Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 1 March 1857
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 1 March 1857
Title
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 1 March 1857
Sender
Thornton Arnott Lewes
Recipient
M
Date(s)
- 1857-03-01
Place
Hofwyl
Letter Content
Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 1 March 1857
MS: Yale.
Hofwyl. March 1. 1857.
Dear Papa,
I hope you are quite well. I should have written to you before, but Charlie told me, not to write as he was writing home, though to Mamma. 309 You will be quite surprised to hear that instead of becoming a filial Taddy, I am a frog! Nothing less; I and that very, little, baby who cried when he got into the bath, when you were here, are their two kings. 310 I have written as you may have heard a play called "Cathelniean" and I have written a copy of it for you.
Dear Daddy, will you please put in the box above all things, for me, books of Natural History, in particular, if they do not cost too much a history of birds, butterflies and plants. I love natural History above all things, and when I grow up, it is my desire to become a naturalist; and you may imagine, there is ample scope afforded here, as I can go all about, by telling one of the masters. Another of the boys from Geneva named Beaumont, has also the same taste, so when we can we go out together. I hope your head is quite well, at any rate, much better. Your Christmas, I suppose, was passed very soon at Mr. Helps], and I hope you enjoyed yourself very much. At Christmas, there were 3 Christmas trees beautifully lighted up, but as the presents for the boys were too heavy to be hung up, they were laid upon the tables. Mrs. M'fcller gave each of us a sort of Gingerbread with the Berne bear on it in sugar; they are so delicious that you ought to be here at Christmas to eat some. One of the lady bears at Berne has kittened! That is to say got a little cub, but she will not let them be seen yet. We have for a long time since played games in the evening and yesterday evening, Charlie was the King and Mrs. M'fcller the queen of Portugal, when nearly all the boys were tricked. Perhaps you know, that in De Fellenberg's time the boys were soldiers; now we have got the key of the room where they kept most of the arms etc. but as every boy, nearly, took home his weapons and things, only a few were left; these were, a real gun but with the lock broken, a splendid standard, eight or ten swords, a cannon, cartouche boxes, drums, horns for the officers etc. Yesterday afternoon we had a grand parade, the cannon was loaded and fired nearly twelve times, if not more even; I am the guard of the cannon, being the only cross bowman. Altogether, with the drums beating, for three of us can play the drum, it was a very pretty sight. When there are more boys, so as to render it worth having, Dr. M'fcller is going to have us also soldiers, most likely. Our captain, was one of the biggest boys named Albert, a Swiss. Give my love to all at home, with many kisses. Tell Ethel when you see her, that I have got a nice picture of three cats for her. There is the old mother who has caught a rat and she has got her kittens by her, and she is going to give them some rat for dinner.
There is at Hofwyl an Italian boy, named Marzorati who knows General Allemandi, as well as Signor Monti; the general is not in town, so, of course we have not been invited though I sent the letter a long while ago. Your letter gave me much pleasure, and I know I am a very naughty boy not to have written before. I don't think I should have written yet, if Dr. M'fcller had not told us that you scolded us for not writing, but you must not scold me. I do not think I have any thing more to say. So with love to all at home I remain Dear Papa
Tuum Filium carissimo
Ranae Rex.
I have begun Latin again.
P. S. Charlie sends his love.
MS: Yale.
Hofwyl. March 1. 1857.
Dear Papa,
I hope you are quite well. I should have written to you before, but Charlie told me, not to write as he was writing home, though to Mamma. 309 You will be quite surprised to hear that instead of becoming a filial Taddy, I am a frog! Nothing less; I and that very, little, baby who cried when he got into the bath, when you were here, are their two kings. 310 I have written as you may have heard a play called "Cathelniean" and I have written a copy of it for you.
Dear Daddy, will you please put in the box above all things, for me, books of Natural History, in particular, if they do not cost too much a history of birds, butterflies and plants. I love natural History above all things, and when I grow up, it is my desire to become a naturalist; and you may imagine, there is ample scope afforded here, as I can go all about, by telling one of the masters. Another of the boys from Geneva named Beaumont, has also the same taste, so when we can we go out together. I hope your head is quite well, at any rate, much better. Your Christmas, I suppose, was passed very soon at Mr. Helps], and I hope you enjoyed yourself very much. At Christmas, there were 3 Christmas trees beautifully lighted up, but as the presents for the boys were too heavy to be hung up, they were laid upon the tables. Mrs. M'fcller gave each of us a sort of Gingerbread with the Berne bear on it in sugar; they are so delicious that you ought to be here at Christmas to eat some. One of the lady bears at Berne has kittened! That is to say got a little cub, but she will not let them be seen yet. We have for a long time since played games in the evening and yesterday evening, Charlie was the King and Mrs. M'fcller the queen of Portugal, when nearly all the boys were tricked. Perhaps you know, that in De Fellenberg's time the boys were soldiers; now we have got the key of the room where they kept most of the arms etc. but as every boy, nearly, took home his weapons and things, only a few were left; these were, a real gun but with the lock broken, a splendid standard, eight or ten swords, a cannon, cartouche boxes, drums, horns for the officers etc. Yesterday afternoon we had a grand parade, the cannon was loaded and fired nearly twelve times, if not more even; I am the guard of the cannon, being the only cross bowman. Altogether, with the drums beating, for three of us can play the drum, it was a very pretty sight. When there are more boys, so as to render it worth having, Dr. M'fcller is going to have us also soldiers, most likely. Our captain, was one of the biggest boys named Albert, a Swiss. Give my love to all at home, with many kisses. Tell Ethel when you see her, that I have got a nice picture of three cats for her. There is the old mother who has caught a rat and she has got her kittens by her, and she is going to give them some rat for dinner.
There is at Hofwyl an Italian boy, named Marzorati who knows General Allemandi, as well as Signor Monti; the general is not in town, so, of course we have not been invited though I sent the letter a long while ago. Your letter gave me much pleasure, and I know I am a very naughty boy not to have written before. I don't think I should have written yet, if Dr. M'fcller had not told us that you scolded us for not writing, but you must not scold me. I do not think I have any thing more to say. So with love to all at home I remain Dear Papa
Tuum Filium carissimo
Ranae Rex.
I have begun Latin again.
P. S. Charlie sends his love.
Signature
Ranae Rex.
Citation
Thornton Arnott Lewes, Thornton Arnott Lewes to GHL, Hofwyl, 1 March 1857, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/95616