William Hone to John Childs, 2 November, 1839

1.1.1.

Is there to be no end to the botheration? "Shrink not from the word" (I quote from memory) "Rejoice rather that there is such a word signifying such a thing," but shrink from the thing — for observe: —

• Bother, is a word compounded of be and other; to bother, is, to be other: hence, being other is, by transposition, bothering: hence also comes, by corruption, botheration. Again:—
• Bother, or Bothering, being other, though continually in practice, is being with the mind out of oneself, a state of being not definable in words, but acting rather metaphysical, vulgarly called being out of one's mind, or being beside oneself, which is, or are, two beings, one being beside the other, this not being that, but both being this, which is inexplicable, bothering.

For example, a little—i.e. a little for example—"You shall have Cruden for Missus, and Adams for Peter"² — So you say, and so you have said, for months, and we are back where we were,—nothing done but bother, nothing doing but bothering, not being yourself, being beside yourself. I have the promise[?] of that, a nonentity, a thing, to use metaphysical language, not in esse. And then your I. O. U, when I look at it, among the bills in my Cash-box, gives me as much anxiety as they do. But come, come here I mean to tea, and prove by action to "Missus" & me, that the promise of the books is not to be an "everlasting no," and the I. O. U. I'll make a present of to Mrs. C's next boy.

Observe, lastly, as the old postillers said, I am in winter quarters for the whole season, and possibly for life. This suspicion discloses to me the difference between Free Will and True Agency, and affords to me leisure for thinking, in drear hours, when too worn to write, or speak. Adams I hear of to such a purport that, if I would buy any book, I should buy that.

Observe moreover, that I cannot get out, and therefore if we meet it must be here. From three to 5 I endeavour for sleep. At 5 we drink tea. I don't rise till near ten, & get to bed early. Rest and warmth are essential to me — that I experience. So come with your opium story. You cannot go to Bungay during Guy Fawkes time — it's against the New Metropolitan Police Act to let off Crackers!

Observe moreover, lastly, we have an inmate about Sam's age — a fine youth, son of Rev. W. Kent of Barnstaple, formerly of Bungay. The young man was apprenticed to a printer of Exeter, & since he came to me, has engaged himself to Messrs Roake & Varty of the Strand. He has been well trained every way, and we deem him a valuable addition to our family — morally valuable, and pecuniarily.