“June 17th, 1818.—This evening and the last some of our boys performed the whole of Plautus’s ‘Captives.’ They were astonishingly perfect.
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“July 20th, 1820.—In Arthur I find a most able ally in the executive part of the business. His application is almost incessant, and I am sorry to say it has materially injured his eyesight. Under his care the boys have made wonderful progress in the classics. We have found that frequent exercise in Latin dialogue has been of the greatest use in the acquirement of that language: for this purpose an act of a Latin play is learned and performed every month. At the same time other boys are engaged in shorter Latin dialogues, in Greek recitation, and in the performance of scenes from the works of the French dramatists. The very frequent rehearsals which are necessary, the circumstance of their being engaged in a real conversation, frequently speaking of real and tangible objects, familiarizes them wonderfully with the language they are using, and is, I believe, the nearest approach that can be made to the mode in which we learn our native language. For this, as well as for many other valuable improvements, we are indebted to my brother Matthew.”
A week or two earlier than the date of this entry their father had thus written about the two young men:—
“Rowland and Arthur are most laborious and successful fellows. I hope that they are building a reputation that may make them comfortable in their fortunes. But all that is human is precarious. Time and chance must happen to them as to all. A good conscience is the only treasure insured against all risks, and this is a treasure which I trust my dear children will never feel the want of.”
The school steadily rose in reputation and in numbers. Hill Top was before long found to be too confined for the swelling scene, and a new school-house was built.
“December 21st, 1817.—During the holidays it is my intention to finish the plans, &c., and to make a model of a new house, which we intend to erect in the country, most probably at Edgbaston.
“December 20th, 1818.—A few days ago, without any solicitation, or even a hint on my part, my father took me into partnership: that is to say, all our business since has been carried on under the firm of Thomas Wright Hill and Son. I do not know whether my father intends to give me a share of the profits of the business, and I shall say nothing about it myself till he can better afford it, which, when we have got over the difficulties occasioned by our building so large a house, will I hope be very soon. Our school has slowly increased for many years, and we have now upwards of seventy boys.”
In the following passage he has recorded how he was his own architect and his own clerk of the works:—
“As the duty of architect devolved entirely on me, I had fallen to drawing plans, designing elevations, &c., and after much labour—for I believe I drew at least twenty plans in all—my work being in a sufficiently forward state, a builder was applied to for an estimate; but the amount he named being too large for our means, I had gone to work a second time, and formed, after many attempts at economy, an entirely new set of plans, which considerably lowered the estimate; and on the more moderate expense we resolved to venture.