108 Robert Jenkins to Mary Gooden, 18 January 1840

My dear Madam

I cannot and I am sure I need not tell you with what excessive delight I received Alexander’s note this morning. There is this feeling without [sic] one of great thankfulness to the Almighty for crowning with such even unlooked for success the meritorious labours of my dear friend for so many years. May he go on and prosper as he so well deserves and may this reward of his exertions sweeten and encourage his future labours – I am so overjoyed that I scarce know what I wrote but I trust you will excuse the imperfections of this letter which far too inadequately expresses my feelings and Believe me, my dear Madam, Your very faithful and obliged

Robert C Jenkins

109 Alexander Gooden to James Gooden, 19 January 1840

My dear Father,

I hope you will not be alarmed at hearing from me so soon or imagine that I have become infected with a cacoethes scribendi1 in consequence of my newly acquired dignity. You owe this letter I can assure you entirely to these abominable P.O. regulations which tempt one by the cheapness of postage to scribble when in the humour for it ‘quodcumque in hiccam venerit.’ I got here at about 2 o’clock yesterday morning after a not disagreeable journey. My companion – Law – is one of the disappointed (and with reason indeed) and I therefore had no one to share my selfish joy at obtaining the distinguished honour of 69th S. O.

Ellis’s triumph has been complete. He headed the Caius champion by 300 marks and the Johnian Senior Wrangler elect by nearly 1000. The Examiners were all greatly struck by his extraordinary knowledge and philosophical maturity of mind. We gave him yesterday a long continued and stormy thunder of applause. The congregation in other respects passed off more quietly than was anticipated; the tutors of the several colleges had previously used their influence with their pupils to spare the obnoxious proctor and his most active enemies were none of them up.