, without having injured his prospects there at all. This would be better than struggling on for years as a poor curate, as might well be the case, and being in some degree a burden upon you all that time.

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Each new account of the state of affairs in England makes me sadder and sadder. At the same time I feel deeply thankful that at the time when the crisis came, I had ceased to have any even the most trifling connexion with a Government so contemptible and vile, as this has proved itself to be. How wicked is their prosecution of Mitchell, 79 for expressions which right or wrong he had a perfect right to utter, and in which there are hundreds, myself among the number, who agree with him as to all the main points. What serious upright man does not think that Royalty is a delusion and a falshood [sic]; 80 and that as out of it no good can arise to the world any more, so it ought as speedily as possible to be swept from off the face of the earth? Does any one suppose that the Whigs care one farthing about Queen Victoria, or that their delicate feelings of loyalty are outraged by John Mitchell's language about her? No; but the base hypocrites, knowing how unsafe their own position and that of their class is, who are rolling in wealth and luxury while millions are starving, try to prop up the whole rotten system by all means, fair or foul, and to keep things exactly as they are. But they will not and cannot succeed, for there is a just God in Heaven, who knows what his people in England suffer, and will sooner or later deliver them. Fearful will that day of reckoning be, for come it must; and all the more fearful for having been so long delayed. And when power falls from its present hands, as fall it must, into the hands of these men, these lower classes of England, maddened and brutalized as they are by suffering, what heart does not shrink from picturing to itself the scenes that may then take place. Yet anarchy itself, which implies the agitations and movements of life, would be better than this Order, which is Death; and the faithful heart would see, even in it, the promise of a brighter day.

At Wellington, the earthquake has done serious damage. Every brick building in the place has been either shaken down, or received a great deal of damage. Not a single brick chimney was left standing. One reason of this great destruction was the flimsy manner in which the houses had been run up; clay having been used in many of them instead of mortar. But the people

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were very much frightened, as you may imagine. Here at Nelson the damage done was very trifling, being almost confined to one house, which was insecure before. Where the earthquake has come from or whether it is connected with any volcanic eruption, are questions as to which we are still in the dark. The most extraordinary thing that I have seen connected with it, is this. One beautiful morning, several days after the great shock, Weld and I climbed a steep hill about 1200 feet high, for the sake of the view. We were sitting down on the top, when a smart shock came, and we distinctly saw the whole top of the mountain heave and rock to and fro.

Sunday. Nov. 26th.

Last Wednesday, John Walker came up the Waimea to see me, and yesterday I went to his house, and saw his wife and children. 81 It is quite delightful to talk with a Westmoreland man, and Walker seems to me to be a bon sujet altogether. He has an independent way of thinking and speaking about him, which I believe does not suit some foolish people here, but which makes me like him all the better, being so characteristic of Westmoreland. He is very comfortably off, but he wishes to get a piece of land of his own, as he has a high rent to pay for the land that he is occupying at present. His eldest son is gone to sea, as sailor in a coasting vessel. I write these little particulars, for the sake of his friends, in case they may not have heard them from himself. Goodbye dearest Mother, with truest love to all, believe me

ever yours most affectly
T. Arnold

32. To MRS. ARNOLD

Nelson Dec 20th 1848

My dearest Mother

The brig Susan has just come in, direct from England, and I am going down to the Post Office as soon as it opens in the hope of getting a letter. I have seen the Times of July 26th, at which time Ireland seemed to be on the very verge of a civil war. By

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this time perhaps all is over, but whether it is or not, there can be no doubt, I think, as to the final issue. To our English temperaments, the speechifying of Young Ireland has always seemed absurd enough, yet I believe there is a genuine sincerity in many of them, and that will give them the victory sooner or later over this base false and wicked Government. I really cannot contain myself when I think of the wretches. Parliament seems determined not to rest till it has covered itself and England with disgrace in the eyes of all the civilised world. The press too, generally speaking, seems to me in the highest degree contemptible. As one reads a leader in the Times, one seems to see the pale proprietors, trembling over their money bags, yet trying their hardest to put a good face on the matter. And, as Matt says, there seems to be no leader anywhere. The best thing that I have seen is a proposed Address to the Queen in the Westminster Review; if the reforms there demanded were carried at once into effect, it is possible perhaps that the storm might yet be averted; but I suppose there is no chance of the Aristocracy yielding in time.

I see that Sir C. Napier's squadron is ordered to the south of Ireland; and thus perhaps Walter, Papa's son, will have to serve against men who are fighting for their liberty. Unhappy child! to be engaged in a warfare so accursed, that success in it would be a greater infamy than defeat.

Meantime Grey in the colony is faithfully imitating the conduct of his masters in England. Contrary to the wishes and advice of, I believe, every sensible man in New Zealand, he has just announced to his Council at Auckland, that the Provincial Legislative Councils about to be established, are to be composed of members nominated by himself, without the people having the smallest share in the election. Now it is well known that the best and fittest men will not sit in a Council as Grey's nominees, and the consequence is that the Legislative power of the country will be in the hands of the officials and a few tuft hunting 82 sycophants, who have not the confidence of the great body of the settlers. This conduct of Grey's alone, were there no other

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reason, would hinder me from taking any employment under his Government.

Dec 22nd.

Since I wrote the above I have seen a letter from Wellington, from which it appears that Grey has been canvassing a number of persons to sit as his nominees, and has met with refusals in every case but one, and that one is a man of whom I never heard any one speak with the smallest respect. This has mortified Grey very much, but it is his own fault. I think he is much changed from what he must have been when he wrote his Travels. 83 Then he must have had much of the enthusiasm of youth, then he would have braved any danger for honour's and truth's sake; but since he has had such an uninterrupted tide of worldly prosperity flowing in upon him, he has begun to think more of himself and of his own reputation, and to have a less single eye to truth and right.

I sometimes think that it is lucky I am not in England at the present time, or I might very probably be in Newgate. But if things get much worse, I hardly know whether I shall be able to keep away. The poor have but too few to speak and act for them; most educated men in our 84 class are in someway interested in upholding things as they are; they look at the poor ab extra, in a patronizing rather than a sympathizing way; they like being generous and philanthropical, but are very unwilling to be just. The people might say to philanthropists, a la Lord Ashley, 'If you are in earnest when you lament the degradation to which we are reduced, why do you not cast away at once that wealth and that rank which separate you from us; why do you not sell your fine carriages and horses and your grand town-house, and come amongst us as one of ourselves; then the inequality which you deplore would be, so far as depends on you, removed.' And then the Lord Ashley philanthropists would 'turn away grieving, for they had great possessions', and the saying would be ful-

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filled once more, 'How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of heaven.'

But your own minds must be so full of these subjects that perhaps you would rather hear of anything else from me. I will say no more, but what I have said is only a true indication, how much these things occupy my thoughts.

I am going to return to Wellington in the Susan. At a public meeting held the other day, it was agreed to advertise in the paper, requesting any one who had made the subject of Education his study, to send in to the Nelson Committee suggestions as to the best mode of establishing and carrying on the College about to be founded. Three months is the time fixed, in order to allow time for the Bishop to write from Auckland. Of course I shall send in a paper on the subject. But I have begun to think it rather doubtful after all, whether the people here will not think me too great a Radical to be elected; and therefore on returning to Wellington, I mean to act as if I had no such prospect. My plan is to borrow money from the Bank to build a house on our town section, 85 mortgaging the house itself for the payment of the interest; and then I mean to let it be known that I wish to take pupils at the terms (I think) of £6 a year. I think that I shall most likely get as many as I want, for I have often heard people in Wellington regret that there are many boys there who are growing up without any education at all. I think I can put up a substantial sort of Swiss cottage for £100 or £150 and then with a nice little garden, and my books and pictures about me, I think I should be very comfortable. And then if Susy is anxious to come out and keep house for her loving brother, I will promise not to shut the door upon her, when she presents herself at the southern Fox How.

Thanks for the extract from Dr. Davy's 86 letter. It is very kind of him to speak as he does; and when I am settled in a house of my own, I shall try to follow his advice. The difficulty, in regard to studying chemistry, is in getting the requisite materials and apparatus, and in a colony, I hardly know how that difficulty could be overcome. Some one of the physical sciences however, I do mean to tackle, and make myself master of it, if I can.

You ask, in your letter of July 3rd, what instrument I should

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32 To Mrs. Arnold December 1848

like to have sent out with Miss Portal's £20 worth of books. I hope you did not mean to defer sending the books till you had got an answer to this question. But if so, I should like a pocket sextant and artificial horizon with a common case of mathematical instruments, as well as anything, if you think that would not be too much of a drain upon kind Miss Portal's generosity.

I must close this note for the same reason as that to K. I hope you will sometime see that dear old Allen at Fox How. Ever, dearest Mother.

your most loving son
T. Arnold

[P. S.] I have told John Walker what you said about having been to see his brother George, and he was much pleased. Are any Westmoreland people likely to come out?

33. To the ARNOLD FAMILY

Wellington Jany 30th 1849

Bless you all, dear darlings that you are, for your long letters of August and September; when I saw how many pages I had to get through, I could not help the tears coming to my eyes for very joy and thankfulness. There was a long letter from dear old Clough too, which please acknowledge, and say I will answer it very soon. I am sorry that my letter from Otago had not arrived at the time when your letters went (Sept. 5); it certainly ought to have made its appearance before that, as I sent it on the 23rd March by a schooner bound to Wellington, from whence it would have to go to Sydney, and altogether it ought not to have been more than 5 months on the road. The next letter I sent from here by the John Wickliffe, which, I find, arrived at Calcutta on the 8th August; it was to go by the overland mail via Southampton, so I should think you would get it by the middle of September.

Before I left Nelson, just after I had posted my last letter to you, in which I told you of my plans for the future, some of the peres de famille of the settlement came to me, and said that they had sons whom they were anxious to have properly educated, and asked me whether I would undertake them. After we had discussed the matter, I told them that I was obliged to return at that time to Wellington, but that if they could muster twenty boys (at £5 each that would be £100 a year) and get me

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a house rent-free, I would come. Some days ago I got a letter from them, saying that they could ensure me the twenty boys and a room for a schoolroom, but they said nothing about the house. However as I shall probably get about half a dozen pupils from this side of the straits, who will board with me, and will pay £35 a year each, I shall not insist upon the house being found me. You must not suppose that I have given up the College, but that I am taking this temporarily until the College can be started. When it is, the boys whom I have then will go at once into the College. So, as soon as the Ajax comes up from Otago, I shall ship self books and goods on board of her for Nelson. But as there will be some necessary expenses in taking a house and commencing house keeping on my own account, and as the money that I brought out with me is almost gone, I shall take advantage, dearest Mother, of what you say in your note of Sept. 5th, about your keeping £100 for my convenience, and draw on you for £50. The way in which it is done is this: I draw a bill upon Masterman your banker in London, desiring him to pay to Mr. A. B. (the person who discounts the bill) £50 at so many days after sight; at the same time I write to you a letter of advice in which I request you to order Masterman to honor the draft. I take the bill to a merchant here, who discounts it, deducting about 1 per cent discount. If it had not been for your letter, I should have had to draw a bill on the bank, at three months, and to get it backed by some of my friends here, who would have paid the bill when it became due, and waited till I could repay them; which is in fact the same thing as borrowing the money; but after all I much prefer coming to you for assistance; supposing, as I gather from your note, it will be no inconvenience to you to give it.

Capt. Collinson, whom I have often mentioned in former letters, has lately returned from an expedition into the interior, and we are now as great intimates again as ever. You really must, if you can, make the acquaintance of his sister Mrs. Rawson; it would be so pleasant comparing notes together, both for you in England and for us in New Zealand. Collinson is going home in about a year, and when he goes I shall give him a particular introduction to Fox How for I am sure you will like him for his own sake as well as because he is my friend.

The Anniversary races are now going on; yesterday was the Derby day of Wellington. Four miles from the town, among low barren hills, and within earshot of the surf that constantly lashes

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this storm vext coast, is a plain whereon grows nothing but couch grass flax and reeds, but on which, with much ado, from the swampiness of the ground, they have contrived to make a tolerable race course. 87 Hither yesterday every one flocked; booths were put up, flags were flying, all the people were in holy day garb. To see those desolate and usually silent hills, suddenly peopled with life and echoing with shoutings and hootings, was very strange. The grand race was won by a Nelson horse, belonging to a Mr. Duppa, 88 who has made a good deal of money in the colony, and is soon going home. He is a dark Spanish looking man, clever and well-read, but with a good deal of arrogance, which has made him very unpopular with the Wellington bourgeoisie, who under any circumstances would feel sore at a horse coming over from another settlement, and winning at their races.

Feb. 1st.

Weld has just come over in the Petrel, and we have had a very friendly meeting. The young Catholic aristocrat is looking quite handsome, with his blue eyes and long curling hair. New Zealand life brings you in contact with all sorts of people, such as perhaps you might never meet in England. There is a Jewish family here, the Horts, 89 whom I have got to know very well; the Miss Horts are accomplished and have really good taste, yet they are so strict in their religious observances, that the other day they could not go to a large ball because it was given on a Friday night, their Sabbath it appears, beginning at sunset on

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Friday. Again at Nelson there is an old gentleman of the name of White, who is a freethinker of the Voltaire school, and is always coming out with his opinions; I must say however that he is a puzzle headed old fellow, and has no more notion of arguing than a cat. With him lives a Dr. Bedborough, 90 a really clever man, but a materialist and a fatalist; he says little in society, but a shade of gloom seems always to hang over his countenance, as if his creed gave him no inward peace or satisfaction. At Wellington there is Judge Chapman, 91 an utilitarian of the school of Bentham, intellectual, but dry and unimaginative, and rather too much of a bon vivant. Fox, 92 about whom you ask me in your last letter, is a Constitutional Radical, and a great admirer of Whately. He is a very good sterling fellow, like his brother Henry; I wonder now that I never heard of his being here while I was in England. A Mr. Newcome has lately returned here from England, who is a son of Archdeacon Newcome of Ruthyn in North Wales, he is a great tall fellow, with an honest bonhomie about him which is very taking; he knows Clough's family very well, and once met Clough himself at a ball at Denbigh.

Dearest K your long letter of 18 pages was just what a letter should be; it told me something of your own dear self, something of other people, and something of outward events and circumstances. How you must have enjoyed that pleasant orderly life at Redcar. 93 I wish that I could give you a corresponding account of my way of life here; but that is not possible, for I am living at an inn, waiting for an opportunity of going to Nelson, and my books are not unpacked, nor my pictures; and I am constantly going out to dinner with some one or other. However this cannot and shall not last long; and in a very few weeks I hope I shall write from Nelson, when I am in a house of my own, with my little terrier Fury frisking about my knees, and, I hope, a nice yellow cat purring by the fire. Fury is a very

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small wiry tan terrier, a fearless and implacable enemy to rats mice, ed id genus omne, but very docile and gentle in all other respects; she was given to me by Thomas the Governor's brother.

Feb 6th

I have this day drawn the bill for £50; but I was wrong in some of the things that I said about it before. It is made out in triplicate, and it is drawn upon you; the Union Bank has discounted it, and their branch in England will send the bill to you when it arrives, asking you to pay it; which you will have to do within thirty days after sight. I hope, dearest Mother, this will cause you no inconvenience. I hope and think that I shall not have any occasion to ask you for assistance again. My friend Domett has indorsed the bill, as the Bank always requires this, to guard itself against the risk of a bill returning dishonored.

7th. [Feb.]

Yesterday we had a merry bachelor party here; Domett, Bell, Duppa, Collinson, Newcome, Thomas, Weld, and myself. There was a great deal of singing, and they made me take a considerable part of it; indeed I am, though rather against my will, one of the established nightingales of the place. This does not say much, you will think, for the state of musical knowledge in Wellington, and indeed it does not. However there are one or two songs that I can sing with a kind of go, 'verve' as the French call it, that has a certain effect. 94 I have learnt to sing the Marseillaise, and can understand how it must fire the blood and nerve the arm of a susceptible Frenchman, even though I never witnessed and can scarcely perhaps conceive the effect of its being sung in chorus by a multitude of voices. They drank my health in a very pretty manner, as one who was about shortly to leave Wellington, and I returned thanks with great conciseness. Domett, as he could not sing, was made to recite Campbell's Copenhagen ode, 'Of Nelson and the North', which he did with great energy. According to colonial custom, as soon as the dinner was removed, we took to cigars, and enveloped ourselves with a cloud of smoke scarcely inferior to that with which the Dutch burghers of New York are said to have smoked

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out their governor Van something or other. You need not be afraid, however, my sisters, that when we meet again, I shall astonish your weak minds by a long meerschaum or even a short clay, as I do not care enough about smoking to smoke by myself; but when others smoke, one is obliged to do so in self-defence. Perhaps you will say, my dears, that this is 'going with a multitude to do evil'; but if so, I should like you to have been in the room last night.

Susy's account of the Yeomans amused me very much; the old man and his degenerate 'lads'. Collinson has been both at Redcar and Lofthouse, while engaged on the Ordnance survey. Has not mother some distant Cornish relations of the name of Pender? Because there is a midshipman of that name on board the Acheron, which is just come into port, and he is from Cornwall; if I were not on the point of sailing, I would try to make his acquaintance in order to ascertain the fact.

I must unwillingly close my letter, in order to be sure of being in time, but I will write again as soon as I get to Nelson. Believe me dearest ones all,

Your most affectionate
T. Arnold

[P. S.] So poor old Robin 95 is dead; I certainly did not think, when I shook hands with him on leaving Fox How, that I should never see him again.

34. To MRS. ARNOLD

Wickliffe Cottage March 11th 1849
Nelson

My dearest Mother

I must say that there could not be better correspondents than you all are. Since I wrote by the Cornelia last month, I have received two letters, one by the 'Mary' dated Oct. 26th, the other two days ago by way of Sydney, dated Sept 28th. I am beginning to fear that my letters by the John Wickliffe and Philip Laing via India and Southampton have been lost. If they have, I wish you would make a row at the Post Office, for I sent two

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fat letters to Shairp by the Philip Laing, which I should be sorry to think had missed their destination. 96

In my letter by the Cornelia, I told you that in consequence of a passage in your note of Sept. 5, I had drawn upon you for £50 at thirty days' sight. For security's sake, especially as they say that the Cornelia is likely to catch fire on the voyage home from having damp wool on board, I repeat the information by this opportunity. There is one thing about the letters that I must mention. You seem to fancy that I have nothing to pay when I receive those that you send by the Company's ships. So far from that, I have always had to pay twice as much upon them as upon any other letters, the reason being, I believe, that nothing has been paid upon them in England. You had better ask Mr. Harrington to explain how this is. However, now that steam is about to be established between Singapore and Sydney, all New Zealand letters will of course go that way. How pleasant it will be to be brought within less than three months distance of my darlings!

Writing on October 22nd, you wonder what I am doing on that day. Here is the entry in my journal; 'Brilliant day, wind light and Westerly. Ascended the Hummock. While we were sitting down on the summit, there came a shock of earthquake, and we plainly saw the top of the mountain heave and rock. Sublime appearance of the lesser Kaikora.' At that time I was staying with Weld. The Kaikoras are two immense mountain masses from 8000 to 10,000 feet high, which no human being has ever ascended, or even reached their base. 97 In a century perhaps they may be as familiarly known as Mont Blanc. 'Oh! for the painter's hand!' that I might make you see what no description can adequately render.

The house that I am now in is a small white wooden house, with a verandah in front of it, on the top of a low long-backed hill at the outskirts of the town. The Nicholsons and I have christened it Wickliffe cottage, because it has been inhabited by Wickliffites in succession, first by them, and now by me. Mr. Nicholson, as I think I have told you, is the Scotch Free Kirk minister of this place. They have been exceedingly kind to me

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since I came here, in giving me counsel and assistance upon my commencing housekeeping, without which I should not have got on nearly as well as I have done. When people are thrown together during a long voyage, a certain relation, either of amity or of aversion, thenceforth establishes itself between them, which under ordinary circumstances it might have taken years to form. Those of your shipmates whom you dislike, you dislike cordially, and those whom you like, you like warmly, for if you have the slightest penetration, you cannot have failed in making out their real qualities. But to pursue the subject of my domestic concerns: I have got a clean tidy upright--in the physical sense I mean--housekeeper, by name Mrs. Curran, who will do the washing in the house, and the baking also--when I get an oven. I have to pay her £20 a year; but she will be quite worth that to me, if as I believe is the case, she really understands housekeeping. I begin with the juveniles on the 26th of this month, when I shall receive a quarter's pay in advance. Three or four boys will come to me as boarders from Wellington and Taranaki, as soon as I get into a larger house than this. The boarders are to pay £35 a year for board and tuition. From the smallness of the sum, you will perhaps think I am going to treat them a la Squeers; but it is not so very small, when you take into consideration the cheapness of everything here. I should go on swimmingly if I had got a wife. But where is that necessary of life to be procured? The charming Emma Hutton is married by this time I suppose; besides she would probably think Colonial life a decided bore. However I mean for the present to take your advice, dearest Mother, and be patient; it does not do to plunge into marriage with the eyes shut. 'The attitude that befits us', as Emerson says, 'is cheerfulness and courage, and the endeavour to realize our aspirations.' 98

Meantime it is a great delight to have one's books unpacked, though not yet ranged in shelves, and to feel, poor much-travelled dog that I am, that I have a kennel of my own at last. On my right hand hangs the picture, given me by Walrond, of sweet sweet Jenny Lind; and seems actually to light up and glorify my little dark room. You cannot think how much good this picture does me. Jenny Lind seems to watch over me, and guard me from low thoughts and an unmanly despondency. I look into those deep deep eyes, and it seems as if something of

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34 To Mrs. Arnold March 1849

her purity and nobleness passed, for a time at least, into my heart also. I read in the mornings pretty regularly; the book that I have on hand at present is Ewald's Geschichte des Volkes Israel bis Christus, given me by dear Stanley; I am making an abstract of it as I go on. It often makes me think of Arthur's admirable lectures. The book is too prolix, and the processes of criticism are not kept sufficiently distinct from the narrative, to allow of its being ever popular in England even if translated, but I sometimes think that a good resume or abstract of the work, in which its main results should be given in a clear and logical arrangement, might be of much service, and possibly I may attempt it if the book continues to give me satisfaction.

As for English Politics, about which of course I think much, the subject is I dare say as painful and heart sickening to you as it is to me. Vulgar commerciality seems still in the ascendant and the shopkeepers, in the abjectness of their fear, seem rapidly retrograding to the old doctrine of the divine right of princes and the duty of passive obedience. How foreigners must despise a people whose feelings and opinions are pretty accurately represented by the leaders of the Times for 1848! Yet this is the nation from which sprang Milton and Sidney, Cromwell and Ireton.

The course of events in Germany has very great interest for me. I wish Stanley or someone who has access to Bunsen 99 and other Germans of authority, would write and explain to me the ins and outs of the Austria versus Frankfort question.

There are some of my sympathies and antipathies for you in

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a small compass. 100 Goodbye dearest darling mother with best love and thanks to all for their letters, I am

your most loving son
T. Arnold

[P. S.] If you should ever be sending a box to me, you would do me a great service by putting a few shirts into it; Standen has my measure.

March 12

35. A. H. CLOUGH to T. A.

51 Vine St, Liverpool
July 16th [1848]

My dear Tom

When I last wrote to you, the 3 days of February were still echoing. And now the 4 days of June have scarcely ceased to reverberate. Between which times a good deal has happened both to myself and to the World in general. Of the latter I suppose you hear from more active correspondents than me, so I shall only deal with it εν παρέργψ. 101 For myself I went to Paris on the 1st of May and stayed there 5 weeks, saw the opening of the Assembly, the Emeute or Echauffourée (as they prefer calling it) of the 15th and the Fête of the following Sunday. After the 15th the sky was certainly overcast but in my first fortnight and in a degree through the whole time I was in extreme enjoyment--walked about Jerusalem and told the towers thereof with wonderful delight--the great impression being that one was rid of all vain pretences and saw visibly the real Nation 102 --the sentry posts occupied by men in blouse, of the national or mobile or republican guard--and Tuileries gardens and all public places full of the same blue blouse, while the Palace itself showed occasionally on its balcony some convalescent blesse de Fevrier helped along, as he took the air, by wife and child. All things quite decently and in order, without any visible repressive ex-

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ternal force--indeed for two days between the resignation of the Provisional and its reappointment as the Executive Committee- there was no government whatever, barring of course the Assembly--

La Martine--I saw him and Ledru-Rollin ride to the Hotel de Ville on the 15th--seems certainly to have been deficient in definite purpose and practicality. But I fancy that he and his colleagues hardly had a fair chance,--they had no time to get the Assembly into working condition, hampered in it as they were by Odillon Barrot and Co. who are very skilful debaters, before the People began to get angry and suspicious--

The 4 days of June I dare say you have heard spoken of in a somewhat shrieky accent. But the cruelties are unquestionably exaggerated and are attributable to the forçats, who naturally mixed with the ouvriers, and there are many opposite traits recounted. 103 The story of the cantinieres selling poisoned brandy was not verified by the examination before magistrates, or by the analysis of the chemists. I confess I regard it in the same light as--a great battle--with, on the whole, less horror and certainly more meaning than most great battles that one reads of. However there is no doubt that France's prospects are dubious and dismal enough and one is almost inclined to think that the outbreak was premature; with their ideas so far from ripe the French had better, if possible, have endured a little longer the immorality of L. Philip's government. But yet on the whole one accepts the whole thing with gratitude.--It will I think on the whole accelerate change in England; and perhaps, my dear Tom, you may yet live to see some kind of palingenesy effected for your repudiated country. θαυμ' άν πόρρωθεν ίδοίμην. 104

Matt was at one time really heated to a very fervid enthusiasm; but he has become sadly cynical again of late. However I think the poetism goes on favourably.

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July 1848 A. H. Clough to T. A. 35

The next topic is Emerson whom I left yesterday on the deck of the Halifax steamer and saw pass rapidly down the Mersey on his way home. He came to Oxford just at the end of Lent Term, and stayed three days. 105 Everybody liked him and as the orthodox mostly had never heard of him, they did not suspect him. He is the quietest, plainest, unobtrusivest man possible--will talk but will rarely discourse to more than a single person--and wholly declines 'roaring'. He is very Yankee to look at, lank and sallow and not quite without the twang--but his look and voice are pleasing nevertheless and give you the impression of perfect intellectual cultivation as completely as would any great scientific man in England--Faraday, or Owen for instance, more in their way perhaps than in that of Wordsworth--or Carlyle. Some people thought him very like Newman. But his manner is much simpler. I told him I had sent my copy of his Poems to the Antipodes with you. Whereupon he gave me another. I have been with him a great deal, for he came over to Paris and was there a month, during which we dined together daily; and since that I have seen him often in London and finally here. I liked his lectures (he gave Six in London) better than either his conversation or his appearance. I should say, his appearance in common, for in the Lectures he looked prophetic at times. They were all read. One thing that struck everybody is that he is much less Emersonian than his Essays. There is no dogmatism or arbitrariness or positiveness about him. However I have perhaps talked enough about him.--Your sister Mary was at the lectures and you will perhaps have her report too.--

I gave my tutorship up at Easter, my dear Tom, and I seriously think of sending the Fellowship after it, in October at latest. You have heard of Walrond's settling at Rugby, he is to have Congreve's house. This is very good; because now old Shairp will be content to stay and grammar--grind as he calls it; which after all is the best thing he can do--for he is not likely to break family ties and go into the Wilderness after Theudas. Palgrave too you will have heard has become, under Froude's guidance partly, and partly by revolutionary sympathy, a very suspect person at Oxford--and next to myself is I suppose accounted the wildest and most écervelé republican going. I myself apropos of

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a letter of Matt's which he directed to Citizen Clough, Oriel Lyceum, Oxford, bear that title par excellence. 106

You meantime, my dear Tom, are where? At Otago, exploring peacefully the antipodic geography, shooting with Walrond's gun some stray kangaroo (are they found there?) or casual cannibal? Or are you by this time at Wellington? We have yet I suppose some four long months at least to wait before we ascertain.--

Should I mention to you that George Sand wrote in a paper called the Vraie Republique, which is among those now suppressed. She wrote inter alia three articles on the religion, dogma and worship of France. The dogma very boldly eliminating everything miraculous from the Gospel History, leaving personality with prophetic and exalted physical power to Xt. Yet retaining a Liberty-Equality-Fraternity Gospel as Xty. Emerson meantime is unequivocally Pagan, but dislikes controversy. His most pure disciple is, a certain Mrs. Paulet (friend to Mrs. Carlyle and to Miss Jewsbury, her of Zoe), 107 resident here, wife to a Swiss Merchant and daughter to Newton the Methodist preacher. I have seen a good deal of her here and in Paris, where both she and Miss Jewsbury were. Miss J. is a busy active vehement almost feverish and fidgety little body. Mrs. Paulet almost too Hindooish. But what saith the Scripture of this-- 'Neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem'--

Farewell, my dear Tom-

Yours evermore
A. H. Clough

[P. S.] Waterhead--Septr. 4th

To this late day have I been compelled to keep your letter, my dear Tom: and now I send it in a packet from Fox How with congratulations on the short and successful voyage of which news was brought by H. M. S. Racehorse--and with hopes of speedy autographic intelligence thereanent.

Three days ago I was in Borrowdale, and slept under the roof

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September 1848 A. H. Clough to T. A. 35

of Sarah Simpson, thinking of you and your farewell sojourn there, not infrequently, while rejoicing in the beauty of the land. And now I have just stayed long enough to see your Mother and sisters on their return from Redcar, before my own departure. I am staying with Greg, and have been also visiting Fisher in Patterdale, where he has his first reading party. He got a first-class you should know, duly and honourably, at Easter. πατρός άμεινων 108 outdoing his coach.--Do you remember the Angelic Maid at Mrs. Wilson's? She was married last Whitsuntide. I saw her, looking angelic and happy still.

Your sister, Mrs. Twining, is here, looking ill, perhaps, and restless, but I think she will not fail to outgrow all her troubles.-- She is terribly given to Maurice and Co.: and of the Co specially to Kingsley, 109 author of a Drama called the Saint's Tragedy, of which I could not make much, nor yet indeed of the author either, whom I became acquainted with at Oxford where he stayed a fortnight with Powles and Froude.--

I believe I shall probably in about 6 weeks' time publish conjointly with Burbidge a volume of poems. 110 Some of them I hope you will like; but I don't think much will come of it. I don't much intend writing any more verse, but have a notion for Essays. 111 --However, when I resign the Fellowship, which I shall do, I suppose, in October (I forget whether I told you of this) I fear I shall take some tutorship for the sake of victuals. Lord Lovelace, who married Byron's daughter, has a Son, of whom something has been said to me, and it is not unlikely I may commit myself to this business. They are ultra-liberal people-

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otherwise I would not venture.--The boy lives with Grand-mama, Lady Noel-Byron, at Esher. Is this a dereliction of duty, my dear Tom? I can't see my way clearly about it: and don't mean to bind myself to more than a year or two of it: and trust that it won't rob me of all my time or much of my independence.--

Your mother and sisters are a very pleasant phenomenon, at Fox How--and bring back to me the old times most agreably. Edward harmonizes very respectably with the other figures. As for your Uncle and Aunt and the two Miss Brooks, I can't say anything for they had not arrived when I left yesterday.--

Your daguerrotype picture is the jolliest little memorial of you that could be left. I never saw such an exact identity. 112

Edward and I went over the various articles of dress and interchanged our faithful reminiscence of the handkerchief and waistcoat and coat and seedy old trowsers with mutual delight.

Peace be with you, my dear Tom. Something will come from you soon, I hope, in way of letters by your own hand.

Ever yours
A. H. Clough.

36. To A. H. CLOUGH

Nelson April 1st 1849

My dear Clough

I have acknowledged, but have not yet answered a delightful long letter from you, which came in January, and the last date of which was September 4th. In a letter which I have had from Miss Davies, she says 'Will you not be surprised to hear that Clough has been made head of one of the Irish Colleges.' 113 But as there is no mention of this in your letter, nor in any of the letters from home that I have received since, I suppose that Miss

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Davies must have been mistaken. I should think that you would like the appointment, would you not? Its being in Ireland would be against it certainly, but then in a 'godless college' there would be no difficulties about religion, to one's own conscience I mean, and that would be no small comfort.

I have just begun to keep a small school here; it is rather a bore, as the boys are young and unruly; but I find that it suits me better than digging, and it is just as honest a way of living. But it leaves me some time to read for myself; and I find myself more and more drawn to study as to my natural vocation. I am now reading Ewald's Geschichte des Volkes Israel bis Christus, and making a careful abstract of it as I go along. I am looking forward, though vaguely at present, to writing a history of Israel based on this book chiefly. I think the English religious public much need some such fillip as this as a check to the drowsy dronings about the 'word of God,' the 'inspired Scriptures,' which still in this 19th century are nearly all that are offered to sick souls by way of spiritual aliment. You know what I mean, and will not suppose in me any wish to subvert a true Reverence, either for the Bible or aught else that is worthy of such.

But in attempting to study, I find the difficulty of procuring books here a serious evil, and it will increase as I go on. I think it very possible that this alone will force me to return to Europe before many years are over. But any way, though I am very comfortable and contented now, I could not stay permanently in New Zealand all alone, as I am now. I can never submit to separate myself all my life from my beloved home and from the dear kind friends that God has given me; so as none of them, in all human probability, will come out to me, I must go home to them. Tuition should be my pursuit, 'for the sake of victuals' as you express it, if I came back. If you are really going to be Head of an Irish College think of me when there is an Ushership vacant, that's a good old Stupo. My stammering need be no objection, for it is all but gone; I find not the least difficulty in keeping school.

Today, mindful of our old Oxford practice of a Sunday walk, I ascended the highest of the hills in the immediate neighbourhood of Nelson. 114 It may be nearly 2000 feet high. All the north side, facing the town, is bare of trees, but the south side is one

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36 To A. H. Clough April 1849

unbroken forest, the trees just coming up to the top of the ridge, and appearing there like the advanced guard of an army. As formerly we used to cut University sermon, so in this case I cut church. But my only companions, instead of the rational human beings Clough Walrond and Matt, were my little terrier Fury and a sheep dog called David. The hill was very steep, and the sun had great power, so that I was two hours in reaching the top. The view was wild and savage, except towards the north, where Nelson lay at my feet and the bright sparkling sea rose upwards and blended with the light clouds in the horizon. Eastward, the view was bounded by a higher range than that on which I stood at a distance of 5 or 6 miles; this range and all the higher ground between me and it, were almost wholly clothed with the sombre green mantle of a New Zealand forest. Southwards, the trees on the top of the ridge of which I spoke intercepted the view. To the South-west the eye ranged over the Waimea plain, where are the principal cultivations of the settlement, on to a ridge of snow capped mountains; while from Southwest to Northwest, the whole horizon was filled by the Motueka range; the highest part of which I imagine to be about 5000 feet; and which ends northwards in Separation Point, the western cape of Blind Bay, while to the south a curious gap separates it from the snow capped mountains above mentioned. On a clear day the range looks magnificent, with its bold forms and snowy peaks. I descended a different way, into the valley of a beautiful mountain stream, about as large as the Rotha and much resembling it. This stream is called the Maitai and runs into the sea at Nelson. Since I got back I have been reading the 4th volume of Coleridge's Lit[erary] Remains, 115 and writing this letter to you, and now I am going to bed to sleep on the iron bedstead given me by that dear old Lake, 116 to whom give my love when you see him. You perhaps have just finished a sumptuous breakfast at Esher? and are thinking of going to church with the young Lord. 117 May your slumbers during the sermon be refreshing!

April 28th.

There is a man now sitting in my room, who comes out of

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April 1849 To A. H. Clough 36

Denbighshire; his name is Newcome, he is a son of Archdeacon Newcome, and knows your family. The Fly sails this day for Sydney, and I must wind up. It is long since I heard from England now; but the next vessel from Sydney must bring letters, perhaps one from you. Love to Shairp and Walrond; how I long to see them again. Tell Shairp that I have met with two persons here who are acquainted with Mrs. Gartshore: one is Major Richmond who succeeded Murray Gartshore at Paxo; the other is Dr. Munro of Edinburgh. I wonder if Shairp thinks as often as I do of our rambles together by Ericht sides. Goodbye my dear Clough, ever your affecte friend

T. Arnold

37. To MRS. ARNOLD

Nelson June 14th 1849

My dearest Mother

I have got quite a mass of correspondence on my hands just now, having had letters within the last fortnight from you, Mary, Willy, Mr. Price, Clough and Stanley, all except the last, by the Sydney mail of December 1st. I have not yet acknowledged either a long and delightful letter from dearest K, dated Oct 29th. You mention again the £100 most kindly, but the £50 which I drew for was quite sufficient. I have now a regular income, though small, and I need not and ought not to be a burden upon you any more. In my last letter to Mary, I did not say much about my little school, so I will now speak about it more particularly. I have 19 boys, of whom one is a boarder, and all the rest day scholars. The boarder's name is St. Hill; he is a boy of 12, brother to the Sheriff of Wellington; a little forward, but good au fond, and very intelligent. The day scholars are a very heterogeneous set; as might be expected, not one of them is decidedly clever, though several are anxious to learn and take pains. The most advanced of them is Richmond, son of Major Richmond, the Superintendent of this place, and he is very far from bright. Only two boys learn Latin at present, nor shall I ever lay much stress upon it, unless in the case of a boy who I think has a real talent for languages, or whom I think fit to be trained up to the life of a student; and such boys are everywhere rarae aves. But in a colony, where life is so practical, to take the trouble of dinning Latin and Greek into the heads of ordinary boys, would

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37 To Mrs. Arnold June 1849

be still more absurd than in England. French I mean to make my grand 'cheval de bataille', as being the most easy and direct road to an acquaintance with modern literature and modern thought, as they exist in other countries besides our own. I have already got a French class, who are making very fair progress. The want of books however, and the difficulty of procuring them, checks me at every turn.

The school is at present held in a temporary building, lent to me for the purpose, which is soon going to be pulled down; but I have taken a large house in the town on a lease for 5 years, where there is a room of sufficient size; and I hope to move into it in about a month, when the repairs are finished that were found necessary. I call it a large house only by comparison with other houses here, for it would be quite a small house in England. You need not suppose dearest Mother, because as a matter of prudence I have taken the house on a lease, that it is therefore quite impossible that I should see you before 5 years are over. To my own mind the future seems very uncertain at present; if I should marry here, perhaps I might not return before that time; but as I see little prospect of such an event, it is just as likely that we may meet within three or four years at farthest.

The house which I am in now is, as I have told you in former letters, a small cottage on the top of a hill, about a quarter of a mile from the main part of the town. My family consists of young St. Hill, myself, Mrs. Currin the housekeeper (who oddly enough comes from Northampton, Mrs. Osborn's native town) Fury the dog, Jessie the cat, and a fine spaniel called Shot, who is only here on a visit, as he belongs to Mr. Dillon Bell.

There is a vessel to sail for Sydney to day, and the post will close soon, so that I fear this letter must be a short one; but of course you can read the one enclosed to Willy. Give dear Mary my best thanks for her letter. I am indeed glad that she has found, or thinks she has found, in the Ragged schools 118 an employment suited to her character and powers. Her account of Matt's romantic passion for the Cruel Invisible, Mary Claude, 119

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June 184. 9 To Mrs. Arnold 37

amused me beyond everything. Tell dear K. that I have been reading Milton's Prose works lately, 120 and heartily wish that we could read them together, that she might share in the feelings of admiration and love which they raised in me for the 'blind man eloquent'. I wish she would read his treatises on the subject of the Church of England: particularly the two books which treat 'of Reformation in England', the Apology for Smectymnuus, and the Preface to the second book of the 'Reason of Church Government urged against Prelaty'. It is astonishing to me that these works are not better known, when there is so much in them that is directly applicable to the state of the Church in these times. People are recommended to read Hooker, Jeremy Taylor, Bull etc. who are all on one side, while the works of a man great and virtuous beyond any Englishman perhaps that ever lived, are studiously kept in the background, because they are on the other side. But the testimony of a man like Milton will not and cannot be suppressed; and I believe that as these writings once before pulled down Romanizing and worldly prelates from their thrones, so they will again play an important part in reforming a Church, whose abuses and corruptions are not less inveterate and pernicious than they were in Milton's life time, though more pains is taken now to wrap them up decently and keep them out of sight.

Pray thank Arthur 121 for his most interesting letter (which by the way is the first that I have received from him, tell him) and say that it shall very soon be answered. I must finish in order to save the post; with truest love to all, ever, dearest Mother

Your most affecte son
T. Arnold

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38. A. H. CLOUGH to T. A.

99 Holywell, Oxford, Novr 6th [1848]

My dearest Tom

I have just received your letter; how delighted I was to get it.--The thing is not quite impossible, my dear Tom. That is to say, I am not prepared to go out and settle in New Zealand, in any capacity, but I have a great fancy to go out for 3 years or so. I have given up the Fellowship, as I told you I should; though the good Provost thinking I shall hark back still forbears to go thro' the formal step of officially announcing my resignation. So that I am 'loose' on the World, so far. On the other hand there are my Mother and sister, the former too old to emigrate, and both on my hands in especial, as my elder brother is married and my mother wouldn't like living under their tutelage. And again I am doing the literary a little, and am not yet clear that it will come to nothing. 122 --Also I have some half-proposal for taking a pupil abroad.--But if the literary turns out a failure, which I dare say may very soon prove to be the case--and I could manage my Mother in any way; why, I might come. But then comes the question, what is one to teach? Do I know anything that will do for the Antipodes? All sort of practical geometry and natural philosophy seems to me the natural thing as the basis; with English history and literature as superstructure. About Latin and Greek, query? --Now I know very little of anything but Latin and Greek.--

What sort of place is Nelson? I forget where it is. Would you take me for 3 years? --you and Donnett [sic]? --You see I'm just out of my old place, so that I am ready to look at every new place and likely enough to go to none. If the offer for foreign travel is actually made, I shall take it for a year; I have never seen Rome.--That seems pretty clear to me: but I don't

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November 1848 A. H. Clough to T. A. 38

much expect it will be made.--Then even if literature does look likely, I confess I should like to knock about the world a little bit more before I do much in that way: -yea, though I am all but 30 already. Finally, my dear Tom, one lives in the daily possibility of falling in love. 123 So you see how uncertain all things are to me just now--I am extremely jolly meantime, rejoicing in my emancipation. I say up here; it is now 3 weeks within 24 hours since I resigned; and people don't cut me at all. I dine at some high tables and generally (retaining my gown, for I don't wish to volunteer to cast that off, though of course I don't mind about it) I am treated as a citizen.--

Rugby, Novr 27th

Well, my dear Tom,--things are still quite hazy to me--I could find it in my heart to say, Yes, I will come out, certainly, for the two or three years--But (1) about mater and soror there is great question--(2) I doubt my teaching capacity being suited to the Antipodes; and (3) though the proposal about going to Rome is, as I expected, withdrawn, I have an invitation to stand for the headship of the new University Hall (on the Oxford and Cambridge college system) to be attached to University college, London. One would have to read prayers in the Morning--stomachable by all parties specially Unitarians, of which creed come the chief contributors to the Institution--Only two hours' work a day--which is tempting. This offer, though offer it hardly is, I have not made up my mind about.--If I refuse it and if I don't get a good offer for foreign travel--why, I don't see what better I can do than come out to you? --does it only cost £30 for a passage? --But you see what a lot of yet undecided ifs there stand in the way.--

I am not clear, my dear Tom, that we should agree in all things. That is not to be expected. Yet it is likely enough that you might be much disappointed in me.--

My poem 'The Bothie of Toper-na-fuosich' in about 2000 Hexameters 'a long-vacation pastoral' has appeared; and has tolerable success in Oxford 124 --But that its local allusions might readily give it: a larger success is quite problematical.--But I wish you could see it--you, I know, would be interested. Though it is

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38 A. H. Clough to T. A. November 1848

not the Bothie on Loch Ericht--the name of that is Dallungart, the Map's Toper na fuosich is unknown to the natives there. 125

Here is a bit of my pastoral:

Matt has been here for ten days (I am staying with Walrond--where also are Burbidge and his Italian wife, a very nice simple, lively, and affectionate little body) he left us three or four days ago.--I think the severance from him, 127 my dear Tom, might be added amongst the objections I have stated against quitting England. Friendships are even more precarious than fraternities,--by a good deal, indeed:--However I have a good hope about that, through all mutations.

For the present farewell.

I shall write perhaps by the direct vessel--on the 15th. I am recommended by your Mother to send this via Sydney by packet of the 1st.

Ever yours
A. H. C.

[P. S.] Old Shairp talks about writing; but he is heavy in moving. Grace, the youngest girl, is with him; and is great fun. Jane Walrond is here, also, and pleasanter here than in that suburban sophisticated drawing-room.

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39 To A. H. CLOUGH

Nelson July 7th 1849

My dearest Clough

I have not time for more than a short letter, but I resolved not to lose the opportunity of this mail, if possible. It is a delightful thought that there should be even a chance of seeing you out here; still I must tell you the exact circumstances of the case. Domett thought, when he first spoke to me about the College, that it would really come into operation in a year's time, and I thinking his authority unimpeachable, wrote to you as I did; but twelve months have passed, and there is, as far as I can see, no immediate prospect of the Company's handing over the funds. I had no idea of the difficulties accompanying the forcing of a public body to act, especially when the action implies putting their hands in their pockets, from the distance of 16000 miles. In this state of things, of course I could not ask or wish you to come out, except on the supposition, that being flush of money you wished to pay the Antipodes a visit. But this is scarcely likely to such an extent. The country is a pleasant country, a beautiful country; but fitter for married people with families than for young single men, especially when there are likely to be troublous times at home. I always said before leaving England that I would return at once if there was a Revolution; and so I would. However I suppose that is not likely to happen just yet.

Why did not you send me your poem? 128 I am quite angry with you. Do send it me please, as soon as possible after receiving this. My letters from home speak of it, and make me very impatient to see it.

I wonder what you are doing now. Whether the 'daily possibility of falling in love' of which you speak, has ripened into a certainty, and has been attended with the usual consequences? Quien sabe? as Matt used to say.

I am writing in the New Zealand Company's office, by the side of Bell, the Company's agent, who is a very good fellow. I have been appointed to arbitrate for the Company upon certain disputed claims to land between them and their land-purchasers. It will cause me a good deal of trouble probably, but I get paid for it, and I shall gain some more experience of business trans-

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39 To A. H. Clough July 1849

actions by it than I have at present; and this sort of knowledge I am too deficient in.

Farewell for the present, my dear friend. Believe that it is a thousand times true of me

Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare (currant.) 129 Every friend that I have once had, is as dear to me at this minute, perhaps more so, than ever.

Love to Walrond, to whom by the bye I ought to have written long ago, and to Shairp. Ever

yours affectly
T. Arnold

[P. S.] This is in answer to your letter of the 27th November/48

40. To JANE ARNOLD

Nelson August 1, 1849

My dearest K

This is a bright day for your birthday, my darling; for though the thermometer outside my bedroom stood at 8 o'clock this morning at 28°, yet the sun is now shining brightly and warmly, as is usual in this climate. How I should like a glimpse of your dear face; the day would be far brighter, were that allowed. You are now 28, and I am fast approaching 26; soon, very soon, we shall both be in middle age. Ah me! if one's life were serviceable for somewhat, gladly would one accept the burden of added years, and count each that flew by as bringing one a step nearer to rest. But to feel that age is creeping on, and that one is still so weak, losing so many opportunities, lagging so far behind one's own ideal, is enough to make one shrink from that grave, which will close over aspirations unfulfilled and powers unexerted.

August 10th.

After a longer interval than usual, I have received so many English letters at once, that I hardly know where to begin acknowledgements. First then, from you my darling, to whom I am writing, I have received letters dated Dec 28th, and Jan 27th, jolly long ones both, the last enclosing a letter of Willy's to Matt. Also in the little box (graced by that pretty French picture of

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August 1849 To Jane Arnold 40

Jenny Lind which I remember to have seen in Mrs. Fleming's shop) in which dearest Mother sent me the beautiful purse and the flower seeds, you kindly placed 3 letters of Matt's to you from abroad; these delighted me, and any more of his that you can send, since I do not suppose the old fellow will find time to write much to me himself, I shall be very grateful for. There is nothing more pleasant than to have one's recollections of foreign travel revived by the corresponding, yet different observations of another person; and when that other person is a Matt,--but hold up, I shall be getting personal. The violin has also arrived safely, and I have strummed away already sufficiently to drive all the neighbours, if there were any near enough, into strong convulsions. It is, I am told, a fine toned one, and I cannot say how much I thank dear Mother for her kindness in sending it. So Hartley 130 is dead; how changed the valley must look. There must hang over it

engendered. Feebly now is the name of Coleridge represented; for Sara has, I should think, been greatly overrated, and Derwent--is a proper orthodox individual, very uninteresting to the observer. 132

Since I wrote last, I have got into my new house. But it is still in a very unfinished state, for the carpenters here are so few in proportion to the demand for them, that you cannot get them to work steadily at any one job till it is finished. This sort of discomfort is quite novel, for in England the carpenters are generally too many for the work. Also there is so little money circulating in the place, that one has the greatest difficulty in getting in any money due to one, and those to whom you owe

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40 To Jane Arnold August 1849

are always dunning you. Meanwhile time passes, and I still see no prospect of the money being forthcoming for the College within a reasonable period. Under these circumstances, I think it would be foolish to let slip any opportunity of bettering myself; having therefore heard that a College or large school is now building at Hobart Town, unconnected with any sect, and that they are trying to procure Professors and Masters for it, I have written to Charles Stanley to ask for more information about it. 133 If I got an offer of a Professorship with a moderate salary, I would certainly go. I want a fixed income, regularly paid, however small it be; for the bore and trouble of collecting and asking for money, is, to a man of my disposition, most irksome. I would infinitely prefer £150 a year paid regularly, to £300 a year, which I had the trouble of collecting. To have opportunity for uninterrupted study, that is now almost my only wish; and I do not so much care where the place is. Even in Hobart Town, there would not be wanting associations with Papa's memory,-- with his dearest labours. Truly, άνδρώω έπιφανών πάσα γή τάφος; 'to renowned men the whole earth is a sepulchre.' 134

I am very sorry that my exchange of land must be given up, 135 and I foresee many difficulties before the affair can be set straight. A lawyer at Wellington to whom I explained the exact position in which I stood with regard to the land, told me that he thought there was no doubt that the trustees could give me the power which I sought. Nearly half the section too is let under agreements, and this will have all to be undone, unless I can get the Company to take upon itself my liabilities. But I will not bore you with any more of these matters of business.

The letter of most recent date that I have received, is from Mother of Feb. 6th, more than six months ago! Is not this an out of the way place? At Wellington, the letters used to arrive much more regularly.

So dearest Matt was to publish the volume of poems in

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August 1849 To Jane Arnold 40

February. 136 I cannot and will not believe that he would forget to send a copy to me, than whom no human being in the world will read them with a deeper interest; but if he does, do you, my dear K, have them sent to me, that's a darling. Let him not mind what the rascally reviewers say; the circle which finally awards the wreath of Fame is very small, as he well knows, and always 'approfondit' before it criticizes. Emerson says that there are but about a dozen persons in a generation who can understand Plato; but that for these dozen his works come down from age to age as regularly as clockwork. I have only had a few lines from Matt this time, in Mother's letter of Dec. 28th, but these few, though rather wicked, delighted me, they were so entirely Mattish. In them he spoke of his feelings about Clough. The last sentence might be worthily placed among the Apothegms of Goethe; shews indeed, I think, that the German sage has made a great impression on our Matt; and no wonder. 'He who has no energy grows stupid unless he is born with finesse.'

I write a leading article occasionally in the paper here, and some day you shall see them. I have also written a paper of some length on the subject of Education, which I think you would rather like, though you would not perhaps agree with it altogether. 137

As the mail closes at 12 this morning, I shall not be able to write to any one but you by this opportunity, but here is a list of the letters that I have received besides your own. From Shairp, Nov. 29; from Fan, Dec. 13 (by the Ennerdale); from Uncle,

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40 To Jane Arnold August 1849

Dec. 22; from Mother (enclosing letters of Willy's, Stanley's, and Walter's) Jan. 31st and Feb. 6th. Will you give my best thanks to dear Laura for the Oxford papers, which contain a great deal that interests me. In one of them I read a review of a new work by Faber 138 called 'the Lives of foreign Saints', the extracts from which exceeded in absurdity and profaneness anything I ever saw. I think poor Frederick is slightly cracked. With truest love to all at home, Rowland, Banks, 139 etc, believe me, dearest K

ever yours most lovingly
T. Arnold

41. To MRS. ARNOLD

Nelson August 19th 1849

My dearest Mother

Though I have acknowledged all your letters in my letter to K just despatched, I ought to give you my particular thanks for your unflagging kindness in writing, especially when I know what a heavy task of correspondence you have to get through every day. The purse is really beautiful; I shall not use it till K's is worn out. On reading over your letters again, I found that the flower seeds were sent by Banks; pray give the dear old man my warmest thanks for them. This is just the right season for planting them; but as I have no garden as yet myself, I shall distribute them among my friends, on the understanding that I am to have some of the plants whenever I like. I sent the letters to the Walkers by the very first opportunity; but thro' our long stay at Otago, they did not reach them till the middle of June; which accounts, I suppose, for their relations not having had answers to them at the time you wrote. I have seen a good deal of them here, as I must surely have mentioned to you in former letters. Last week I took what is called a 'cockney's holiday'. On Saturday I walked eight miles out of the town to a pretty farm called 'Thackwood', belonging to a Mr. Jollie, 140 (whose

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August 1849 To Mrs. Arnold 41

family, by the by, live near Carlisle, are in the large farming way I fancy) situated in a valley near the sea. Night came on before I reached the place, and as the roads are execrable at this time of year, and there was no moon, I got very handsomely bogged before reaching Thackwood. When once there, Jollie soon furnished me with a change of things, and made me all comfortable. It was a low house, built partly of clay and partly of wood, standing close to a little wood, and with a stream running by it, about the size and as clear as Bacco's Brook. We passed the evening (he is a single man) in talking, and reading some numbers of an English newspaper which he had just received, the 'British Banner'; it is a Dissenting paper but really a very good one; I wish you could see it sometimes. There were two or three articles, written in a strain of great rejoicing, on the accession of Baptist Noel. 141 I wonder that none of you have alluded to this in your letters; surely it is a very memorable event; for though Baptist Noel is not certainly a man of first rate ability, yet he is so thoroughly honest and sincere, that what he says in his book will and must have great weight with numbers of Protestants.

Monday morning Aug. 20th.

The account of my visit to Thackwood must give place to more important matters. It is strange how often it has happened to me, that some plan which I was cogitating, and the execution of which seemed far distant, circumstances have all at once put me in the way of accomplishing even to a greater extent than I had calculated on. You will see by my last letter to K that I have been thinking of going to Hobart Town, if I could get an appointment in the new School there, and that I wrote to Charles Stanley 142 little more than a week ago, asking for informa-

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41 To Mrs. Arnold August 1849

tion about it. Well; yesterday after writing the first part of this letter, Windle came in and told me that there was an English mail; I rushed to the Post Office, and got five letters, one from Mary, and another from you and K dated at the end of February, the third from Clough; the fourth and fifth were in unknown handwritings; a crown was on the seal; I opened one and found it was from Charles Stanley, pressing me to come to Hobart Town, and referring to a letter which the Governor had written to me; I opened the other, and found it was from Sir William Denison himself. In a most kind manner, he offered me the appointment of Inspectorship of Schools, with a salary of £400 per annum, travelling expenses etc; if I would not accept that, he pressed me at any rate to come and visit Hobart Town, and to consider Govt House as my home while I was there. By the next mail I will send you a copy of his letter. You will imagine my feelings. How good is God; how he watches over the children of the righteous. 'I have been young and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.' 143 Shakespeare says 'What's in a name?'; but our father's name has been to us, not only a source of proud and gentle memories, but actually and literally better and more profitable than houses and land.

I shall go to Hobart Town at the end of September; you will calculate the time when to begin to write to me there. But how stupid I am; of course you will write there immediately after getting this. I am writing in a great hurry to save the mail, to Sydney by the 'Comet'.

Fondest love to all
ever yours most lovingly
T. Arnold

42. To MRS. ARNOLD

Nelson August 27th 1849

My dearest Mother

The 'Cornwall' has just arrived, and this morning I have had the very great pleasure of seeing the Gibsons. 144 I cannot tell you

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To Mrs. Arnold August 1849 42

how delightful it was to shake hands with two young fellows, who had seen you two days before their departure, and could tell me of having seen 'my brother Matt' skating upon Rydal Lake, and of Walter's being expected home from the Mediterranean. They have not yet given me the letters and parcel that they have brought from you; but I am to have them this afternoon. I like them both and I shall certainly do all that I can to assist them. I have already busied myself about finding lodgings for them, and they will dine with me, I hope, this evening. They talk of settling here, and setting up a dairy farm; not a bad idea if they understand the business, and the married brother tells me that he does perfectly. I have not seen Mrs. Gibson yet but I hope to get her to dinner. They will probably take the house on the hill, where I was living for five months. 145 Mr. Taylor also is come; and I have heard him very highly spoken of. 146 I have not yet seen him. I am sorry to say, that he lost his little girl from fever, while the ship was lying off Taranaki. I must go into school; so goodbye for the present.

Same day, evening. I have just finished your letter of April 11th, which together with Dr. Davy's lectures, Edmund Gibson put into my hands about 4 o'clock this afternoon at the house on the hill, where I went after school to see how they were getting on. Tho' it is late, I will not go to bed without thanking you for it, dearest, and also expressing my regret and disgust, that the two letters to Mary and Clough, and the Nelson newspaper to you, which I posted at Wellington on the 4th October last year, should not have come to hand before the date of your letter. After the 4th October, I crossed over as you know to Weld's station, and was for some weeks in places where I could not write, there being no post office, so that the date of the next letter, which was to you, was Nov. 26th. The next, to K. and you, was Dec. 22nd. After all, I must confess that I have not been so good in writing as I ought to have been, especially during the first half of this year; what makes me feel this more, is the goodness and constancy of all of you in writing to me; but I assure you, dearest Mother, that if you will forgive my past delinquencies, I will do better in future; and I think I have

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42 To Mrs. Arnold August 1849

already made a good beginning in a better course, as I have already sent off two letters home this month, on the 11th and the 20th. Don't let that wicked Susy or Fan draw uncivil inferences from my saying that I have only just finished the letter, having received it at 4 o'clock; directly after I got it, I was besieged by different people; among others I met, to my great surprise, Lieut. Wilson of the Howe; whom, with others, (the Gibsons could not come) I have had to dinner; so literally I could not finish the letter, it being a long one, until the guests were gone; let this then stop the mouths of the dear little saucy pusses.

They have not yet got the box for me out of the ship, but they are going to bring it me tomorrow. The opening it will be as good as a whole holiday. My best thanks to Mrs. Fletcher for Dr. Davy's lectures; they look very interesting.

Alas! the little boy, the 'black eyed baby', whom you already regarded as a New Zealander, was doomed never to lift his wondering eyes upon our plains and hills. He died, I think of croup, on the passage out. The little girl has lived thro' the attacks of hooping cough, measles, and other infantine ills, and so looks pale and sickly; but she will soon come round, I have no doubt, now that she is on shore.

For all K's gibes, I know every birthday in the year quite pat, and you must not think, because I do not always refer to them in my letters, that therefore I do not think of, or pray for, the dear one whose birthday it is. I thought of darling Walter on the 18th; and I dare say I think of the dear boy far oftener than he does of me; that is natural enough. Dearest Susy's was the day before yesterday; give her a kiss for me. Yours was on the 21st, and your wedding day on the 11th; let some one give you many kisses for me, darling mother that you are.

I have described the house on the hill in former letters; so you can tell Mrs. Gibson what sort of quarters her sons are in for the present. There has been so much rain lately, that the well and the water butt are both full; so they will be in no want of water for some time to come. When I went up this afternoon, they introduced me to Mrs. Gibson; a pleasing looking cheerful person, I thought. Every thing was in confusion of course; and I wished them all to come and dine at my house; but they preferred staying where they were, as it turned out that they had already got food into the house, had rummaged out a frying pan, and set the servant maid to cook some mutton chops. Well, God

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speed them; I hope and believe that they will do well, for they seem cheerful and active, and attached to each other. Edmund Gibson is certainly much superior to the other brother.

Tuesday Aug. 28th.

To day, darlings, at about 1 o'clock, I received the tin box from the Gibsons; and no Winchester boy ever unpacked his 'cargo' with greater delight than I felt in unfolding the various treasures, useful as well as ornamental, which it contained. Mrs. Curran and her daughter Sarah were standing by, and there were no bounds to their admiration, 'Ah now', said Mrs. Curran, 'Mr. Arnold's mother and sisters are real ladies; but there are none out here'. Everything is in as good condition as when it left Fox How. Dear Mrs. Wordsworth's socks will be most acceptable in this frosty weather, and those made by dearest Rowy too, and those by cook and housemaid, to whom, though I suppose I do not know them, I swear eternal gratitude. Then there is dear Aunt Trevenen's watch chain and pen wiper, and kind Aunt Jane's parcel of gloves, (a most useful and timely present, now that I am going to be a dashing young man at Hobart Town) and the razors from Mr. Henry Briggs; I hope you will return fitting thanks for me to the givers of all these things. Of the pictures, I shall say more afterwards. But now I must acknowledge another very precious packet; that containing a number of home letters, sent by Lieut. Wilson, and received by me at the same time as the box. You were right in thinking that letters of this sort would have a peculiar charm and interest for me. Dear old Matt has not forgotten me yet, I am glad to see. He seems to be in good heart about his book, and to be busily planning other things; I wish I were as active myself. Tell dear Mary that her classical manner of spelling Filey, 'Philoe', upset me altogether. So did that dog Didu's description of his 'dodging' Miss Stanley in Norwich cathedral, and of his distressing doubts as to the possibility of keeping out of sight of the family at the Palace for three days.

Sept. 1st

A dull drizzly Westmoreland day. I have seen the Taylors two or three times. Both have a slightly foreign air; he from having lived long in Germany, she from being a Creole, her parents being, I think, one French the other Spanish. She has the dark liquid eye of the Creole, complexion dark, features good, and something in the countenance singularly sweet and attrac-

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42 To Mrs. Arnold September 1849

tive. She is one of those very few women who make you feel, the instant you see them, that you would go thro' fire and water for one smile from such eyes, and would be well repaid. Nothing can be more unprepossessing tha[n] 147 Mr. Taylor's countenance 'au premier abord'. He has a terrible squint, and an olive brigandlike complexion. But when you talk with him, the eyes seem to beam forth sincerity and manly tenderness; and you feel that though the eyes look crooked, the heart looks straight; that warring glances have nothing to do with warring actions. He is at a loss for lodgings, so I am going to turn out of my house as soon as I possibly can, that they may come in. The school will be closed this day three weeks. I think that some of the boys will have gained something by it. To me it has been of much use, by giving me a closer acquaintance with the practical difficulties of education than I had before. Nothing is easier than to make a beautiful scheme of education on paper, but to make it work is 'quite another pair of shoes', as they say in New Zealand.

Sept. 2nd

Mr. Taylor has decided on taking my house after I leave it. He has been here this morning, and we have had a long talk about Germany and different things.

I have said nothing as yet about the Strayed Reveller, or Ambarvalia, or the 'Bothie'; though, as you may imagine, I have read them all through. I must write to dear old Matt himself. It was very pleasant to recognize old friends; especially the 'New Sirens'. Does Fausta mean K, and is the walk, 'ten years ago' alluded to in 'Resignation', that which we took over Wythburn Fells to Keswick with Capt. Hamilton? 148 Or was no particular walk intended? The 'Bothie' greatly surpasses my expectations. With a vein of coarseness cropping out here and there, it is yet on the whole a noble poem, well held together, clear, full of purpose, and full of promise. With joy I see the old fellow bestirring himself, 'awakening like a strong man out of sleep,

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and shaking his invincible locks'; 149 and if he remains true and works, I think there is nothing too high and great to be expected from him. I do not think Matt was right in saying that Clough 'had no vocation for literature'. 150

I have not now acknowledged nearly all the pretty things sent. The shirt sent by you, dearest Mother, is a beauty, and when it has received a slight alteration in front will serve excellently as a pattern. Darling Susy's slippers are really beyond all praise; thirty consecutive notes of admiration would be the only way of expressing my feelings. 'Stokers and Pokers' from Fan amuses me very much. You know how fond I always was of the dear old Birmingham Railway. The shoes I am wearing now; they are superb. Sir F. Buxton 151 from K, and the 'Autobiography etc' from you I shall not have time to read till I get to Hobart Town. Enclosed is a copy of Sir William Denison's letter. With truest love to all believe me ever

your most loving son
T. Arnold

[P. S.] Sept. 7th. I have only time to acknowledge dearest Fan's letter of February 3rd, which has only just reached me, having been sent by an Auckland ship.

43. A. H. CLOUGH to T. A.

51 Vine St, Liverpool,
Feby 15th [1849]

My dear Tom

Alea jacta est. I stay for the present here. I have accepted the Stincomalean position; 152 I commence there in October with a

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43 A. H. Clough to T. A. February 1849

good deal of misgiving, it must be confessed; but on the whole I believe myself not wrong.--I could not I think have made up my mind to come out to you for more than two or three years; and perhaps that would not have suited you and the Nelsonians--perhaps it was hardly worth the trouble of the voyages. Anyway so it is, and so it must rest for the present: and to make up as best I can I must be diligent, I suppose, in writing to my Principal that was to be--perhaps even yet, if other trades fail me, is to be even yet.--

I have been reading a portion copied from your letters to your two sisters, youngest and eldest, and sent me by your benevolent mother to whom I owe much gratitude for it--the latter contains the news of the arrival of my first letter--and urges what, alas, now it is not possible to think of--You know too, I am not, my dear Tom, so clear as you are of the rottenness of this poor old ship here--Something I think we rash young men may learn from the failure and discomfiture of our friends in the new Republic--the millenium as Matt says won't come this bout. 153

I am myself much more inclined to be patient and make allowance for existing necessities than I was. The very fighting of the time taught one that there were worse things than pain--and makes me more tolerant of the less acute though more chronic miseries of society--these also are stages towards good--or conditions of good. Whether London will take my hopefulness out of me as it did yours, remains to be seen. Peut-etre.

What particular hour is that, my dear Tom? and what is the

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process expressed by ώπλίσσατο δείπνον? 155 Ere this reaches you however, these proceedings will I suppose have ended with you.--It will be rather a scene of άμητήρεσ... άνδρός μάκαρος κατ' άρουραν--- 156

Last Tuesday week I went over to Manchester to hear Jenny Lind sing in the Elijah.--I had never seen her off the stage before, and was specially rejoiced in the contemplation of her face--the singing was not very much for her and I am not yet familiar enough with the Elijah. Not seldom I thought of her distant devotee, who would have died upon the smiles with which she beamed approbation when anything pleased her in the performance.

I like the Manchester people of whom I saw a little, better a good deal than the Liverpuddlians. They are more provincial perhaps, but have more character--are less men of the world, but, more men of themselves. Your sanguine friend still puts his trust in master-manufacturers, as in those olden foolish days when the face of Fortescue shone triumph in the Decade. 157 Yet why be troubled about politics and social matters! Here also as on the Poirirua road sweet odours of human nature ascend to the heavens. Not but that thou wert right, my Tom, beyond all question--that I never question about--but for thy departure I should perhaps be still lingering undecided in the courts of conformity--nor will I affirm that I am right in giving myself unto Stincomalee--but quit the country for altogether is not, so far as I can tell, my vocation. This may be Ur of the Chaldees or even Egypt, but no angel hath as yet spoken to me either in dreams by night or in any burning bush of the desert.

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43 A. H. Clough to T. A. February 1849

There--enough of this empty theme for the present--and good night

Feb. 24th.

At the risk of destroying the effect of my pastoral which somehow or other is to reach you I must tell you what has turned up.

You remember Toper na fuosich, in the Map, on Loch Ericht--and how I made out afterwards that Dallungart was the present name. Good reason why! for now that I from tender recollections of you and Shairp under the blanket together and of that Madonna like Mother and two children--now that I, I say, have published the name to all the drawing-rooms and boudoirs (of course) of all the world--What think you? --it turns out, they tell me, to mean what Horace calls 'teterrima belli causa'-- 158 --O Mercy! --It is too ludicrous not to tell some one, but too appallingly awkward to tell any one on this side the globe:--in the Gath and Ascalon of the Antipodes you may talk of it, and laugh at your pleasure. Do you know too that in the boat on Loch Ericht I asked the boatman 1st where it was, and 2d what it meant. He replied, the bairds' well, which I could not understand. Did he mean the bairns' well, homunculorum fons et origo. 159

Feb 24th continued.

To day, my dear brother republican, is the glorious anniversary

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of the great revolution of '48, whereof what shall we now say? Put not your trust in republics nor in any constitution of man. God be praised for the downfall of Louis Philippe.--This with a faint feeble echo of that loud last year's scream of a bas Guizot seems to be the sum total. Or are we to salute the rising sun with Vive l'Empereur and the green liveries! President for life I think they will make him, and then begin to tire of him. Meantime the Great Powers are to restore the Pope! and crush the renascent (alite lugubri) 160 Roman republic; of which Joseph Mazzini has just been declared a citizen. The said J. M. has written two long letters in the Spectator attributing the Italian disasters entirely to the damper or the national enthusiasm caused by the Piedmontese interference--which is possible, yet of course he would say so. I fear his own pets now dominant in Rome and Tuscany are not strong enough for the place. Yet some heroic deeds ought to come of them, if they are worth anything. 161

Monday 26th

At last our own Matt's book. Read mine first, my child, if our volumes go forth together. Otherwise you won't read mine, Ambarvalia at any rate, at all. I have been pressing them to my bosom for the last 48 hours,--no 36 I believe.

Froude also has published a new book of religious biography--auto or otherwise--and therewithal resigns has fellowship, but the Rector talks of not accepting the resignation, but having an expulsion--fire-and-fagot fashion. Quousque? 162

I have not yet seen the said book--the Nemesis of Faith is the title.--Froude, (queerest of all) has got an appointment to a school on the Anti Gellian Principle at Hobart-town and goes out in April. 163 Gell 164 is come home--did you know him at all? --

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43 A. H. Clough to T. A. February 1849

quite the same as ever at bottom, but a little crusted with Episcopalianisms. I saw him a good deal in London--where I staid with Temple, who lodges in the room under your old den 24 Margaret St where I wrote a poem called When Israel came out of Egypt two years ago is it, or three, when I was with you. Temple 165 you know has taken a Government Normal School; meantime he was and is working in the Education Office. Palgrave 166 who is to be under him as Vice Principal is doing the same, the School not being ready.--

And, Jenny Lind is going to be married! really, and avowedly! to become Mrs. Harris--per a relative of the Grotes! 167

Good bye my dear Tom; 'tis time this scrawl should move off for the Sydney Packet.--

Yours evermore
A. H. Clough.

44. To A. H. CLOUGH

Nelson Sept. 24th/49

My dearest Clough

I cannot quite say I hasten to thank you for the 'Bothie' and your poems, for I have now had them more than a month; but believe me, that during that time, in my inmost heart I have thanked and blessed you for them not seldom. The Bothie is my especial delight; though I very much like also some of the short poems, particularly 'When Israel came out of Egypt'; 168 which I am pleased to think you wrote in my old frowsy lodgings in Margaret St. But the Bothie--tho' the Spectator may jeer, and by the bye I should like to see its remarks,--places its author, in the view of thinking men, above a legion of poetasters; presents

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itself to me indeed rather as an action than a literary composition,--an action, I truly think, among the boldest and purest that I have known. How much would I give for one hour's talk with you about it, and to hear what you are now doing, or purpose to do. I do think that if I live, I shall some day be at work with you or under you. I shall gravitate to you across the oceans that divide us. For I feel now as if I could put entire trust, not only in your genius, but in your fortitude; about which alone I had formerly any doubts. You will again be my 'Hieland oracle', as you used to be at the Decade, when I was wont to wait for your speech, in order to unravel the perplexities which more wordy orators too frequently threw round the subject.

Wellington Nov. 22.

This is a long interval but there has been no opportunity of sending the letter in the mean time. The Bothie--I am afraid I shall tire you with talking about it, but I cannot help it--has been much read and discussed since I came here. Domett, after reading it, said emphatically, in his deep gruff voice, 'That will live.' Even Thomas, the Governor's half-brother, a man of a vigorous healthy nature like Walrond, but without his ability, and retaining the stamp of 'Westminster boy' still in great freshness, was delighted with those parts which he could understand and enter into, such as the bathing, dinner, etc. At first I thought that there was something of coarseness in parts, but I don't know; the more I read it, the less I wish for any even the slightest alteration. I have just fallen in with the review of it in Fraser; though not very substantial as a criticism, it pleased me much by its tone of hearty admiration. I wonder whom it was by. 169

I hope you will tell me a good deal about your 'Stincomalean position'. Domett and I have got an idea that an Academical connexion might be formed between the London University and Colleges in the different Colonies which would be honourable and useful on both sides. A small approach--might it not be made? --towards realizing the ideal of Pan-saxondom. For in-

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44 To A. H. Clough November 1849

stance, when a College is about to be founded in a Colony, the founders might write to the Senate of the University, requesting them to appoint a Master, and at the same time desiring to be considered a branch of the University, and that a copy of the Academical rules might be sent to them for their guidance; so far of course as circumstances allowed. And what if rich individuals were to found scholarships in connexion with the University, to maintain scholars sent with proper credentials from the Colonial Colleges, to study in the great Alma Mater? It is but an inchoate notion, but I think something might be made of it. 170

I am still waiting for a vessel to take me to Hobart Town. You will have heard of Charles Stanley's death. He was dead some days before I received his letter, telling me of the Governor's intentions towards me.

Nov. 28th

Yesterday I received a letter from Shairp, dated April 29th. The dear old fellow sent it by a ship that went round by Auckland; hence the long time it took to reach me. But it was none the less welcome for that. I shall write to him by this mail, if possible. Gifford Palgrave turned Roman Catholic! how absurd. If he falls in with a pious Brahmin, who has still more of the 'religious life' than his Jesuit friends, I suppose he will take to Siva and Vieshnoo. I should not be a bit surprised.

The last thing I heard of you was that you were staying in Rome during the siege, and finding it dull owing to the galleries being closed. Be careful, my dear, and do not let your head be taken off by a French bullet. You must have passed thro' an eventful time, notwithstanding the dullness, and I hope that you kept a journal, which I (may) some day have the felicity of reading (or) hearing. 171

You spoke in your last letter of ha(ving) been at Manchester and having liked the men you met there. I don't know but that you may be right in putting faith in master manufacturers; they at least work. I have lately become acquainted with a man who

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is, I fancy, in the same class as those you speak of. His name is Taylor; he had a large mill near Sheffield; but he gave it up on account of ill health, and came out to Nelson. I left the place, about a month after his arrival, but we were fast friends long before that; friends, I hope I may say, for life. He combined to a rare degree, practical talent and sense with the higher insight; in the morning he would be carpentering away and showing the greatest ingenuity in many little contrivances for household comfort; and in the evening he would take Faust and read aloud passages which he liked, with a feeling and an accentuation which made me understand that wonderful work better than I had ever done before. And Mrs. Taylor too; when I saw her indefatigable industry in the house, unpacking, washing, ironing; her kind and gentle manner, which made no distinction between high and low; and withal, the grace of her lithe and pliant form, like a palm branch from her native Hayti, you will not wonder that I thought of Elspie, and pondered reverently like the great Hobbes, over the Laws of Architectural beauty in application to women. 172

Farewell, my dear Clough; may you prosper in every way, and be enabled to do great things for England, our own dear England. Love to Walrond and Shairp, and to the Prices.

Ever yours
T. Arnold

45. A. H. CLOUGH to T. A.

Rome, May 24. [1849]

My dear Tom

Your letter of Aug. 13. has travelled hither--passing in its way through the French Army 173 I suppose. Whether I shall send this to be forwarded from England I have not quite settled, but I will at any rate write a beginning from the Eternal City.-- You will have heard of our driving back the French, and amongst many lies would probably detect the fact that the French never entered the town, but were killed and wounded and taken by shot from the walls and by sorties. The prisoners, and wounded

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left and brought in afterwards amounted to almost 500.--I saw the smoke and heard the guns from the Pincian. Whether the Roman Republic will stand I don't know, but it has shown under Mazzini's inspiration a wonderful energy, and a glorious generosity: and at any rate has shaken to its foundation the Odillon-Barrot Ministry, which I trust may yet go to its own place--

'Peace with all such!'...

So the backwoods garden can only be tilled in couples? --and for Adam there was not found any helpmeet for him. 174 I shall be most curious to hear how Nelson pleases you--or rather how it looks to you. I have much misgiving as to the inevitable Yankee-fication of the colonizing-Saxon, at least in Towns. Your experiences of the Kentish Barrows I much envy--meantime, were my choice between educating ingenuous youth in England or in N. Z. I think the balance would incline to the latter, but I do not as yet altogether abandon the hope of writing. With nearly 4 mths holiday, and no very great burden of work during the other 8 in this Gower St. situation,-- 175 one ought to suppose oneself to be having time to try. Vedremo.

I live here studying chiefly Michael Angelo--specially in the Sistine Chapel: I believe the engraving of his Creation of Eve there more than anything else led me to Rome. I conceive myself to understand his superiority and Leonardo da Vinci's to Raphael, who is only natural, while they are intellectual. He produces with and they out of Nature.... The idea of St. Peter's has been wholly killed out of it, partly by the horrid internal ornaments, but still more completely by the change of the form from a Greek to a Latin cross, the latter belonging to Gothic which Michael Angelo rejects because he asserts TOTALITY-- There! 176

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Sunday 10am June 3rd.

This, my dear Tom, is being written while guns are going off--there--there--there! For these blackguard French are attacking us again--May the Lord scatter and confound them. For a fortnight or more they have been negotiating and talking, and inducing the Government to send off men against the Austrians at Ancona, and now here they are with their cannon. It is a curious affair truly--the French Envoy Plenipotentiary makes an accomodamento; the General repudiates it, and without waiting even for advice from Paris attacks.--

Monday June 18th.

Going, going, and tomorrow I shall be gone. We have had a fortnight of gunnery, and what we are to have now heaven knows; negotiations perhaps for a bit; but perhaps more gunnery; today however I hardly hear anything in that line--yes, there is one! But we've been bombarded, my dear, think of that: several shells have fallen even on this side the river: and I actually saw two grenades burst in the air! Lots of killed and wounded too, of course--French, please God however, as well as Romans. But it is funny to see how much like any other city a besieged city looks:--Unto this has come our grand Lib. Eg. & Frat. revolution! --

Postscript from University Hall--Octr 29th

My attempt to go failed. The French broke down a bridge just in time to prevent me.--so I had the pleasure of staying out the siege, and getting more thoroughly bombarded: During one night there fell about 160 grenades, and on that of the final attack about 80 as a feint were sent in our English quarter.

I saw the French enter, and then went to Naples, which I greatly enjoyed. Thence direct by Genoa and Turin to Geneva--and so by Interlaken and Thun home.

I am full of admiration of Mazzini, who I hear is expected daily, if not already here. He went first to Geneva--But on the whole 'Farewell Politics utterly.--What can I do!' 177 Study is much more to the purpose--

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A. H. Clough to T. A. October 1849

[P.P.S.] University Hall, Gordon Square
Octr 29th [1849]

My dearest Tom,

The enclosed was written from Rome--whence it could not be sent-- 178 I have been reproaching myself for sometime for not sending it hence and now comes at last your letter of April to give the needful fillip. The fate of Rome you will have foreboded and, since, have heard. I staid out the siege, concerning which I add a postscript to the Roman half sheet.

Well, my dear Tom, and here I am, and here, with Palgrave breakfasting with me in my Hall where we all, i.e. myself and my eleven undergraduates, (that should be 30 and I hope will be some day), breakfast and dine daily--here this morning your letter found me--enclosed and forwarded by Matt from Fox How--a welcome guest to both of us. Palgrave says he always sends you lots of news so that I need not say much in that line--but do you know that John Conybeare is married--also Gell to Miss Franklin. Also Agnes Walrond, to a young Henley of Waterperry near Oxford, an eldest son of an M.P. At last! 179 --Also, the following day, J. A. Froude Esq. of Manchester {sic in diurnalibus) to--Grenfell, sister of Pascoe Grenfell Esq. M.P.--cousin of old Grenfell's and sister of Mrs. Kingley [sic], 180 having been a Roman Catholic for some time back and just then going to be a Nun, when caught in the snare of the devil and the infidel.--And Tait is quitting Rugby, being made Dean of Carlisle, which Stanley (whose father's death you know) would not consent to be. And Simpkinson is going to be married to Vaughan's sister. 181 As in the days of Noë---

Here meantime, to return to that, sit I. And not in an Irish College. Here, I take it, I shall remain for some little time, though even as you talk of coming over here, so I, believing that in the end I shall be kicked out for mine heresies' sake, and doubtful of success in literary doings, have sometimes looked at my feet and considered the antipodes--reflecting however much

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on the natural conservativizing character of our years after 30. 182 Should you come back, you would not I dare say be long in finding some work--Yet you might be. That I should be able to find you a roost here at mine own elbow would indeed be excellent

As I say I have no confidence in my own tenure. For intolerance, o Tom, is not confined to the cloisters of Oxford or the pews of the establishment, but comes up like the tender herb--partout. And is indeed in manner indigenous in the heart of the family man of the middle classes.--Here are some verses, to make a lull--?

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A Sadducee, which is to say, an Unitarian, comes every morning to read prayers here--I who declined having any concern in it, submit to this and condescend to be present. To such base compromise may we come. However it is an old man and a good creature; and I do not find myself offended-- 185 I am not pledged to attend at all, and the boys may if they please declare-off. Do we not work best by digging deepest? By avoiding polemics, and searching to display the real thing? if only one could do the latter. Emerson is an example. And also Matt. And, in his kind, Carlyle. Yet έκαστος έχει τό έαυτού χάρισμα, and ού πάντες χωρούσι τούτον τόν λόγον. 186 --Let Froudes delight to bark and bite--if indeed God has made them so.--

Interrupted by my one pupil, for you observe that the undergraduates all attend the University College Professors, and I only keep a Hall as an M.A. of old time did in the days of Professors at Oxford--and out of the eleven only have one pupil--thus interrupted, I now resume. It would be jolly enough to have you here, and indeed when they kick me out for mine heresies it might be feasible to induce them, treacherously, to take you as my successor-- 187 So bide your time and when the term approaches I will send you word beforehand. Meantime farewell--

Scott whom you remember at Drumnadrochit visited me this morning. 188 --Shairp was here a week ago. 189

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46. To MRS. ARNOLD

Nelson Oct 14th 1849

My dearest Mother

Not gone yet, as you see by the 'Nelson' at the top of the paper, but hoping now to sail in two or three days. The Arbitration business detained me till the end of last month; and since then there has been no opportunity. This waiting is rather irksome. For the last fortnight I have been living with the Bells, 190 having given up my house to the Taylors. The latter asked me to remain in the house after they had gone into it; and so I did for one night; but finding in the morning that Mrs. Taylor had slept in the school-room, I felt that it would not do, and that I must not let their kindness be the occasion of inconvenience. So without telling them, I went to Mrs. Bell and asked if she could take me in,--they had before asked me to stay with them. I sleep here therefore; but I go to see the Taylors every day, and like them better every day. Mrs. Taylor is not German by birth as Mr. Platt told you; her father was a Frenchman, and her mother a Spaniard; she was born at Hayti, her maiden name being Ismenée De Chapti, and when six years old was taken to England, and educated in a convent at Salford near Birmingham. At about the age of sixteen, I think, her family removed to Hamburg, and she went to live with them. She remained at Hamburg for 10 years, and it was there that she met with John Taylor; after their marriage, they came to live at Treeton near Sheffield, Mr. Taylor's native place, where he had a brother, Robert, engaged in farming on a large scale. He himself had a large mill. They were four years at Treeton, and had two children while there; but at last, Mr. Taylor's health becoming a subject of anxiety, and he having also a strong penchant for colonizing, they resolved to emigrate hither. The climate has already had a favourable effect on Mr. Taylor's health. He has bought 100 or 200 acres of wild land about 18 miles from town, and he talks of setting about fencing it in and building a house forthwith. I have strongly recommended cautious proceeding at first, and that he should not throw away more money than is necessary; for a very short experience of colonial life teaches one what a roving changeable set we colonists are, how easily moved to shift our quarters by any slight inducement, in the absence of the fixing power which old local and family associations possess

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at home. Now if Mr. Taylor were to get tired of Nelson, as he easily might do, and wish to leave it, how very disagreeable it would be to have sunk a great deal of money in clearing bush land, building etc, with next to no prospect of any returns.

The Arbitration, of which I was one of the conductors, having now finally settled the land question between the Company and its purchasers, yesterday there was a public dinner at the hotel in celebration of the event. My health was proposed in a very complimentary way, and many wishes expressed that I should return to the settlement. I blundered through a short speech in reply. If the account of this dinner should appear in the Nelson paper, I will take care to keep it for your future amusement. 191

All this while I have said nothing of an event, which has saddened me very much; Charles Stanley's death. I heard it from Capt. Collinson, one of his brother officers, two or three days ago. He had been dead six days before I received the first letter from him, in which he spoke of my proposed appointment and anticipated with pleasure seeing me in Hobart Town, and talking over old times. I shall send you the two letters which I have received from him as perhaps his family would like to have them. I have selfish grounds of regret for his loss, independently of old feelings and cherished remembrances; for it would have been of

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the greatest advantage to me to have gained from him an insight into the way in which things go on in V. D. Land, the gradations and relations of society, and the like. But I ought not to dwell on this, when I think of what the sorrow of his poor parents, and loving brothers and sisters, will be.

What with the sale of my furniture, and the thirty guineas that I get for the Arbitration, I shall be about clear of debt when I leave the place; but I shall be obliged to raise money for the expenses of the voyage. Bell has promised however to back my bill at three months (you see I have become more au fait at monetary transactions than I used to be) so I anticipate no difficulty. But some of the parents of the boys have treated me very badly, in not paying me what they owed. I shall most likely leave Nelson with five or six pounds owing me, which I have tried in vain to recover.

I saw the Gibsons yesterday, probably for the last time. They have taken the Hon. C. A. Dillon's 192 house for the present as it is near the land which they have bought. They have got two sections of fifty acres each, situated about eleven miles from town, on a purchasing clause; the price is to be, for the greater part of it, three pound ten shillings per acre. Fleming is with them, and seems to be an invaluable assistant. They have bought two grey horses, a dray, two or three cows, etc. I think they are a little too much inclined to trust solely to their own judgement, and under-value the advice of more experienced persons; this I say from what I have heard, for I have scarcely noticed it myself; but in every other respect they seem to be extremely well suited for colonizing, and likely, I trust, to get on well.

I have been running on about many little things; but yet you must not think, though I am here in this out of the way corner of the world, and out of the great stream of human events, like a plank which the receding tide leaves high and dry on the shore, that any great deliverance or any great overthrow is accomplished in Europe, without its awakening in my Antipodean breast lively emotions of joy or sorrow. Still swells within me 'the old democratic fervour' as the 'Bothie' has it; and the reading of such an address as that from the Roman Republicans to the French invading army makes me thrill with a proud and passionate joy. I fancied that it was written by Mazzini; was it

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so? The whole affair reminded me strongly of what is called the Bishops' war in Charles I's reign, when the English soldiers would not fight against the Scotch for so vile a cause as that of establishing Prelacy in Scotland. So the French preferred letting themselves be beaten by a contemptible foe, to fighting vigorously in such a rascally cause as the Restoration of the Pope. The great scarlet iniquity, is not prospering in the world, praise be to Heaven. France has pretty plainly intimated that she will not own to the appellation of a Catholic nation any longer; and Rome herself kicks out the Sovereign Pontiff, not, as I think, to be restored; though this, of course it is impossible to be sure of.

Oct 18th.

I sail to day, dearest, in a small vessel of 12 tons called the Ocean Queen; she is going first to the Wairau, to land cargo for the flock owners there, and thence to Wellington. There is some risk in going by such a small vessel, but it is the only chance I have of getting to Wellington for a long time. It is all settled about the money; for a merchant here, who has a correspondent in Hobart Town, is going to be so obliging as to discount my three months bill for £30, without charging any interest.

Nov. 5th.

The voyage from Nelson to Wellington (where I now am) took up a full fortnight! We sailed on Oct. 19th, and arrived here last Friday evening Nov. 2nd. The distance perhaps 120 miles. Such are the blessings of coasters. They run along shore during the day, come to an anchor at night in some snug little cove, of which there are hundreds along this much indented coast, and never think of facing a head wind. So Paul and his companions coasted along from Troas to Assos, Assos to Mitylene, thence to Chios, thence to Samos, and so on, on their voyage from Macedonia to Palestine. I have been travelling after the manner of the 1st century with the impatience of a man used to the railroads and steamboats of the 19th. However part of the time was spent at the Wairau. I have to thank you, dearest, for your letter by the Enterprise, which Mrs. Fox has just given me, inclosing one from dear Willy. The letters by the Larkins I got the day before yesterday. And now I have just got the letter No. 11 from you and K of June 28th by the 'Kelso'. So that both the original and duplicate of the letter of credit have

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come safely to hand. My best thanks to you, dearest kindest Mother, for the gift. It is very annoying however that my letter by the 'Cornelia' did not reach you in time to prevent your sending off the £100. I was much afraid, till your letter by the Kelso came, that to pay the £50 bill might put you to inconvenience, just after you had dispatched the £100. You know, you said in the letter where you first mentioned it, that I could have the money whenever I liked to send for it. Now drawing a bill upon home is the same thing as sending for the money, except that by paying a certain sum as discount, you can get the money at once. I shall return £50 in the way you mention, as soon as I get to Hobart Town, and know that all is right about the appointment. Not that I anticipate anything being wrong; still it is best I think, to guard against the possibility. The remainder of the money I shall try to return to you as fast as I can, for it is a shame that at my age I should be a burden to you.

Your letter thro' Mr. Harington per Larkins, and K's No. 1 by ordinary post, reached me at the same time. I think I have said in a former letter that it is a bad plan to send letters thro' Mr. Harington, as I have always double postage to pay. For K's letter I had only a penny to pay, for yours fourpence.

I am glad you liked the descriptions of the country, for I doubted whether you would care much about them. I am going to write to darling K, and I will give her an account of my late voyage from Nelson. In your last letter you refer to what I wrote to you about Governor Grey, as thinking me unjust towards him. I forget what I said exactly; perhaps it may have been too strongly expressed; but I still think, though I have a great personal regard for him, that he has not acted well or wisely for his true permanent fame. He will be applauded in England just now, the reactionary spirit being so much abroad; but the time will come when men and actions will be more righteously weighed; when not he who has best succeeded in repressing movement and keeping things as they are, but he who has best loved Freedom, and most faithfully obeyed Conscience, will be deemed the wisest Statesman and the best man.

Edward in France with Lord Landon; Willy at Ferozepore, Walter gone to the 'Arrogant'; Susy at Rugby, Mary and Matt in London; such was the last of the many shifting scenes out of the drama of our family life, which your letters present to me. I am sorry to hear that dear Willy is unwell, but not surprised at it, knowing where he is quartered. Can you not get him away

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from that horrid Ferozepore? Dashwood 193 (I have named him to you? Julius Hare is his guardian) told me the other day that he considered Ferozepore the unhealthiest place in India next to Sukkur in Scindi.

Nov 12th.

I am still at Wellington, staying with Domett. The old fellow was delighted with Clough's poem (the Bothie) and would be very much pleased if Clough would send him a copy. I shall ask Clough to do so when I write; for Domett is a man whose praise is worth having. If he were at home, he would be 'one of us' immediately; one of the Clougho-Matthean set, I mean. 194

I am waiting for the brig 'Sisters', which is gone to Port Cooper, and on her return, which is expected in a few days, will take in cargo at once for Hobart Town. You will have seen what long and tedious delays I have had to put up with.

Dear Mother, I look upon Hobart Town as one step on the road to England. Tho' when the other steps will be taken, one cannot exactly foresee. I count myself fortunate in that my education, and a studious turn, which in spite of my laziness, is, I think, natural to me, have provided me with a trade by which I can be pretty sure of getting a livelihood in any English country. Even in Nelson, thin as the population was, I should have made it answer pretty well after a year or two. And herein I find that I have an advantage over many men here, who tho' they would gladly return to England, yet, having no trade, must

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perforce remain in the Colony till they have made enough money to enable them to live in England without working. On the other hand, a schoolmaster, like a carpenter, can generally find work wherever he goes.

Will you thank dear Carly for me, for a note from her, accompanying the two missing volumes of Consuelo. The mignonette seeds which she sends I shall take to Hobart Town and plant there.

Goodbye dearest; with love to all, ever
your most affecte
T. Arnold

47. To JANE ARNOLD

Wellington Nov. 22nd 1849 195

My dearest K

It is long since I despatched my last letter home, but there has been no opportunity since. You are the best of correspondents, dear; and your letters always give me the greatest pleasure, even when you blow me up. We do not agree upon not a few points; but I was pleased to find that you took what I think the right view about the Roman affair. The conduct of the French Govt, Odillon Barrot and Co, was, as you say, infamous; and nothing could be more foolish, more everyway damaging to the cause, than the counter proceedings of Ledru Rollin and the opposition. The last accounts, to the end of June, spoke of Paris in a state of siege, papers seized, imprisonments, and all that miserable work over again; sure to lead in its turn to another convulsion, which will at least result, one may hope, in the will and ideas of France being more fitly represented than by the present Government. What they want seems to be good local institutions; excessive centralisation makes a Republican government as unstable as a Monarchical.

Well, but to the promised journal. In the afternoon of Friday, Oct 19th, we set sail, and running with a side wind along the coast, reached Croixilles harbour and anchored there before dark. 196

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You will find the name on the map. The skipper of the little schooner was a French Canadian, by name James Deblois, but better known as 'Jem Crowe'. There were three men besides, one an old whaler, another a native of Nova Scotia, the third, 'Jackey', was a Portuguese from Fayal, one of the Azores. At the earliest dawn we weighed, and in an hour or two reached French Pass, a narrow passage between D'Urville's Island and the main; 197 in one place rocks nearly fill up the channel, leaving a space of deep water about 80 yards wide, through which the tide was like a mill race. We had to wait some hours till the tide served for getting thro'. 198 But as soon as thro', we bowled along with a fair wind, amongst the Admiralty islands, and past the mouth of the long fiord called the Oyerri. All the coast hereabouts is a mass of hills, some bare some wooded. When up with Cape Jackson, we turned to the right, and entered Queen Charlotte's Sound. By this time the wind had increased to a gale from the North West, and blowing over the low ridge which divides the Sound from Port Gore, it came to us in 'williwaws', 199 that is, violent puffs, succeeded by temporary calms. You can see the Williwaw coming from a long distance; the sea is blown up in a cloud of spray; curling and whirling it sweeps down upon you, and immediately before it comes, 'Let go', shouts the skipper, and the fore and main sheets are let go, blocks rattle, masts strain, canvass flaps violently, and the weight of the wind forces the vessel nearly on her beam ends. Then in half a minute it is nearly a dead calm. As we proceeded up the Sound we were more sheltered, and getting into Tory Channel, anchored for the night in a cove opposite an old Maori pah, now quite deserted. The beautiful scenery of the Sound did not appear to advantage in this tempestuous weather, nor to tell the truth, was I in that state of

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quietude and qualmlessness as to my internals, which would allow me to enjoy it.

Next day, Sunday, a South Easter came on; this was a foul wind for us, so we got no farther that day than Teawaiti, a whaling station near the south entrance of Tory Channel, belonging to a man known as 'Geordie Thoms'. 200 I landed with Jem Crowe, and he took me to a neat wooden house, belonging to a family of the name of London. 201 They welcomed us kindly, being glad to see any strange faces in such a lonely place as they were living in. The wife was walking about with an infant in her arms; she had marked features, blue eyes, and a delicate skin; and what was my surprise and pleasure, when she began to speak, to hear the kindly homish accents of our North country tongue. So it was; she came from near Carlisle; her husband was from Alston Moor. We talked much about the country; for he had once been working at the Patterdale mines, and remembered something about it. They had been in New Zealand about 9 years, most of that time working for Geordie Thoms. They complained of his having broken faith with them in various ways. 'In our country', said the wife, 'things used not to be so; "a man's word was his bond", they used to say; but in New Zealand, we have found out that we must be on the look out, whomever we have to deal with.' There is much truth in this; it is partly owing to the numbers of whalers, runaway convicts, etc about the coast; but yet more perhaps to the fact that custom and the opinion of their neighbours have much less influence upon them when moved out of their old haunts, and taken to the other side of the world. In their new circumstances, as Clough says

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I slept on board, and next day, Monday, the wind being fair, got out of the channel, and ran down to Port Underwood, and anchored in a cove called Ocean Bay. Here was a public house, owned by Jem Crowe himself. Slept on shore, and the next two days we had to remain, wind-bound, in Port Underwood. This was dull enough; fortunately I found an odd volume of Clarissa Harlowe, and a Life of Patrick Henry, and so contrived to kill the enemy. On Thursday the wind was fair, and we ran down to the mouth of the Wairau river, got safely across the bar, and anchored in the still water of the river, opposite a new house, which is to serve as a public house and store for this part of the Wairau district. We were on shore by 9 o'clock and after a heavy breakfast I set out for Dashwood's station, about 7 miles off. I must make a little diagram, that you may understand what sort of country it is. 203 From the mouth of the river, a long shallow inlet, mostly dry at low water, runs eastward to the very foot of the grassy hills, which terminate in the Bluffs, and form the eastern boundary of the Wairau plains. Between the sea and the inlet is left a narrow neck of land about four miles long, as you see on the plan. Along this neck I was trudging, cheerfully enough; for the sun shone bright, and the scents of spring were in the air. Little Fury was at my heels, my faithful companion. When about two miles from the head of the inlet, I distinguished a small black speck which appeared to be moving round it. From the comparatively rapid progress which the thing made, I knew it must be a man on horseback riding very fast. Nearer and nearer it came, the only moving object in that great bare plain; nearer and nearer, till the eye could separate the horse from the man. A black horse, urged at a gallop over the stony path--the rider blue-shirted, crimson capped, with a long blue tassel waving in the wind. The strange figure approached, stopped. 'What, Dashwood!' 204 'Well, Arnold'. 'What have you got that odd Turkish cap on your head for?' Dashwood smiled, and lifted up

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his cap; his head was as bald as a dervish's. 'Why on earth have you shaved your head?' It appeared--let it not wound your delicate ears, my love--that having been obliged to sleep in a Maori ware for two or three days, he had been made the victim of certain pedicularian intruders, which to extirpate, he had shaved his head.

As he wished to see Jem Crowe, he rode on and I continued my walk; he overtook me however, before I reached his station. His sheep were being shorn. The only building that he had yet erected was a large barn or shed; in this he and his shepherds slept, had their meals, shore the sheep etc. There being no chimney, the fire was on the ground in the middle of the barn. His head shepherd cooked us some mutton chops, and made some tea; which, with damper and butter (an unusual luxury in the bush) made an excellent dinner. As we were sitting talking after dinner, the shepherd said 'Mr. Newcome is coming, Sir,'. We went out, and saw four persons riding up to the barn; these were Newcome, Sir William Congreve, Morse, and young Andrew Richmond. 205 Morse is a fine manly fellow, and was the first to drive sheep into the Wairau from Nelson. This unexpected meeting made us all very merry; another a(ttack) was made on the eatables and drinkables, and after that, it was agreed that they should all go down to the mouth of the river, and remain there till I sailed. So Dashwood had out his bullock dray; the blankets of the party were put upon it, and we jogged down to the public house. Foul winds, and other causes of delay, prevented our sailing till the Wednesday following, and we had to amuse ourselves during the interval as best we could. On Wednesday I parted from these jolly companions, and we got out of the river; but the wind did not let us get farther than Port Underwood that day; nor was it till Friday Nov. 2nd that we reached Port Nicholson. I am still (Nov. 27th) staying with Domett. The 'Sisters' came in from Port Cooper yesterday, but I fear there will still be a delay of a week or ten days before she

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sails to Hobart Town. 206 This letter and that to Mother will be posted to-day, to go by way of Sydney.

Goodbye, dearest K. Your sweet description of a happy married life, in one of your last letters, needed no apology. Most true is all that you say, and more might be said. But to marry without loving, is what you would not, I am sure, wish me to do; and love, heaven's best gift, comes not so easily.

I enclose a bit of the sweet scented clematis, about which I once wrote to you. Ever, my darling

your most affecte
T. Arnold

48. MARY ARNOLD to T. A.

Fox How,
December 5th, 1849.

My dearest Tom,

Our long letter to you has been already sent, and the Lady Nugent who was to be the bearer is perhaps already ploughing her way across the seas, but on the mere chance of any delay, I must write and acknowledge the most welcome arrival of yours, which came yesterday morning, and brings us good tidings of you up to June 14. I was standing with Rowland by the kitchen fire, and giving my final directions for dinner, when the postman's horn was heard. I heard Rowland mention your dear name as she received them from his hand, and you may guess how eagerly the well-known writing and folding--all so like my own darling son--were glanced at, and then the letter snatched, and then opened and read to the assembled group in the drawing room. It brings us comparatively quite in advance as to your history, and the little recapitulation in your letter to Willy was very welcome.

I like to think of your having your boys about you, and to see that the work seems rather to please you more than less as

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you advance. Such a boy as you describe St Hill 207 to be must surely be very susceptible of good influences, and I like to believe that he will get very fond of you, and even in his future life may find a stimulus to good in his desire for your good opinion. Your late letters have made me hope that if it should please God to preserve my life for a few years, I may indeed hope to see you again, and a glad day it would be for your mother, though I must ever feel that your going to New Zealand was right and good and that the experiences you have gained will be more precious to you than any fixed home position could have been, however advantageous--but do not mistake me, dearest son--it is not that I would depreciate a fixed position, for I believe that the character itself acquires firmness and dignity and stability by not allowing the position or the occupation of your life to be affected or changed by all varying inclinations and circumstances, and that when the right position is found that to change it with every change of impulse or inclination would be to sacrifice all real weight. But with you I think it was most important to give time enough to find out the point where you could, as it were, make a stand and say--now here I am, and I will as far as I can make the most of these opportunities and do my duty to God and Man. Many more can adapt themselves to circumstances--it was very expedient for you that you should see and try various circumstances, and this you have done, and it would be to my joy to think that the result would be--not an acquiescence in what you think wrong--God forbid; but an equal mind--seeing in our own country and in our own institutions what is good as well as what is evil, and in other countries what is evil as well as what is good. Your great danger, my beloved son, seems to me to be that of exaggeration, and yet you know that your mother loves enthusiasm with all her heart--but fairness and justice, and even the Truth, which is God's own attribute, seem sacrificed when all on one side is set down as bad, and destruction is rather desired than reform. You must not suspect me of having grown a conservative--no, dear Tom, that I think I can never be. 208

I shall forward your letter to Willy I hope to-morrow. It will gladden his poor heart. We have had excellent letters from Walter to-day. He has had a fall from the main top gallant mast

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and hurt his knee very much, and been confined to bed; but it was a mercy he was not killed, and I suppose he must have been if a man in the shrouds had not, by catching at him, changed the line of his descent, so that he only fell about thirty yards.

No time for more. Tell us of the Wallaces; it will be such a pleasure to their many friends; and tell me if you have received the £100 from the Union Bank at Wellington.

Was it not unlucky that we were absent in the summer when the Miss Huttons were here with Miss Martineau? I should so like to have seen them, but I shall perhaps hear of someone still more attractive in your New Zealand world. It is my earnest desire that I may love your wife, whoever she may be, and I could do so, I am sure, unseen, if she were good and made you happy. I can never forget how much importance your own dear father attached to all the circumstances of a man's marriage, and the influence he felt it likely to have. It is my comfort to think that all his sons would choose with a reference to future companionship as well as present liking. To think of you as really happily married would be such a joy to me, that if your choice were a truly happy one I should feel hardly to have a care about you. 209

I have gone talking on, and now must hastily subscribe myself

Your always fond Mother and friend
Mary Arnold.

49. To J. C. SHAIRP

Blind Bay
in the brigantine 'William Alfred'
Dec 6th. 1849

My dear Shairp

There is scarcely any wind and we are rolling about a good deal; but I am a sufficiently good sailor by this time to be able to write notwithstanding. I received your letter on the 26th of November, 7 months after it was written! This is owing to its having been sent by a ship that went first to Auckland. All the Oxford news interested me very much, especially that part which related to the reception which the 'Bothie' met with

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there. You amaze me when you say that you prefer the poems to the Bothie. 210 I am very fond of the poems too, especially that which you mention 'When Israel came out of Egypt', which I have learnt by heart. But as to the Bothie--I cannot find words to express what I feel about it; its grandeur, its profound meanings, pointing in every direction, the glimpses which it gives far onward into the future, far backward into the past. My friend Domett, himself a poet, thinks as highly of it as I do; and he has read it aloud straight through, two or three times to different persons, all of whom, so far as they could understand in it, were delighted with it. It is this which makes the poem so truly genial and wide, and so different from the general run of poems by young men, that instead of merely setting forth the author's own views and feelings in somewhat misty language,--which, you know, is but too commonly the case--it portrays with clearness and fidelity a portion of real human life passed on this actual world; it is not ashamed or afraid to take up and handle the low and the trivial, as well as the high and the weighty, as knowing that these too are, and must be faced and acknowledged, not ignored. The characters too are real self-standing personages, each with something peculiar to himself in his mode of thinking and expressing himself; not like so many masks, ill-concealing the author's own features, as in some of Browning's plays that I have read. Hence every one who hears the poem can find something to amuse and interest him, something which appeals to him, and chimes in with his favourite tastes or habits.

So much pitching, rolling, plunging, and straining for the last two days, that I have been unable to write. The wind blows dead from the point to which we wish to steer. We advance towards Sydney crab-fashion, by long stretches first to one side then to the other. We make our approaches in Zig Zags, and find it a very tedious mode of assault. I should much prefer the Troubridge method, recorded by Nelson. 211 Yesterday we saw the

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great Taranaki, the king of Australasian mountains. Rising in a regular cone, almost straight from the sea, with no rival near it, it gave me the impression of being the loftiest mountain I had even seen, tho' it is said not to exceed 9000 feet. More than a third of him was covered with dazzling snow, fluked here and there with a dark yawning chasm, or out jutting ridge of black rock. Something like a white fur tippet with ermine tails, parvis componere magna. The cone does not terminate in a point; but in a small level platform; like an altar-table uplifted into the pure ether, whereon to sacrifice to the Sun. Could I but send you a drawing of it, no description would be needed. But my stupid skilless fingers will not sketch; so there is no help for it. [Sketch of Mt. Egmont in margin.] To day no land is in sight, and white bosomed albatrosses are careering about the ship, as if we were in the middle of the southern ocean.

But I must return to the Bothie. I want two or three questions answered. First, Where is the reading party supposed to be quartered? After a laborious geographical and critical induction, I came to the conclusion that the place in the Grampians, I forget its name, where Clough met in 1846, must be intended. 212 The line 'Eager to range over heather unfettered of gillie and Marquis' brought to my recollection Clough's having told me, that there was some glen near where they were then, Glen Tilt I think it was, which they were not allowed to enter, and about which he had some correspondence with the Duke of Athol. 2nd Is Hesperus, the bathing place, a pure creation, or does it stand for the beautiful pool under the fall in the stream near Drumnadrochet? 3rd Does not Adam, though of course in great part a creation, stand partly for Temple, partly for Stanley? 213

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December 1849 To J. C. Shairp 49

Among the poems, I like very much 'Natura naturans'. Some irreverent dogs, upon reading it, would smile, and say that they had experienced the same feeling many times. But this does not hinder it from being a beautiful picture of the innocent sensations of beings not biases, who have not yet learnt to profane and vulgarize, that which is in itself wonderful and sacred. 214

Dec 14th.

At the last date we were 1000 miles distant from Sydney; now we are but 300. In the interim I have suffered a good deal from sea sickness. On the 10th and 11th it blew a gale from the S. E; and there was a nasty cross sea running, owing to the prevalence of westerly winds previously. There is nothing more miserable than a long sea voyage; you cannot tell how miserable till you try. Let me recommend to you, my dear friend, not to extend your maritime experience beyond an acquaintance with the English Channel. However, it is beautiful weather now, and tho' there is little wind, the sea is with us, so that we are slipping thro' the water tolerably fast. I wish you could have seen the phosphoric light round the vessel last night. Her wake looked like a waving shifting white cloud, spangled everywhere by little sparkles and points of fire, which flashed up for a moment and then vanished; while broader lights, playing beneath the surface, seemed to lead the fancy down into the unknown depths of the sea. The same appearance is common in the seas about England, but it is never half so bright.

Dec 16th.

Yesterday it was nearly calm, and very hot, a sign that we are approaching the land. In such calm weather, the sea being almost unruffled and very transparent, it is one way of passing the time to lean over the gunwale, and watch the objects that from time

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49 To J. C. Shairp December 1849

to time present themselves in the water. Strange shapes float by--never yet figured in books of Zoology--intermediate forms between the Jelly fish and the coral, grey, white, or red, some with innumerable arms or feelers, others of no very determinate shape at all. Now and then the back fin of a shark slowly rises above the surface and disappears again. To day there is a good breeze, and the captain makes out that we are not more than 90 miles off the land, which perhaps we may get a sight of before dark.

So young Palgrave has been goose enough to turn Roman Catholic. I wrote a letter to him some months ago, in which, remembering him as an independent and liberal minded fellow rather than otherwise, I spoke of the miraculous narratives of the N. T. in a way which I suppose he will think very shocking, by the time the letter reaches him. Perhaps however the letter never will reach him, if he is in the hands of Jesuit instructors. I have little doubt that he will change to something else before very long. 215

I do not think, as you seem to fancy, that there is much difference of opinion between you and me. To all that you say as to the development, not setting aside, of Christianity and Christian ideas, I heartily subscribe. Perhaps the only difference would be, that you would shrink from touching with so bold a hand as I should think necessary, the ancient outworks of the temple of truth; outworks now lying ruinous; not defending now, me judice, but obstructing the approaches to the temple itself. But, as you say, this is not a question that can be deeply entered into, at such a distance as we are from each other. Let us each get on as we can, and as our Clough says, 'do the thing we are meant for'.

Sydney Dec 18th. Petty's Hotel.

Behold me, taking my ease at 'mine inn', and employing a part of this brilliant, not to say broiling afternoon, in writing to my absent friend. Yesterday morning, I got up between 4 and 5 o'clock, to get the first sight of the land. The sky was covered with clouds, and the sun not yet risen. To the westward appeared a low line of coast, stretching far away to the north and south. We were eight miles to leeward of the North Head of the Harbour, a bold cliff of brown sandstone. It took us some hours

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December 1849 To J. C. Shairp 49

to beat up to the entrance. As we neared the coast, the low hills covered with scrub, i.e. stunted shrubs and trees, and the sandy tracts appearing here and there, did not look inviting. Just as we entered the harbour, a beautiful new schooner met us, coming out. The crew had all red caps on, and there were a number of passengers on the quarter-deck; one of whom shouted out, 'We are off for California'. Some thousands of people have already left New South Wales for the 'diggins', and many more are going. Sydney is about 5 or 6 miles from the mouth of the harbour; it is built on a high peninsula. The little (coves) well wooded, and with white stone houses scattered about, that open upon you as you sail up to the town, are (very) pretty. We came to an anchor about 1 o'clock near to the steam-wharf, where a number of steamers were lying. I suppose no town ever shot up like this; 60 years ago the site of it was a wilderness, tenanted only by kangaroos and emus. We got our luggage out of the vessel, and established ourselves in this hotel. 'We' means myself and a Mr. Ludlam, a Wellington settler. 216 In the course of the day, Ludlam introduced me to Mr. Crawford, a Scotchman, who asked us to dinner. He is of a good Lanarkshire family; I think he himself owns a property on the Avon, the stream that runs thro' Cadyow park. His wife is a daughter of Admiral Dundas. She is quite blind, poor thing; though her eyes are as bright and clear as any I ever saw. They are going home in April. On our way back to the inn from the Crawfords', we went into the theatre. The performance was Blue Beard; the acting not very bad.

Dec. 22nd.

Will you remember what I am going to ask. Domett wishes very much to have a copy of the 'Bothie'. I could not leave him mine; so I promised him that I would ask Clough to send him out a copy. Will you ask Clough from me to do so. Domett would feel it as a great kindness and he is a man who well deserves it. Clough can send it to me, and I will take care that Domett gets it.

Jan 2nd 1850

A happy new year to you. I must finish this letter, for I am going to embark this evening in the steamer to Launceston. I find

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49 To J. C. Shairp January 1850

that the Crawfords know your family well; they desired me to remember them to you. I met yesterday with a Mr. Gordon, who also knows you; he married a daughter of Campbell of Jura. A man with [?in] exhaustible 217 powers of small talk, yet always in a gentlemanlike not unagreeable manner.

Goodbye; love to Walrond and the Prices, ever yours affectly

T. Arnold