This young French scholar has yet, it will be discerned, a good way to
travel; in later days he acquired a complete reading and speaking, with
a less complete writing, mastery of the language, and was as much at
home with French ways of thought and life as with English.
For one more specimen of his boyish style, it may be not amiss to give
the text of another appeal which dates from two and a half years later,
and is also typical of much in his life's conditions both then and
later:--
_2 Sulgarde Terrace, Torquay, Thursday [April 1866]._
RESPECTED PATERNAL RELATIVE,--I write to make a request of the most
moderate nature. Every year I have cost you an enormous--nay,
elephantine--sum of money for drugs and physician's fees, and the most
expensive time of the twelve months was March.
But this year the biting Oriental blasts, the howling tempests, and the
general ailments of the human race have been successfully braved by
yours truly.
Does not this deserve remuneration?
I appeal to your charity, I appeal to your generosity, I appeal to your
justice, I appeal to your accounts, I appeal, in fine, to your purse.
My sense of generosity forbids the receipt of more--my sense of justice
forbids the receipt of less--than half-a-crown.--Greeting from, Sir,
your most affectionate and needy son,