Reference
X955/1/39
Title
To Mrs Sarah Colenutt
Date free text
7 Dec 1886
Production date
From: 1886 To: 1886
Scope and Content
Admiralty
My dear friend
Would not Charlie (1) like to see the Stanley show of bicycles and tricycles? It opens to-day and will continue during next week. If he will come up on Saturday, call at the office for me about 2.15, I will
take him to the theatre; he can go back to Carshalton, stay over Sunday, and we will inspect the machines on Monday.
During the winter I have been trying to learn to ride the bicycle, (2) and have at last succeeded, but of course the innate depravity of human nature at present displays itself forcibly, and I deviate from rectitude apparently for no reason whatever. You would hardly believe how difficult it is for a man of 55 to learn. The body has lost its flexibility and power of balance. Once I fell off and was strapped up all round my chest – could do nothing for a fortnight – and on a second occasion pitched suddenly on a heap of stones, rendering my hands incapable for a week. But the worst of all was that for a month I did not seem too make the slightest progress. However, I made up my mind that I would persevere day after day till a certain date fixed far ahead, and that then I would yield if not successful. At last I had vouchsafed to me a ray of hope and then got into smoother waters. The roads, too, have been all against me, as bad as they could possibly be.
Do you know why I went on? Do you remember the sarcasm applied by a certain lady who shall be nameless to that healtarmchairifed. tricycle riders who went up Union Street? What would that lady have to answer for, if I had been killed!
But partly also the reason was that I am scientifically curious as to the limits of a man.s powers, and more particularly middle-aged powers, and do not like defeat. Shelley used to say, .I always go on till I am stopped. I went on a good deal after I was stopped – by stone-heaps to wit.
Best love to father and all. Send me a note here about Charlie.
Affectionately yours
W. Hale White.
(1) Their third son
(2) Days of the high bone shaker. In a note to Mrs Colenutt, undated but probably October 1872, he writes of making a journey on his tricycle.
Level of description
item