Your affectionate son,

Thomas B. Macaulay.

The youth who on this occasion gave proof of his parentage by his readiness and humour was Wilberforce’s eldest son.  A fortnight later on, the subject chosen for discussion was “whether Lord Wellington or Marlborough was the greatest general.  A very warm debate is expected.”

Shelford:  April 20, 1813.

My dear Mama,—­Pursuant to my promise I resume my pen to write to you with the greatest pleasure.  Since I wrote to you yesterday, I have enjoyed myself more than I have ever done since I came to Shelford.  Mr. Hodson called about twelve o’clock yesterday morning with a pony for me, and took me with him to Cambridge.  How surprised and delighted was I to learn that I was to take a bed at Queen’s College in Dean Milner’s apartments!  Wilberforce arrived soon after, and I spent the day very agreeably, the Dean amusing me with the greatest kindness.  I slept there, and came home on horseback to-day just in time for dinner.  The Dean has invited me to come again, and Mr. Preston has given his consent.  The books which I am at present employed in reading to myself are, in English, Plutarch’s Lives, and Milner’s Ecclesiastical History; in French, Fenelon’s Dialogues of the Dead.  I shall send you back the volumes of Madame de Genlis’s petits romans as soon as possible, and I should be very much obliged for one or two more of them.  Everything now seems to feel the influence of spring.  The trees are all out.  The lilacs are in bloom.  The days are long, and I feel that I should be happy were it not that I want home.  Even yesterday, when I felt more real satisfaction than I have done for almost three months, I could not help feeling a sort of uneasiness, which indeed I have always felt more or less since I have been here, and which is the only thing that hinders me from being perfectly happy.  This day two months will put a period to my uneasiness.

“Fly fast the hours, and dawn th’ expected morn.”

Every night when I lie down I reflect that another day is cut off from the tiresome time of absence.

Your affectionate son,

Thomas B. Macaulay.

Shelford:  April 26 1813.

My dear Papa,—­Since I have given you a detail of weekly duties, I hope you will be pleased to be informed of my Sunday’s occupations.  It is quite a day of rest here, and I really look to it with pleasure through the whole of the week.  After breakfast we learn a chapter in the Greek Testament that is with the aid of our Bibles, and without doing it with a dictionary like other lessons.  We then go to church.  We dine almost as soon as we come back, and we are left to ourselves till afternoon church.  During this time I employ myself in reading, and Mr. Preston lends me any books for which I ask him, so that I am nearly as well off in this respect as at home, except for one thing, which, though I believe