ALS. 4pp.  Rugby. April 24th 1841.  To Mr [Herbert] Hill.

"I thank you much for your letter.  If I can send you any pupils, especially any in whom I am interested, I shall have the pleasure of knowing that I am doing for them one of the best things I could do and therefore I can always most gladly recommend pupils to you because I am quite sure that I am benefitting them by so doing quite as much as I would benefit yourself. My wish of service to you personally would be the same if my judgment of your value as a tutor was different: but the great difference is, that now I can gratify my wish without any scruple, whereas in the case of a friend of whom you cannot speak so positively, your wishes are necessarily hampered - and you cannot do all that you would do.  Thank you for your mention of the confirmation at Ambleside.  Our Bishop very kindly promised to come over here in May or June, and confirm the boys; but he is so ill that his coming I fear is most doubtful.  But I doubt that I should wish Edward to be confirmed at Ambleside, for I do not yet know whether I shall be there in June, and if we cannot have our confirmation here now, we shall have one in the course of next half year.  Edward is better but there is still much to be done with him, and it will take a long time: however he goes now into School, which is in every way good for him. Nothing was settled with Clarke about the I..(?), but  a few single trees might be put any where and fenced round as they may require.  I am inclined to think however that some good spots for cedar might be found on the top of the Scar overhanging Fox Ghyll, where the ground is already fenced in from cattle or sheep.  Firs or cedars would look extremely well I think in that situation, as the few birches which are there look now.   I grieve for the roses. Will you learn what we have lost, especially which of those on the House.  I think that If cut down almost to the ground they would shoot out again; at least it would be worth while to try.  Poor Merivale is ordered into Devonshire, for a cough which I only hope he has attended to in time.  Penrose takes his House during his absence.  The work is very great for us all and it will not be less till the Holydays.   Matt has got a Latin Essay Prize very creditably.  Bradley's and his were so good, that although the masters thought Bradley's the best, yet the Trustees are to be applied to to give a second prize of equal value, and both essays will be spoken at the Speeches.  Anstey says they are the two best essays he ever saw at Rugby.  Matt's is unequal, and Bradley's is very well sustained throughout, but Matt's latter part is much better than any thing in Bradley's and both in matter and language is excellent.  Matt did not get the Latin Verse , nor did Tom get the English Essay - nor will he I think get the Greek Verse.  Matt is working now but feels and must feel his past illness (?).  Tom is not yet I think thoroughly alive to his work as a pleasure - he learns rather than reads and therefore his intellectual food does not digest and turn to nourishment.   The new volume of my Sermons will be out shortly.  With out united kind regards to Mrs Hill, all good wishes for B . .(?), believe me ever, my dear Hill, very sincerely and affectionately yours, T. Arnold."

8vo. 18 x 11 cms (7.5 x 4.5 inches). In fine condition.

An excellent Thomas Arnold letter.  Herbert Hill was a private tutor much favoured by Arnold. Indeed, it was Herbert Hill whom Arnold engaged as tutor to his own son, the future poet, Matthew Arnold (being the "Matt" he so proudly refers to in this letter).  His other son, Tom, became a literary scholar and was the grandfather of Aldous Huxley.  The house in the Lake District referred to in the letter is Fox How, where the family spent their holidays - Matthew Arnold later settled there permanently.