It is that you would, should
an opportunity occur, further the
interests of my Son, for whose suc-
cess in life I am of course most
anxious, my great desire is to see
him placed in The Treasury or in
some other government office, where
should he be found worthy, he might
have the prospect, however distant,
of rising to eminence.- I have
ventured to mention TheTreasury
because I believe in that department
there would be no necessity for leaving
England, for I know I could not
part with him altogether.
/
In conclusion I feel satisfied that
you, Sir, whether you are able
to serve me or not, will attribute
my application to a father's anxiety
for the interests of his child, and
forgive the manner (as well as the
period) in which I have been bold
enough to ask the greatest favor you
could possibly confer on us both.
Believe me
Sir
with the highest esteem and respect
your obliged and grateful Servant
William Collins
P.S. My son (W. Wilkie Collins)
is between 18 and 19 years of age, has had
the usual school education, and has
been more than a year in the
office of a Friend in order to acquire
habits of business &c.
To: William Collins, Esq.
Whitehall May 19
My dear Sir
I wish sincerely that
it were in my power to
give your hopes of an
appointment for your Son
in the department over
which I preside and over
which alone of the Government
Departments I have any control.
/
But I must speak within bounds
when I say that I have
received from friends & supporters
of the Government at least
one hundred similar applications.
The Establishment is so
limited that there is not
probably more than one vacancy
in the course of the year in
the Treasury and I must
/
therefore express to you my
sincere regret that I see no
prospect that, in the present
state of my engagements, I
can have the satisfaction
of complying with your wishes.
Believe me etc
Robert Peel
W Collins Esq.
To: Sir Robert Peel
85 Oxford Terrace
May 20 1842
Dear sir
I beg to offer my most
sincere thanks for your immediate
reply to my application, and to
assure you of my gratitude for
the trouble you have taken to
relieve my anxiety....
I am
sir with the greatest respect
Your obliged & grateful servant
William Collins