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I am afraid literary & other work
& inevitable distractions have
been allowed to take up too much
of the time that ought to have been
given to general historical reading.
I did everything that I wisely could
do to support your admission, both
on personal grounds and on the grounds
of the examination. But though
I knew with much difficulty and
with no little regret, the College as
a whole felt that the claims of
others on their actual work were
far too strong to be passed over.
What is more, Harrison, & some others
wished me specially to express to
you their great regret that we
cannot congratulate you and
ourselves on your election.

So there it is. I know it will be a
real disappointment to you. It is
a very real one to me. But all