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he gave a favourable account of the food supplied to the cadets, and that afterwards he complained of the suppers. As time passed, the meals grew more and more unsatisfactory, and he had at last to receive remittances from home in aid of his breakfasts and teas; his friends, Dawson and Kennedy of Kirkmichael, clubbing with him for these extra repasts. But before he disclosed his case and got this assistance, he was half-starved at Woolwich. The joints at mess were carved by "the respectables," the loafers described in one of his letters as being at the head of the musterroll, and doing what they liked. The respectables ate up everything, and left nothing for the boys. In this state of things, and having no money to procure food, Miss Drummond states he wrote to a friend that he was "like to die of hunger." The friend (we suspect Mr Hart, who appears, from one of his letters, to have lent him L.4) at once sent money to enable him to get meat and tea. To complain of "the respectables" would have been worse than useless.

Another thing which made him suffer in health was a "practical joke," as a certain class of actions are called, which ought more properly to be regarded and punished as crimes. Some cadets came in the night and poured a tubful of water on his bed. He became ill in consequence, and had to go to the hospital. It appears, from his letter of May 27, that he remained there three days, suffering from an affection of the throat, of which he never got rid. The fact that this "joke" had been played upon him, came to the knowledge of Professor Barlow, who took care so to express his sense of it, that nothing of the kind was again attempted. Is it too bad that it was suspected that the perpetrators of the "joke" aimed at

impeding the progress of a lad with whom they were unable to cope in a fair field?

On the eve of his return to Woolwich, his sister, who had amassed a little money, was urgent that he should take it from her as a protection against casual wants at the Academy. "The night before he left us," she says, "I took my money, and desired him to take it. We always took farewell at night to avoid disturbing the house in the morning. He refused for a little a very little. little. At last he agreed, and I retired so happy, thinking he had got it. In the morning, when I awoke, there was all the money at the back of my door."

A letter which, in the vacation, he received from Professor Jardine, is interesting as illustrating the attitude in which his old master now stood to him, besides being of high value in itself for the wisdom of the advice it contains.

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"MY DEAR THOMAS,-I received your letter, and I need not inform you that I am highly pleased with the information it contains, and with the very flattering accounts I have had of your conduct and progress at Woolwich from other quarters. I have often seen Colonel Millar, who was in this neighbourhood four or five weeks, and he informed me that Colonel Mudge said to him, that you were just such a student as he wished, and that, if you continued your ambition and your industry, there was no doubt of your future success. Colonel Millar will at all times be ready to give you any friendly advice which you may think necessary, and to interest the masters in your favour. I have a prospect of soon seeing a friend of mine, a great mathematician, and if he be acquainted with Dr Gregory or Mr Bonnycastle [both of them professors at the Royal Military Academy], which he probably is, I shall certainly get you recommendations to them from him.

"But, my dear young friend, after the introductions you

have already had, you have it in your power to do much more for yourself than can be done by any recommendation from others. Every master is pleased with the progress of his students, provided it be not accompanied with conceit or presumption. Continue, therefore, your industry, and do justice to your talents, and you will find friends ready to serve you. I have no advice to give you with respect to your studies, excepting this, that you should always make yourself completely master of the elements or first steps of your processes or demonstrations, and never pass over any important step till you fully comprehend it. You know well that nothing can be done in Geometry if you do not carry light, evidence, and precision, along with you; and that, though your progress should even be slow in this sure path, you will, in fact, advance much faster than when you are obliged to turn back and to resume your former labours. I need not suggest to you, for I daresay it is a part of your pratique, to attempt demonstrations of your own in a different manner. But I commit all these things to your prudence and to the instructions you receive.

"You have it much in your own power, Thomas, to recommend yourself to your masters by receiving instruction from them patiently and pleasantly; and particularly by anticipating what you know will be agreeable to them in the course of your studies, and showing a good example to others. You have something to do also with your fellow-students. I am sure you will discover on all occasions polite, obliging dispositions to them, and do them any favour in your power; not by doing their work for them, for that is a hurt to them, and highly improper on your parc, but by giving them advice and aid in the doing their own work. But, above all, Thomas, be sure to discover as little as possible your superiority, or more successful progress, by disgusting and offensive airs of pride or of contempt. Upon all these things I have nothing to fear from what I know and what I hope.

"My dear young friend, you are now at a distance from your affectionate and anxious mother and your other friends, whom I am sure you will ever gratefully remember; and you

must mix with many young persons who have been brought up and instructed very differently from you; and you must be exposed to many temptations of various kinds at present and as you advance in life. I therefore most solemnly advise you to adhere strictly to the good instructions you have received, and the good principles of religion in which you have been brought up. I do not mean that you are to show yourself a stiff and sour Presbyterian. Religion is a matter betwixt God and your own conscience, and you may do your duty completely both to God and man either as a Presbyterian or an Episcopalian. What I mean is, that if, when you are still better qualified to determine, you prefer the one to the other, adhere to it, but not rigidly, as the difference is in form not in substance. You will, no doubt, meet with many young persons who think and talk lightly, perhaps irreverently, on these subjects. You need not attempt to correct or reform them unless the occasion be very favourable; but, whatever they do, preserve your innocence and integrity; you will find them never-failing sources of comfort and happiness when you most require them. There are many gross vices and faults, which, from their frequency, and the disguises they put on, pass for trivial and common, and are often thought qualifications, which I most earnestly wish you to avoid. I have in view, chiefly at present, swearing, taking the name of God in vain, and impure and improper discourse. These, I trust, you will ever hold in abhorrence. Nothing is more unsuitable to a gentleman-I speak not of its criminality-than vulgar swearing. No well-bred gentleman swears,-at least it is a blemish on any character, and puts the gentleman on a level with the greatest blackguard. Thomas, you are to be a soldier and a man of honour, and you must preserve that character uniformly. You will best preserve it by avoiding causes of offence, and by taking a cautious part in the offences and differences among your companions and friends. This is essentially necessary. Because, on proper occasion, there must be no doubt of your honour, and there must be regard to your character. Well-disposed, well-bred men, and men of accommodating, obliging dispositions, seldom or never have any occasion

for their prudence or resolution. These are better discovered in very different situations. My dear Thomas, I have very little more to say to you at present, but shall at all times, while I live, be ready to give you my best advice whenever you wish for it. I have only to recommend to you to remember at all times your beloved mother and grandmother. I know you cannot forget them. But let them be present with you. Think of the pleasure you give them when you do well, and think of the tears and misery you would cause them if you were to do otherwise. I am sure your kind, affectionate heart could not bear to think of a suffering, miserable mother. God bless you, and preserve you from all evil. Fear God; honour your parents. Your days shall be long and your end happy. . . . -I ever am, my dear Thomas, your faithful friend and servant, "GEO. JARDINE."

When Drummond returned to Woolwich, in August, he entered the senior department, and had new and pleasant rooms, as well as pleasant comrades. He now became very friendly, even intimate, with Mr Christie, his old master in the fifth academy. "I conjecture," he says, writing in September, "that I am much indebted to Mr Christie for Colonel Mudge's good opinion of me." By October there was another examination, and he gained another step of advancement. "I have now a piece of good news to tell you," he writes to his grandmother," "at which you will heartily rejoice. I have got into the third academy. I have a good friend in Colonel Mudge; and now that he has got hold of me, he will probably never let me go till he has landed me safely with a commission in the Engineers." The same day he wrote to Mr Aitchison, whose good services he always gratefully remembered.

On the 14th November 1813, he writes that there is * Letter to Mrs Somers, Oct. 3, 1813.

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