From William Owen Sr   19 December 1836

My Dear Sir,¹

I have been some time in search of a Tutor for my Son Charles, who if nothing better offers I intend for the Church, & as you are now at the seat of learning I take the liberty, which I know you will excuse, of asking if you can assist me in the matter; & I do so, not only because I feel assured you will be happy to do anything you can for me either in this or any other way, but because I have that confidence in your good Judgment that would make me better satisfied by your recommendation of such a Person than by that of almost any Man I know.

I must however tell you that, (as you already know,) I have a large Family & am a poor Man, & therefore cannot afford to pay extravagantly for such a Person—& on this acc^t. I have already refused two offers—the one requiring £200 per Annum & the other 150 with extras which with travelling expences, Pocket Money & Clothes would make the total expense not much less than 250—& I am told that perfectly competent Tutors & eligible Situations are to be met with for from 100 to 130—which would suit my Finances much better— Charles is I think more than 17 Years of Age but both in appearance & manner is much less— He is a very honorable, & well disposed Boy & has always maintain’d a good Character & a good place at Rugby, & I removed him a few Month’s ago because, though he was doing well, his younger Brother² who is a quicker Boy, having got three removes in one Year, got into the same Form with him, & I did not like to expose him to the chance of being pass’d by his Junior; an event which might have created a Jealousy or ill blood between them which I thought it better for both should be avoided— And though the younger Boy has the greater Facility in learning the elder I believe has quite as good common sense & will probably make as good & as useful a Man. Whether he is now qualified to commence his Career at the University or not I am not able to say—but he is so Boyish both in manner & appearance that I think it will be for his advantage to pass another Year at least with a good Tutor, & as I feel more inclined to send him to Cambridge than to Oxford I have a further reason for asking your assistance. I need not tell you that Boys at home in the Country will not pay much attention to their Books & I am therefore very anxious to find a good Tutor for him as soon as possible; & I think if the Tutor had two or three other Boys who were pursuing the same studies & were nearly of the same Age it would be a recommendation.—

I suppose you receive frequent accounts from your own Family of whom I shall therefore say no more than that I believe they are all well— Your Sister Katharine was here two days ago & I narrowly miss’d seeing your Father Yesterday at the Lyth.—³

I am almost sorry you are so well & I hope so agreeably employ’d at Cambridge for I fear there is now no chance of my having an opportunity this Winter of renewing my instructions to you in the Science of Shooting—& I am getting so old & so bad on my Legs that I fear I shall not be able much longer to attend to or to instruct you, & you really were so promising a Pupil that I was rather proud of you.— We are all well & all unite in kind regards to you with | Yours most sincerely | W^m. Owen *S 2

Woodhouse

Dec^r. 19^th— 1836