The following tender letter, from Towyn, to his parents in Wisconsin, explains the situation.
Merionethshire,
September 24th, 1866.
My Dear Parents—
When I wrote to you last I was busily engaged in preparing for the London examination, which is to come off on the 3rd and 4th of next month. I am very sorry that I must now say that illness has put a stop to my designs, and that I cannot expect to win either of the six vacant scholarships, as I shall not be able to stand the examination. While I was studying my hard best, I took cold in returning from the country one cold evening, and unfortunately I did not pay any attention to it, as the time of the examination was fast approaching, for I had only one month more, which I intended to spend in reviewing my past labors,—an exercise which is essentially necessary to be performed before standing an examination. The cold, however, got worse and worse, and I was laid up for upwards of a fortnight, and was in a very weak state. As soon as I was able to get up, and go about a little, the doctor told me that the best thing I could do under the circumstances was to go to the sea shore for some time, and keep myself as quietly and contentedly as I could. In accordance with that advice I came here about a fortnight ago, and am glad to say that I am much stronger than when I left Bala. . . . Dr. Hughes was of opinion that I would have been laid up in consequence of over-exertion, even if I had not had the cold, and he
