'  My  dear  William,

'  Perhaps  I  ought  to  have  had  a  blackedged  sheet
of  paper   as  you  have  lost  an  old,  faithful  friend.     On


EDUCATION  :   RUGBY  AND  HAILEYBURY      59

Saturday  night  the  6th  inst  —  Dash  Esq  departed  this
life  without,  we  hope,  much  suffering.  Thomas  found
him  on  the  mat  at  the  back  door  in  the  morning ;  he  lay
in  state  on  Sunday,  and  on  Monday  a  decent  funeral  was
bestowed  on  him.  Fordham  preceded,  and  dug  his  grave
under  the  willow ;  Thomas  bore  his  remains,  and  young
Frank  acted  as  Chief  Mourner;  Aunt  Louisa  and  I  followed
at  a  respectful  distance.  Poor  fellow,  this  hot  weather
would  have  tried  him  very  much.  He  had  not  been  up-
stairs for  three  days,  though  the  evening  before  he  appeared
much  as  usual.  ...  I  have  not  erected  any  monument
over  him.  A  few  Latin  or  English  verses  must  be  com-
posed. .  ..
'  Believe  me,  my  dearest  William,

'  Your  affectionate  Mother.
'  P.S. — I  do  not  like  you  should  not  know  that  Brassey
and  Lier  have  failed.  Happily  I  have  not  lost  much.  It
has  vexed  me  a  little,  but  will  not  be  of  much  consequence.
I  will  tell  you  more  another  time.  I  thought  you  might
see  it  in  the  paper.  My  dividends  will  soon  be  due  again,
and  it  will  make  but  little  difference  to  us.'

He  left  Rugby  at  the  end  of  the  Summer  Term  1835,
and  after  a  few  days  at  home,  joined  his  uncle  William  at
Tunbridge  Wells.
William  Cotton  to  his  Sister  Mrs.  Oswcll.
'  Tunbridge  Wells,

'July  27,  1835.
