From G. H. Darwin to Emma Darwin [15 April 1863]

My dear Mama

I begin at the beginning & end at the end.

On Monday morning at 10 o'clock M^r Carpemael's carriage (containing father & son) called at the school to pick M^r. W & me up. We got to the Eastern Counties Station in time for the 10.57 train; by the bye I saw Prof: Owen at the station & I can't say I admire his appearance. The country down on the way here is hideous as I suppose you know.

We got to Cambridge about one, & had to wait for some time for our luggage which is very badly managed, we then flew to S^t. John's where we found that rooms had been assigned to us. We then went & paid our respects to Rev.^d J. S. Woods tutor to the College, who was exceedingly civil.

Then after gently meandering about the courts we went & saw our rooms; I have much the best of the three, in the New Quad: just over the bridge. And as soon as ever I had done that as we were walking out to see the town, I met M^r. Edmund Langton; he knew I was coming up on Monday & after looking thro' about sixty names of the Minor Scholarship Examinees in the porter's lodge at the gate he came across my name of course last but one on the list because he was trying to find it; so he was just coming to rout me out. So then we split from M^r. W. & we went round to E.'s rooms in Trinity to a sort of extemporaneous lunch. I & J then walked about Cambridge for ever so long & examined the colleges; & got into Christ's Coll. gardens & all sorts of places. M^r. Woods had told us we might come into hall if we got caps & gowns, So I went to a tailors & borrowed the necessaries then Edmund went off to his hall & I to mine. A cap and gown feel rather queer at first. During hall a waiter came & told us that M^r. Woods wanted us to go to drink wine with him afterwards which we did, & rather slow it was as of course then were only a lot of dons & Wrigley up there. After that I walked about the town with Carpamael (we cut Chapel) & after a bit we met M^r. W & M^r. Carpmael & then Carpmeal & the 2 fogies went off to tea at the Bull & went to tea at Edmund's rooms in Trinity. There was a man there called Kennedy & after a bit an other called Rowsell came it. I came back here & went to bed at 10$\frac{1}{2}$. Mext morning I & Carpmael went to breakfast with one Mills a very nice man & at nine o'clock went into hall for exam. We had latin to construe & English into Latin & a little greek vivà voce, I got thro' it very fairldy except the English into Latin We got out at 12; I then went to luncheon at Rowsell's rooms (he invited me the night before) & met a man who is in for the same exam as I am. Exam: again at one, Greek trans^l. pretty easy, Greek [illeg] didn't & never could do any went out— about 3. the exam: went on till 4:— We went onto the Trinity Cricket Ground & played a bit with Edmund & [illeg] bowling very loose batting ditto.

We came back I didn't go into hall, but afterwards went to Newton's rooms, who gave Cold chicken which I eat tremendeus.

Walked about with Newt. Came back & found Carpamael went down to tea at the Bull, at about 9 went back to Johns & met Edm^d & Rowsell & went played 2 games of billiards, never played much worse ditto all four. Tea [greek letter] at Ed^d's^, Trinity & John's & bed at Eleven. This M^g. had solitary breakfast, Exam: at 9 till 12. hard mathematics didnt do much, plenty of others much worse. 12 to 1 Luncheon at Ed^d's^.

Exam: at 1 Greek translation did fairly, English into greek did none out at 3$\frac{1}{4}$. Wrote this letter— Saw Ed^d. in Quad: Went & fenced & boxed a little in Trinity Saw the men feed in Hall, came back & here we are.—

Rather spasmodic writing for near five h^rs. today excuse pen—

Your' affecs | G. H. D.

I faint away with any exsertion

Attempt at Greek God

No go Want of paper Hard worked exam: pen &c. *P [DIAG HERE] *Q

[GREEK LETTERS]

I expect I've left out a lots of words but I really can't look it over. This is all the direction necessary. Hall directly [illeg]