From Thomas Archer Hirst   Feb.ry 26th 1854¹

Queenwood College. | Feb.^ry 26^th 1854

My dear John,

Last Tuesday morning on entering my cottage I found Miss Edmondson² there, she appeared to be doing something at my table, and on entering she hastily crushed up some paper in her hand and tried to look surprised and confused; but her attempt did not succeed, she had no business there and I knew she had come for a purpose: I wanted to see what that purpose was. Poor Miss E. she little thought as she chatted about trivialities that I saw through her so well, she moved to the door as if she was going I knew she was not; she pointed, as she stood in the porch to your picture as if by accident, whereas I knew we had got to her purpose now, and she had done so deliberately to introduce a conversation about you and your letter to M^r E on the Queenwood Mummery.³ I was very brief in what I said indeed my talk consisted for the most part in replies for I wished her to feel throughout that she was meddling with things that did not belong to her. Well from the letter which you have sent me this morning⁴ I see I was quite right, she had come to me in order to get an excuse for writing to you. After this her commencement is significant ‘Circumstances, and my own strong feeling’ says she ‘led unexpectedly to a conversation with D^r H.’ As far as I can remember the conversation was something like this.

Miss E. John Tyndall writes very warmly about the sham doctor,⁵ but I fear he did not know what had been done in the matter. His motives are often very noble but his actions often give unnecessary pain. He has even threatened Father.⁶

Tom. As to the threat, as you call it, I delivered that simply because I knew it was necessary to remind M^r E. continually of his duty.

Miss E. Yes but he might be reminded without causing so much pain

Tom. (silent but thinking ‘that the weak & imbecile of this world ought to be thankful if they can purchase the counsel of the wise at the expense of pain even’ but the pain felt by M^r E. is scarcely comparable to the prick of a pin, is contemptible in fact)

Miss E. John does not seem to be aware that Father took active measures long ago.

Tom. In what way Miss Edmondson.

Miss E. All letters directed to D^r Mummery are enclosed in an envelope by Father.

Tom. I am glad to hear it for not long ago I happened to be present when such a letter came and M^r E. saw nothing he could do in the matter but to ‘let things take their course’

Miss E. At the beginning of the half year Father told M^r M. he could not recognize his degree at which M^r M. was angry.

Tom. This was wise too; whether done by M^r E. himself or at the bidding of somebody else does not matter now.

Miss E. In fact I don’t see that Father can do more. If his degree is not recognized here we have done our duty: we could not then send him away.

Tom. I think that M^r E. not only could but ought to send him away.

Miss E. But why?

Tom. Because the best men at Queenwood have lost all respect for him. It prevents our hearty co-operation & that is the secret of Queenwood’s success.

Miss E. He will leave at Midsummer he does not like to go now for the sake of his own character.

Tom. Do you know this to be a fact? Has he told you or M^r E this?

Miss E. No, I scarcely like to say how I got to know it.

Tom. Good morning Miss Edmondson.

I should have liked to have told her that it was unbecoming in her to know so much from sources she dare not explain. That I should begin to suspect she had come to my cottage to get information. This system of espionage annoys me greatly I lose all respect for a woman when I detect her in such practices. The atmosphere about me becomes choking These women at Queenwood⁷ know every trivial occurrence about the place they delight in it and boast about their secret sources of information. They shew this to you when talking of others, and little think that they are proving to you that you are similarly watched. I confess it they have willfully aroused my suspicions, I avoid leaving my letters about, as I did at first, because I believe Miss E or her Father would read them if they could; read them out of pure curiosity.

At present there is a cloud over Queenwood although in point of numbers we continue to increase. These two run-aways⁸ have bothered us. I took the examination of them out of Edmondson’s hands, much to his comfort. I investigated the matter very carefully. Orton⁹ I found to be a little villain and Barber¹⁰ a poor dupe. I advised Edmondson at once to expel Orton & release Barber, and without a word of objection he has done so. Then again there are thieves about the place, some of the boys’ boxes have been broken open & money stolen. Wright has lost money and the thieves remain as yet undetected. I cannot rest until they are detected. One morning M^r E. told me that we must stir in the matter and that he was going to examine all the boys that morning, make them give up their money, so as to see if any of it was marked (Wright marked his money). I was astonished and asked him by all means not to spoil matters by acting prematurely. ‘It appears strange to me,’ I said ‘that you should at once suspect your lads, sooner than your servants. For instance you know Waterman¹¹ is or has been dishonest; why not convince yourself first that he is not guilty and then examine your boys.’ This stopped him & nothing further has been done.

I am suffering from head-ache too, all last Monday up to 7 ½ PM I was ill but when I entered the lecture room at Salisbury it vanished instantaneously and my lecture¹² was successful. Yesterday evening I was forced to go to bed by 9 o’clock and to-day I am but poorly. Hence I must close my letter.

Yours affectionately, | T.A.Hirst.

<Hereafter LT Transcript Only>

Sunday night: I have just returned from Wandsworth:¹³ Bevington desires his kind remembrances: Hill is progressing in a very satisfactory manner,¹⁴ he had the pony for a drive into Kent¹⁵ to day.

RI MS JT/1/H/193

RI MS JT/1/HTYP/317–319