Page:Earl Canning.djvu/35

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AN ETON CLUB
29

'Moss will be captain of the boats next year, and I shall pull in the ten-oar. I mess with Hodgson and Moss now: perhaps Cowper will mess with us next half; those three will be my greatest and only "cons" except old Handley. I gave leaving books to Gladstone, Hamilton, Chisholm Ma., Doyle, Lord Bruce, and Sutton Ma. Handley, Gladstone, Mr. Bruce, Lord Bruce, Hodgson, and myself set up a Salt Hill Club at the end of this half. We met every whole holiday, or half, as was convenient, after 12, and went up to Salt Hill to bully the fat waiter, eat toasted cheese, and drink egg-wine. In our meetings, as well as at almost every time, Gladstone went by the name of Mr. Tipple; Lord Bruce, Dr. Roberts; Handley, Miss Judy Myers; Mr. Bruce, Mr. Cranmer; Canning Mr. Coxhead. Hamilton, who was Mr. Demster, would have been in the club, but was prevented by his having to show up a punishment to Keate every day at one, which cut up his "after 12" completely. The punishment was inflicted for his having taken a conspicuous part in all the late riots.'

Charles Canning did not remain at Eton for the most interesting period of a public school-boy's career, the last; for, having reached the upper division of the Fifth Form, he became the pupil of the Rev. Thomas Shore, a Bedfordshire clergyman, a nephew of the Governor-General of India who succeeded Cornwallis, and is known to fame as Lord Teignmouth. This gentleman, an accomplished scholar, received a few pupils of distinction, and equipped them — more