From A. T. Myers to Horace Darwin 17 Feb [1873]

Dear Bounder

I don't know if this will still find you at Cannes as you do not say how long you stop there but I suppose it will be forwarded.

Kennedy sayes they do not take premium pupils, they did at one time but considered it a failure.

He sayes a fellow ought to be strong who goes in for work in an iron shop of any sort, & it is no use unless he goes & works in the shop & then he must keep the mill hours.

However I daresay there are other places w^h. will take a diff^t. view of the matter.

My work goes on with a sort of inoffensive monotony varied with that damned game of raquets & a cold leg of mutton w^h. I have been eating for the last fortnight.

I wish you w^d. ask y^r. Father why the allusion to certain kinds of torture make one squerm more than allusion to tortures of a much more agonising nature.

For instance the very mentioning of having ones NAILS. TORN. OUT. BY. THE. ROOTS. gives me incomparably more agony than a minute description of being flayed alive. Most people I have asked feel the sam ab^t. this

I don't think this case is one of recollection of anything similar t^t. one has suffered—at least not in my case.

I have a shuderer 7f^t. class, w^h. is to cut y^r. hand when wiping the grass of a scythe, I did it & the recollection is enough to make me spit my teeth out

I will conclude this w^h. is tending to be a painful letter | y^rs. | A.T.M.