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diff --git a/old/53769-0.txt b/old/53769-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 736cc7d..0000000 --- a/old/53769-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9819 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Floreat Etona, by Ralph Nevill - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Floreat Etona - Anecdotes and Memories of Eton College - -Author: Ralph Nevill - -Release Date: December 19, 2016 [EBook #53769] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLOREAT ETONA *** - - - - -Produced by deaurider, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - -Sidenotes are identified as: [SN: text of sidenote]. - -Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end. - - * * * * * - -FLOREAT ETONA - -[Illustration] - - MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED - LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE - - THE MACMILLAN COMPANY - NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO - - THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. - TORONTO - -[Illustration: The Great Court of Eton College. _Engraved by J. Black -after W. Westall, 1816._] - - - - -FLOREAT ETONA - - - ANECDOTES AND MEMORIES OF ETON COLLEGE - - BY RALPH NEVILL - - MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED - ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON - - 1911 - - * * * * * - -IN MEMORY OF MY DEAR OLD ETON FRIEND S. S. S. - - Still are thy pleasant voices, thy nightingales awake; - For Death, he taketh all away, but them he cannot take. - - * * * * * - -The Author wishes to acknowledge the great debt of gratitude which he -owes to those who have assisted him by the loan of books, photographs, -and prints. - -First and foremost stands the Right Honourable Lewis Harcourt, M.P., -who has most kindly afforded him access to his unique collection of -Eton books--eventually destined, it is understood, for the school -library. - -The Earl of Rosebery, K.G., has also shown great good-nature in lending -a number of interesting prints, reproductions of which will be found -amongst the illustrations. - -Especial thanks are due to Mr. Robert John Graham Simmonds, resident -agent of the Hawkesyard estate, who took considerable trouble to -furnish valuable information concerning the old Eton organ case, a -photograph of which, by the courteous permission of the Dominican -fathers, was taken in their chapel at Rugeley. The photographs of -the old oak panelling formerly in the Eton Chapel were obligingly -contributed by Mrs. Sheridan, in whose entrance hall at Frampton -Court, Dorset, this panelling now is. - -The author also wishes to thank a number of old Etonians who have -furnished him with anecdotes and notes which have proved of much -assistance. Chief among these must be mentioned his cousin, the -Right Hon. Sir Algernon West, one of the few survivors of “Montem,” -Mr. Douglas Ainslie, and Mr. Vivian Bulkeley Johnson--some other -obligations are acknowledged in the text. His debt to previous books -dealing with Eton will be evident; and a number of the coloured plates -are reproduced from the scarce work on Public Schools published by -Ackermann a little short of a hundred years ago. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - 1. EARLY DAYS 1 - - 2. OLD CUSTOMS AND WAYS 30 - - 3. DR. KEATE--FLOGGING AND FIGHTING 68 - - 4. “CADS,” AND THE “CHRISTOPHER” 99 - - 5. MONTEM 129 - - 6. THE COLLEGE BUILDINGS 157 - - 7. COLLEGE 196 - - 8. SCHOOL WORK 227 - - 9. ROWING AND GAMES 252 - - 10. YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY 286 - - INDEX 331 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - -IN COLOUR - - FACE PAGE - - The Great Court of Eton College _Frontispiece_ - - The Oppidan’s Museum or Eton Court of - Claims at the Christopher 116 - - Ad Montem, 1838 144 - - The Cloisters of Eton College 158 - - The College Hall before Restoration 164 - - The Chapel before Restoration 184 - - A Colleger, 1816 196 - - Eton College from the River 328 - -IN BLACK AND WHITE - - Eton in the Seventeenth Century 16 - - Eton College from Crown Corner 32 - - Headmaster’s Room, showing Swishing - Block and Birches 82 - - Jack Hall, Fisherman of Eton 102 - - Herbert Stockhore, the “Montem Poet,” - going to Salt Hill in 1823 129 - - The Montem of 1823 130 - - The Montem of 1841--The March round the - School-Yard 140 - - Old Oak Panelling formerly in Eton Chapel 174 - - Carved and Decorated Organ Case formerly - in Eton Chapel 176 - - James Culliford, the last Chief Butler of - College to wear the livery of Eton blue 202 - - Old College Servants 206 - - Sixth-Form Bench 226 - - Say Father Thames, for thou hast seen - Full many a sprightly race, - Disporting on thy margent green. - The paths of pleasure trace.--_Gray’s Ode_ 242 - - - - -I EARLY DAYS - - -Amongst public schools Eton admittedly occupies a unique position. -Every one admires the beauty of its surroundings, whilst to those -possessed of imagination--more especially, of course, if they are -Etonians--the school and its traditions cannot fail to appeal. - -In addition to many of its associations being connected with glorious -chapters of English history, the old quadrangle, chapel, and playing -fields possess a peculiar charm of their own, due to a feeling that the -spirit of past ages still hovers around them. There is, indeed, a real -sentimental pleasure in the thought that many of England’s greatest men -laid the foundations of brilliant and successful careers amidst these -venerable and picturesque surroundings. No other school can claim to -have sent forth such a cohort of distinguished figures to make their -mark in the world; and of this fine pageant of boyhood not a few, -without doubt, owed their success to the spirit of manly independence -and splendid unconscious happiness which the genius of the place seems -to have the gift of bestowing. - -No other school exercises such an attraction over its old boys as Eton, -with many of whom the traditions of the place become almost a second -religion. “I hate Eton,” the writer once heard an individual who had -been educated elsewhere frankly say, “for whenever I come across two -or three old Etonians, and the subject is mentioned, they can talk of -nothing else.” - -The affection felt for the school is the greatest justification for -its existence; an educational institution which can inspire those sent -there with a profound and lasting pride and belief in its superiority -over all other schools, must of necessity possess some special and -fine qualities not to be found elsewhere. The vast majority of boys -experience a vague feeling of sentimental regret when the time for -leaving arrives--they have a keen sense of the break with a number of -old and pleasant associations, soon to become things of the past--the -school yard and the venerable old buildings, so lovingly touched by the -hand of Time, never seem so attractive as then, whilst the incomparable -playing fields, in their summer loveliness, acquire a peculiar and -unique charm. As a gifted son of Eton, the late Mr. Mowbray Morris, -has so well said, “shaded by their immemorial brotherhood of elms, -and kissed by the silver winding river, they will stand undimmed -and unforgotten when the memory of many a more famous, many a more -splendid scene has passed away.” - -[SN: FOUNDATION] - -For the true Etonian there is no such thing as a final parting from -these surroundings, the indefinable charm of which remains in his mind -up to the last day of his life. Fitly enough, this love for Eton, -handed on from generation to generation, and affecting every kind of -disposition and character, has been most happily expressed by a poet -who was himself an Etonian--John Moultrie. May his lines continue to be -applicable to the old school for many ages to come! - - And through thy spacious courts, and o’er thy green - Irriguous meadows, swarming as of old, - A youthful generation still is seen, - Of birth, of mind, of humour manifold: - The grave, the gay, the timid, and the bold, - The noble nursling of the palace hall, - The merchant’s offspring, heir to wealth untold, - The pale-eyed youth, whom learning’s spells enthrall, - Within thy cloisters meet, and love thee, one and all. - -The history of the College has been so ably written by Sir Henry -Maxwell Lyte, that it would here be superfluous to do more than touch -upon a few incidents of special interest. - -Henry VI., unlike the warlike Plantagenets from whom he sprang, -was essentially of studious disposition, and the foundation of a -college--one of his favourite schemes, almost from boyhood--was a -project which he at once gratified on reaching years of discretion. In -1441, when nineteen, he granted the original charter to “The King’s -College of our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor.” - -This ancient constitution remained in force till the year 1869, when a -new governing body was introduced, which drew up new statutes two years -later. The last Fellow representing the old foundation, as instituted -by Henry VI., was the late Bursar, the Rev. W. A. Carter, who died in -1892. - -On the completion of the arrangements for the institution of the -College, the old parish church, standing in what is now the graveyard -of the chapel, was pulled down, and a new edifice of “the hard stone of -Kent--the most substantial and the best abiding,” begun. Roger Keyes, -before Warden of All Souls College, Oxford, was appointed master of -the works, receiving a patent of nobility and a grant of arms for his -services. At the same time the newly founded College was assigned a -coat of arms, three white lilies (typical of the Virgin and of the -bright flowers of science) upon a field of sable being combined with -the fleur-de-lys of France and the leopard passant of England, to form -the design with which Etonians have been familiar for more than four -hundred and fifty years. - -In 1442 came the first Provost, William of Waynflete, from Winchester, -bringing with him, no doubt, some scholars who formed the nucleus of -the new foundation. So much on the lines of the College on the banks of -the Itchen was Eton founded, though from the first various differences -prevailed--the number of commoners in college (_commensales in -collegio_), for instance, was doubled, it being stipulated that they -must belong to families entitled to bear arms. - -The connection between the two schools was close. An alliance, known as -the “Amicabilis Concordia,” pledging Eton and Winchester to a mutual -defence of each other’s rights and privileges, was instituted--a bond -of friendship and amity which has never been broken up to the present -day. - -[SN: ORIGINAL DESIGN] - -The original design of Henry VI. had contemplated a huge nave for the -chapel, which would have stretched right down what is now known as -Keate’s Lane. This, however, was never completed, William of Waynflete -eventually finishing the building with the present ante-chapel, built -of Headington stone, for which, it should be added, Bath stone was -substituted some thirty-four years ago. - -There exists a legend that in the reign of Edward IV. Eton only escaped -suppression owing to the intercession of Jane Shore. Though the story -seems to rest upon no solid historical foundation, it is curious to -note that two portraits of this Royal favourite are preserved in the -Provost’s Lodge. - -When Henry VII. escorted Philip of Castile “toward the seaside” on his -return home in 1505, the two kings passed through Windsor--“all the -children of Eaton standing along the barres of the Church yeard.” - -Henry VIII. paid a visit to the school in July 1510, and made a -monetary donation, as was customary in his day. - -The College curriculum at that time seems to have been of a somewhat -elementary kind: as late as 1530 no Greek was taught. Great stress was -laid upon prayers and devotion, as the following description left to us -by William Malim, Headmaster in 1561, shows:-- - - “They come to schole at vj. of the clok in the mornyng. They say - Deus misereatur, with a colecte; at ix, they say De profundis and go - to brekefaste. Within a quarter of an howere cum ageyne, and tary - (till) xj. and then to dyner; at v. to soper, afore an antheme and De - profundis. - - Two prepositores in every forme, whiche dothe give in a schrowe the - absentes namys at any lecture, and shewith when and at what tyme both - in the fore none for the tyme past and at v. - - Also ij. prepositores in the body of the chirche, ij. in the gwere - for spekyng of Laten in the third forme and all other, every one a - custos, and in every howse a monytor. - - When they goe home, ij. and ij. in order, a monitor to se that they - do soe tyll they come at there hostise dore. Also prevy monytores how - many the master wylle. Prepositores in the field whan they play, for - fyghtyng, rent clothes, blew eyes, or siche like. - - Prepositores for yll kept hedys, unwasshid facys, fowle clothes, - and sich other. Yff there be iiij. or v. in a howse, monytores for - chydyng and for Laten spekyng. - - When any dothe come newe, the master dothe inquire fro whens he - comyth, what frendys he hathe, whether there be any plage. No man - gothe owte off the schole nother home to his frendes without the - masteres lycence. Yff there be any dullard, the master gyvith his - frends warnyng, and puttyth hym away, that he sclander not the - schole.“ - -Latin plays were acted during the long winter evenings. Several of -these were written by Nicholas Udall (Headmaster, 1534-1541), the -author of _Ralph Roister Doister_, the first English comedy. - -For almost two hundred years, from 1563, when William Malim resigned -(owing, it is said, to his severity having caused some boys to run -away), comparatively obscure men held the office of Headmaster, and -were overshadowed by Provosts who left their mark upon the school. - -Henry VIII. was one day much astonished when informed by Sir Thomas -Wyatt that he had discovered a living of a hundred a year which would -be more than enough for him. “We have no such thing in England,” said -the King. “Yes, Sir,” replied Sir Thomas, “the Provostship of Eton, -where a man has his diet, his lodging, his horse-meat, his servants’ -wages, his riding charges, and £100 per annum.” - -[SN: ETONIAN MARTYRS] - -During the troublous days of the Reformation Eton appears to have -undergone little change; but a number of old Etonians and Fellows went -to the stake for Protestantism under Queen Mary. - -The names of the Etonians who underwent martyrdom for the reformed -faith were JOHN FULLER, who became a scholar of King’s in 1527, and -was burnt to death on Jesus Green in Cambridge, April 2, 1556; ROBERT -GLOVER, scholar of King’s in 1533, burnt to death at Coventry on -September 20, 1555; LAWRENCE SAUNDERS, scholar of King’s in 1538, burnt -to death at Coventry on February 8, 1556; JOHN HULLIER, scholar of -King’s also, in 1588, burnt to death on Jesus Green, Cambridge, on -April 2, 1556. “Their faith was strong unto death and they sealed their -belief with their blood.” - -On the other hand, Dr. Henry Cole, appointed Provost in 1554, behaved -in a disgraceful manner. Having advocated the Reformation, he became -in Queen Mary’s reign a rigid Romanist, and was appointed by her to -preach, before the execution of Cranmer, in St. Mary’s Church at -Oxford. He became Dean of St. Paul’s in 1556, and Vicar-General under -Cardinal Pole in 1557. Soon after the accession of Elizabeth he was -deprived of his Deanery, fined 500 marks, and imprisoned. Whether he -was formally deprived of the Provostship, or withdrew silently, does -not appear. He died in the Fleet in 1561. - -In 1563 and 1570 Queen Elizabeth paid visits to the College, and a -memorial of her beneficence is still to be seen on a panel of the -College hall.[1] - -At that time the school seems to have been divided into seven forms; -of these the first three were under the Lower Master--an arrangement -which was only altered in 1868, when First and Second Forms ceased to -exist and a Fourth Form was included as part of what now corresponds -to Lower School. It is a curious coincidence that even in those early -days Fourth Form during part of the school hours were under the Lower -Master’s control. - -[SN: “FLOGGING DAY”] - -Their two meals were dinner at eleven and supper at seven, bedtime -being at eight. Friday, it is interesting to learn, was set aside as -“flogging day.” - -At a comparatively early period in the history of the school the -tendency which within the last forty years abolished the First and -Second Forms seems to have been in existence, no First Form figuring in -the school list of 1678, in which its place is taken by the Bibler’s -seat--the Bibler being a boy deputed to read a portion of Scripture in -the Hall during dinner. - -In Queen Elizabeth’s day the praepostors or “prepositores,” as they -were then called, played a great part in the daily round of school -life. There were then two of them in every form who noted down -absentees and performed other duties such as the praepostors of the -writer’s own day (1879-83) were wont to perform. - -Up to quite recent years, it may be added, there was a praepostor to -every division of the school, the office being taken by each boy in -turn, who marked the boys in at school and chapel, collected work from -boys staying out, and the like. Now, however, the only division which -retains a praepostor is the Headmaster’s. - -Eton was also connected with the Virgin Queen by its Provost, Sir Henry -Savile, who had instructed her in Greek. Sir Henry is said to have -been stern in his theory and practice of discipline respecting the -scholars. He preferred boys of steady habits and resolute industry to -the more showy but more flighty students. He looked on the sprightly -wits, as they were termed, with dislike and distrust. According to -his judgment, irregularity in study was sure to be accompanied by -irregularity in other things. He used to say, “Give me the plodding -student. If I would look for wits, I would go to Newgate: there be the -wits.” - -It would seem that at this time the custom of inscribing the names of -noblemen at the head of their division--whether they deserved it or -not--still flourished. Youthful scions of aristocracy enjoyed many -privileges--young Lord Wriothesley, for instance, who was at Eton in -1615, had a page to wait upon him at meals. - -Sir Henry Savile died at Eton on February 19, 1621, and was buried in -the College Chapel. He was married, but left no family. An amusing -anecdote is told of Lady Savile, who, like the wives of other -hard-reading men, was jealous of her husband’s books. The date of the -anecdote is the time when Savile was preparing his great edition of -Chrysostom. “This work,” we are told, “required such long and close -application that Sir Henry’s lady thought herself neglected, and coming -to him one day into his study, she said, ‘Sir Henry, I would I were a -book too, and then you would a little more respect me.’ To which one -standing by replied, ‘You must then be an almanack, madam, that he -might change you every year,’ which answer, it is added, displeased -her, as it is easy to believe.” - -[SN: SIR HENRY WOTTON] - -The next man of note who became Provost was Sir Henry Wotton, who -obtained the appointment in place of Lord Bacon, it being feared that -the debts of the latter might bring discredit upon the College. Wotton -it was who built the still existing Lower School with its quaint -pillars. - -Izaak Walton speaks of this in the _Compleat Angler_:--“He (Wotton) -was a constant of all those youths in that school, in whom he found -either a constant diligence or a genius that prompted them to learning; -for whose encouragement he was (besides many other things of necessity -and beauty) at the charge of setting up in it two rows of pillars, on -which he caused to be choicely drawn the pictures of divers of the -most famous Greek and Latin historians, poets and orators; persuading -them not to neglect rhetoric, because ‘Almighty God hath left mankind -affections to be wrought upon.’” - -Izaak Walton and Sir Henry loved to fish together, and the spot where -the two friends indulged their love of angling is well known. It was -about a quarter of a mile below the College at a picturesque bend of -the river which, once an ancient fishery, is still known as Black Potts. - -Here the late Dr. Hornby had a riverside villa where he spent a good -deal of his time. - -Sir Henry was a great observer of boyhood, as certain quaint -observations of his show:-- - - “When I mark in children much solitude and silence I like it not, nor - anything born before its time, as this must needs be in that sociable - and exposed life as they are for the most part. When either alone or - in company they sit still without doing of anything, I like it worse. - For surely all disposition to idleness and vacancie, even before they - grow habits, are dangerous; and there is commonly but little distance - in time between doing of nothing and doing of ill.” - -He was besides a philosopher sagely writing:-- - - “The seeing that very place where I sate when a boy, occasioned me - to remember those very thoughts of my youth, which then possessed - me; sweet thoughts indeed, that promised my growing years numerous - pleasures without mixture of cares, and those to be enjoyed when - time (which I therefore thought slow-paced) had changed my youth - into manhood. But age and experience have taught me that those were - but empty hopes. And though my days have been many, and those mixed - with more pleasures than the sons of men do usually enjoy, yet I have - always found it true, as my Saviour did foretell, ‘_Sufficient for - the day is the evil thereof_.’ Nevertheless I saw there a succession - of boys using the same recreations, and questionless possessed with - the same thoughts. Thus one generation succeeds another, both in - their lives, recreations, hopes, fears, and deaths.” - -During the Provostship of Wotton the tranquillity of Eton life was -disturbed by troops being quartered in the town, whilst a number -of French hostages had such a bad effect upon the boys, with whom -they mingled, and upon the Fellows, whom they introduced to improper -characters, that De Foix, the French Ambassador, was entreated to -interfere. - -[SN: PROVOST ROUSE] - -Sir Henry Wotton’s successor as Provost, Stewart by name, took up -arms for King Charles I. at Oxford, his example being followed by a -number of loyal Etonians. With the triumph of the Commonwealth came a -Roundhead Provost, Francis Rouse by name, who was afterwards Speaker -of the Barebones Parliament and one of Cromwell’s peers. Eton did not -fare badly under the Protector, but the spirit of loyalty to the king -nevertheless seems to have continued dominant, and the “Restoration” -was welcomed with joy. - -Francis Lord Rouse had been buried with great pomp in Lupton’s Chapel, -banners and escutcheons being set up to commemorate his memory, which -is still kept green by the old elms he planted in the playing fields. -All such insignia, however, were destroyed when the king had come -into his own, and were torn down and thrown away as tokens of “damned -baseness and rebellion” by the Royalist Provost and Fellows. In 1767 -the irons which had kept these picturesque memorials in place were -still to be seen, but all traces of them are now gone; probably they -were torn out at the “restoration” of 1846. To us of a later and more -impartial age, the insults heaped upon the memory of Provost Rouse seem -to have been undeserved, and there certainly appears no justification -for his having been called an “illiterate old Jew.” On the other -hand, the imagination cannot be otherwise than stirred by the name of -Provost Allestree, who had fought for King Charles in the students’ -troop at Oxford and at the risk of his life conducted a correspondence -for Charles II. His services to the Royalist cause would, nevertheless, -in all probability not have been repaid had not Rochester introduced -him to the frivolous king. Rochester had made a bet that he would -find an uglier man than Lauderdale, and having come across Allestree, -who was exceedingly unattractive in face, introduced him to Charles -in order to win the wager. Charles then recalled the devotion of the -individual with whom he was confronted, and with justice and good -judgment made him Provost of Eton. - -Allestree, though he resided a good deal at Oxford, did his best to set -Eton in order, and, amongst other wise and useful acts, built Upper -School. Owing, however, to defective construction, or to a fire, this -had to be entirely rebuilt by subscription a few years later, when it -assumed the form which it still retains. - -Provost Allestree found the College in debt and difficulty, and the -reputation of the school greatly decayed. He left an unencumbered -and flourishing revenue, and restored the fame of Eton as a place of -learning to its natural eminence. Besides building Upper School at his -own private expense, he also erected the apartments and cloister under -it, occupying the whole western side of the great quadrangle. It was at -the instance of this Provost, it should be added, that the King passed -a grant under the broad seal that, for the future, five of the seven -Fellows should be such as had been educated at Eton School and were -Fellows of King’s College. - -[SN: A VISIT FROM PEPYS] - -In February 1666, in a coach with four horses--“mighty fine”--Pepys and -his wife paid a visit to Windsor. After seeing the Castle, described -by the famous diarist as “the most romantique castle that is in the -world,” they went on to Eton. Here Mrs. Pepys--rather ungallantly, -perhaps--was left in the coach, whilst her husband, accompanied by -Headmaster Montague, explored the College and drank the College beer, -both of which he set down in his diary as being “very good.” - -By this time the Oppidans had increased to such an extent that they -greatly outnumbered the Collegers. In 1614 there seem to have been only -forty “Commensalls,” as the Oppidans were then called, although the -more familiar term had also long been in use; but after the Civil War -they ceased to board and lodge with the Collegers (the whole school -dined in the College Hall as late as the beginning of the seventeenth -century), and gradually grew in number to such an extent that in the -school list of 1678, out of 207 boys, no fewer than 129 were Oppidans. - -Zachary Cradock, Provost in 1680, it is said, owed his appointment to -a sermon on Providence, preached before Charles II., to whom he was -chaplain. - -The first Headmaster of Eton of whom any satisfactory account has -survived, was John Newborough, described as “versed in men as well -as in books, and admired and respected by old and young.” Newborough -numbered many who afterwards became celebrated amongst his pupils: Sir -Robert Walpole and his brother Lord Walpole of Wolterton--ancestors -of the present writer--Horace St. John, Townshend, and many other -well-known public men, profited by his tuition. Of Sir Robert, -Newborough was specially fond, being rightly convinced that he would -rise to eminence. - -Sir Robert loved Eton, and probably one of the proudest moments of his -career was a certain Thursday in Election Week, 1735, when, with a -number of other old Etonians, he went with the Duke of Cumberland to -hear the speeches in the College Hall, and heard a number of verses -recited, the great majority of which were in praise of himself. With -Dr. Bland, his old friend, who was then Provost, he appears to have -dominated the whole ceremony. So much so was this the case that a -dissatisfied Fellow wrote:-- - - ’Tis to be wished that these performances may be lost and forgott - that posterity may not see how abandoned this place was to flattery - when Dr. B---- was Provost, and when Sir Robert was First Minister. - -The Eton authorities, no doubt, were very proud of Sir Robert, the -first Etonian Prime Minister, and the first of a long series of -eminent Etonians who were to shed lustre upon the school. - -[SN: “SMOAKING”] - -School life in the seventeenth century was a totally different thing -from what it is to-day; all sorts of queer usages and ideas prevailed. -In 1662, for instance, smoking was actually made compulsory for Eton -boys. This was during the plague, when, according to one Tom Rogers, -all the boys were obliged to “smoak” in the school every morning, and -he himself was never whipped so much in his life as he was one morning -for not “smoaking.” - -[Illustration: Eton in the Seventeenth Century, by Loggan. _Print lent -by the Earl of Rosebery, K.G._] - -As showing the school life of the period the following bill for -“extras” is interesting. It was for a boy named Patrick, from April -1687 to March 1688, and bears Newborough’s receipt as Headmaster. - - Carriage of letters, etc. £0 2 4 - For a bat and ram club 0 0 9 - Four pairs of gloves 0 2 0 - Eight pairs of shoes 0 16 0 - Bookseller’s bill 0 14 2 - Cutting his hair eight times 0 2 0 - Wormseed, treacle and manna 0 2 8 - Mending his clothes 0 2 8 - Pair of garters 0 0 3 - School fire 0 3 0 - Given to the servants 0 12 6 - A new frock 0 5 8 - --------- - £3 4 0 - Paid the writing-master half a year, - due next April 21, ’89 1 0 0 - --------- - -The “bat and ram club” was used in connection with an extremely -barbarous custom of hunting and killing a ram at election-tide, the -poor animal being provided by the College butcher. So popular was this -brutal sport, that boys summoned home before the last day of the half -wrote beseeching their parents to allow them to remain and see “ye ram” -die according to custom. - -This ram-baiting appears to have taken its origin from a usage -connected with the Manor of Wrotham in Norfolk, given to the College -by the founder. At Wrotham Manor during the harvest-home a ram was let -loose and given to the tenants if they could catch him. - -For many years later the brutal sport continued to flourish, a ram -hunt in the playing fields being attended by the Duke of Cumberland on -Election Saturday 1730, when he was nine years old. He struck the first -blow, and is said to have returned to Windsor “very well pleased.” - -Our ancestors held curious views as to the education of the young, -and seem to have seen no harm in children being familiarised with the -grossest forms of cruelty. Nevertheless the ram-hunting, after being -modified, disappeared before the close of the eighteenth century. -For some years, however, its recollection was maintained by a ram -pasty served at election time in the College hall. We may regard the -indigestion which must almost certainly have followed upon indulgence -in such a dish as a mild form of retribution for the tortures which -some of those present had formerly inflicted upon the poor rams. - -In the early seventeenth century Shrove Tuesday was also marked by a -barbarous usage. On that day no work was done after 8 a.m., and, as -in other parts of England, some live bird was tormented. The usual -practice was for the College cook to get hold of a young crow and -fasten it with a pancake to a door, when the boys would then worry it -to death. - -[SN: THE FIRST DAME] - -Newborough, owing to failing health, resigned his headmastership in -1711 and died the following year. He was succeeded by Dr. Snape, a -self-made man, whose mother and afterwards his sister kept the earliest -recorded “Dames’” houses at Eton. On his resignation in 1720 the school -had reached a total of 400 boys, though some alleged that one of these -was a town boy whose name Snape had added to form a round sum. - -Under his successor, Dr. Henry Bland, the numbers further increased to -425, one of whom was a boy, always playing upon a cracked flute, who -was to be known to posterity as Dr. Arne. - -After the South Sea Bubble had wrought widespread ruin the school -shrank again to 325. Bland only remained at Eton eight years. Sir -Robert Walpole, who never forgot an Etonian schoolfellow, presented him -with the Deanery of Durham, besides offering him a bishopric, which was -declined. - -Dr. William George then became Headmaster. He was a very good classical -scholar, and some iambics of his so charmed Pope Benedict XIV. that he -declared that had the writer been a Catholic he would have made him a -cardinal; as it was he had a cardinal’s cap placed upon the manuscript. -Dr. George’s reign at Eton came to an end in 1743, when he was elected -Provost of King’s. - -At this period a very curious state of affairs prevailed at Eton -in regard to the appointment of the teaching staff. The Headmaster -was free to choose his own assistants, whom he paid himself; but he -received numerous fees and presents from each boy under him. On the -other hand, the Lower Master--who maintained a sort of preparatory -school, to which came boys of very tender age--was able to sell his -assistant masterships, like waiterships at a restaurant, as he left the -fees and presents to his assistants. - -This is shown by a quaint advertisement which appeared in the _London -Evening Post_ of November 9, 1731:-- - - Whereas Mr. Franc. Goode, under-master of Eaton, does hereby signify - that there will be at Christmas next, or soon after, two vacancies in - his school--viz., as assistants to him and tutors to the young gents: - if any two gentlemen of either University (who have commenced the - degree of B.A. at least) shall think themselves duly qualified, and - are desirous of such an employment, let them enquire of John Potts, - Pickleman in Gracious Street, or at Mr. G.’s own house in Eaton - College, where they may purchase the same at a reasonable rate, and - on conditions fully to their own satisfaction.--F. GOODE. _N.B._--It - was erroneously reported that the last place was disposed of under - 40s. - -An assistant master, Dr. Cooke, succeeded Dr. George as Headmaster, but -managed the school so badly that his tenure of office only lasted two -years, during which time the number of boys decreased, and Eton fell -into some disrepute. Cooke was a very unpopular man, dowered with a -“gossip’s ear and a tatler’s pen,” and he seems to have possessed most -of the worst faults of a schoolmaster and to have made many mistakes; -this, however, did not prevent him being given a fellowship when Dr. -Sumner, an able and active teacher, was put in his place. The efforts -of the latter, however, were able to restore only a modified degree -of prosperity to the school, which had fallen out of general favour -owing to the misrule of his predecessor. A paragraph in the _Daily -Advertiser_ of August 11, 1747, shows this:-- - - King George II. visited the College and School of Eton, when on - short notice Master Slater of Bedford, Master Masham of Reading and - Master Williams of London spoke each a Latin speech (most probably - made by their masters) with which His Majesty seemed exceedingly - well pleased, and obtained for them a week’s holidays. To the young - orators five guineas each had been more acceptable. - -[SN: DR. BARNARD] - -In 1754, however, the ancient fame of Eton began to revive owing to -the appointment of Dr. Barnard--_magnum et memorabile nomen_! He was -made Headmaster through the Townshend and Walpole interests, which were -active on his behalf. Under his vigorous rule the school flourished; -522 boys, the highest number known up to that time, being on the list -on his promotion to the Provostship in 1756. Barnard had no patience -with fopperies in boys, and had occasional “difficulties” with the -Eton “swells” of his day on the point of dress. - -Charles James Fox gave him a good deal of trouble. His absence at -Spa for a year sent him back to Eton a regular fop, and a very sound -flogging appears to have done him but very little good. - -Dr. Barnard also seems rather to have despised any tendency towards -fine ways in his pupils. His old pupil, Christopher Anstey, alludes -to this in his _Bath Guide_, in a portion of which a critical mother, -“Mrs. Danglecub,” who has a son at school, - - Wonders that parents to Eton should send - Five hundred great boobies their manners to mend, - When the master that’s left it (though no one objects - To his care of the boys in all other respects) - Was extremely remiss, for a sensible man, - In never contriving some elegant plan - For improving their persons, and showing them how - To hold up their heads, and to make a good bow, - When they’ve got such a charming long room for a ball, - Where the scholars might practise, and masters and all; - But, what is much worse, what no parent would chuse-- - He burnt all their ruffles and cut off their queues; - So he quitted the school in the utmost disgrace, - And just such another’s come into his place. - -[SN: A REVOLT] - -The “just such another” was Dr. Foster, who proved to be the very -opposite of Barnard, and became highly unpopular, in great part owing -to the considerable social disadvantage of his being the son of a -Windsor tradesman. He was tactless and unfitted for his position, -and the school did anything but prosper under his rule; indeed, the -numbers dropped to 250. Meanwhile, the boys got quite out of hand, and -several rebellions occurred, amongst them the famous secession of more -than half the school--160 boys--to Maidenhead. - -One of the ringleaders of the outbreak was Lord Harrington, a boy of -much natural spirit. He was foremost amongst those who threw their -books into the Thames and marched away. Like the rest of the rebels he -took an oath, or rather swore, he would be d----d if ever he returned -to school again. When, therefore, he came to London to the old Lord -Harrington’s and sent up his name, his father would only speak to him -at the door, insisting on his immediate return to Eton. “Sir,” said -the son, “consider I shall be d----d if I do!” “And I,” answered the -father, “will be d----d if you don’t!” “Yes, my Lord,” replied the son, -“but you will be d----d whether I do or no!” - -The revolt seems to have completely broken the Headmaster’s spirit; the -school fell in numbers to 230, and in 1775 he made way for Dr. Davies, -who ruled Eton for twenty years. Unlike his predecessor, Davies was -not unpopular with the boys, but unfortunately he could not manage -his assistants, with whom he quarrelled, and then attempted to manage -the school alone. At that time Eton was largely composed of turbulent -spirits, quick to see what glorious opportunities for riot lay at hand, -and before long the unfortunate Davies was driven out of Upper School, -pelted with books, and reduced to such a condition of despair that he -was obliged to make terms with the other masters, who eventually did -succeed in establishing something like order. His subsequent period of -rule was more peaceful. - -During the middle portion of the eighteenth century a number of still -existing Eton institutions flourished, though generally accompanied by -quaint usages now obsolete. Referring, for instance, to “Tryals,” in -1766, Thomas James, describing the school curriculum, says:-- - - If Boys gain their Removes with honour, we have a good custom of - rewarding each with a _Shilling_ (if higher in the school, 2/6d.), - which is given them by the Dames and placed to the Father’s account. - -This custom, though in 1879 it had fallen into complete abeyance, -was still more or less extant twenty years earlier; for Mr. Brinsley -Richards, in his most interesting recollections of his Eton days, -mentions that, having gained promotion in Third Form by handing in -three consecutive copies of nonsense verses, in which there was no -mistake, the Captain of Lower School claimed an old privilege, and -asked that the Lower School might have a “play at four,” the question -also arising whether the writer of the verses was not entitled to -receive 2s. 6d., which he eventually got. As a matter of fact, had the -precedents been strictly followed, one shilling would have been the -reward. - -In the late eighteenth century, the holidays consisted of a month at -Christmas, a fortnight at Easter, and the month of August. Then, as -now, the Eton boys enjoyed more half-holidays than were granted at -other schools. In 1776, however, the usual curriculum was interrupted -by a day of “fasting and penitence” on account of British disasters in -America, the colony beyond the seas, which, grown into a great country, -has since sent many of her sons to be educated at the old school. - -The last Headmaster of the eighteenth century was Dr. Heath. During the -early part of his reign he raised the school to 489, but in the last -year the numbers had sunk to 357. It was a very lax time, and the boys -were allowed to do, and did do, many things which could hardly have -been to the taste of a fond parent. - -[SN: SCHOOL MAGAZINES] - -In 1786 seems to have been started the first school magazine--the -_Microcosm_, the successors of which have been the _Miniature_ (1804), -the _Linger_ (edited by G. B. Maturin and W. G. Cookesley, for -collegers only, 1818), the _College Magazine_ (John Moultrie, 1818), -the _Etonian_ (Praed, 1820), the _Salt Bearer_ (1820), the _Eton -Miscellany_ (1827), the _Oppidan_ (1828), the _Eton College Magazine_ -(1832), the _Kaleidoscope_ (1833), the _Eton Bureau_ (1842), the _Eton -School Magazine_ (1848), the _Porticus Etonensis_ (1859), the _Eton -Observer_ (1860), the _Phœnix_ (1861), and the still flourishing _Eton -College Chronicle_ (1863). - -At various periods since the last date ephemeral publications have -intermittently appeared. These, however, are scarcely of sufficient -importance to require mention, the majority having enjoyed but a very -brief existence. The most recent of these journalistic efforts was the -_Eton Illustrated Magazine_, two numbers of which made their appearance -at the beginning of the present year (1911). Though a third was -announced, the magazine came to a premature end, owing, it was said, to -the censorship exercised by the authorities. According to an unwritten -law, no reference must be made to the Eton Officers’ Training Corps, -and owing to this and the suppression of skits and humorous paragraphs, -it was decided to suspend publication. - -Towards the close of the eighteenth century one of the most prominent -Etonians was William Windham, in after-life a powerful politician, and -“the darling of Norfolk.” At school he achieved distinction as a fine -scholar, besides being “the best cricketer, the best leaper, swimmer, -rower, and skater, the best fencer, the best boxer, the best runner, -and the best horseman of his time.” - -The owner of a splendid estate--Felbrigg Hall--Windham was the -beau-ideal of an English gentleman, whose merits were recognised alike -by friend and foe. - -Heath was succeeded in the headmastership by Dr. Goodall, under whose -mild and easy-going rule discipline continued to be lax. Owing, -however, to the warm affection and patronage of George III., the -school continued to prosper, its numbers rising under Goodall to 511. -Of fine appearance and courteous bearing, he is said to have looked -every inch an Eton Headmaster. Devoted to the school where, as a -scholar and assistant master, he had passed most of his life, he was -an ultra-Conservative in everything which appertained to it; under his -rule no changes took place. - -[SN: DR. GOODALL] - -Probably this Headmaster never appeared to better advantage when, after -the glorious battle of Trafalgar, he publicly called up Horace Nelson, -nephew of the immortal admiral, and in a kind and delicate manner -informed him of his heroic uncle’s death. Though the tears were visible -in the boy’s eyes, Dr. Goodall’s well-chosen words soothed his grief, -and there lurked on his countenance a smile of delight at the greatest -victory ever gained by this country in any naval engagement over a -gallant foe. - -“There was a pleasant joyousness in Dr. Goodall,” said one of his -pupils, “which beamed and overflowed in his face; and it seemed an odd -caprice of fortune by which such a jovial spirit was invested with the -solemn dignity of a schoolmaster.” The blandness and good-nature which -made him universally popular both as Headmaster and as Provost, were -an element of weakness when he had to cope with the turbulent spirits; -and Eton discipline did not improve under his rule. His rich fund of -anecdote, sprightly wit, and genial spirit made his society very much -sought in days when those pleasant qualifications were highly valued, -and he was a great personal favourite with the king. It was not so much -the fault of the individual as of the age, if he had a profound respect -for the peerage, and could see few defects of scholarship in his more -aristocratic pupils. Those were the days, it must be remembered, -when the young peers, sons of peers, and baronets sat in the stalls -in the College chapel, visibly elevated above their fellows. Then, -too, it was not an uncommon thing for an Eton boy, whose friends were -connected with the Court, to hold a commission in the Guards and draw -the regular pay. Sometimes, if he obtained an appointment as one of the -royal pages, he was gazetted while yet a mere child. “I had the honour -this morning,” Goodall is reported to have said on one occasion, “of -flogging a major in His Majesty’s service.” - -With the death of this courteous pedagogue in 1840 old Eton may be said -to have passed away; whilst he lived many alterations and reforms were -delayed, no change whatever being made during his term of office as -Provost. - -[SN: A LAST FAREWELL] - -Though he has been blamed for not having made some improvement in the -lot of the collegers, he appears to have enjoyed great popularity at -Eton, and to have been hospitable and benevolent. Glancing through a -copy of _Alumni Etonenses_, enriched with a number of manuscript notes, -appended by the late Reverend George John Dupuis, Vice-Provost, the -writer came upon an enthusiastic tribute to the memory of Dr. Goodall, -who is described as eminent for his talents, his benevolence, and -charity. A somewhat touching eulogy, after a description of the old -Provost’s funeral in the College chapel, concludes, “Farewell, kind and -good old man.” - -FOOTNOTE: - -[1] See Chapter VI. - - - - -II OLD CUSTOMS AND WAYS - - -During George the Third’s reign Eton enjoyed a special share of royal -favour. Dr. Goodall, if he had been an easy-going Headmaster, was in -many respects an ideal Provost, who notoriously possessed many of the -qualifications of a courtier; whilst Dr. Langford, Lower Master for -many years, was such a favourite with the King that the latter used -to send for him to come down to Weymouth and preach. The sunshine of -royalty in which Etonians basked not unnaturally aroused some jealousy; -and one critic--an old Westminster boy--declared that the vicinity of -Windsor Castle was of no benefit to the discipline and good order of -Eton School. - -[SN: GEORGE III. AND THE BOYS] - -A constant patron of boys and masters, George III. hardly ever passed -the College without stopping to chat with some of them. He was very -fond of stag-hunting, and as one of the favourite places for the deer -to be thrown off was between Slough and Langley Broom, he very often -came through Eton; the appearance of the green-tilted cart about nine -o’clock was certain evidence that the King would pass some time before -eleven. It became a custom for the boys to wait for him seated on the -wall in front of the school. He generally arrived, escorted by his -attendants, the master of the hounds, and some of the neighbouring -gentry, old Davis, the huntsman, with the stag-hounds, going on before. -Occasionally the King’s beloved daughter, the Princess Amelia, whose -early death he so deeply deplored, came too. - -Near the wall, hat in hand, the Eton boys greeted their monarch, who -almost invariably stopped to ask various questions of those who had -the good fortune to attract his attention. These were mostly some of -the young nobility, with whose parents His Majesty was acquainted, and -whom, if once introduced to him, his peculiarly retentive memory never -allowed him to forget. - -Picking out some boy he would jokingly say: - -“Well, well, when were you flogged last, eh--eh? Your master is very -kind to you all, is he not? Have you had any rebellions lately, eh--eh? -Naughty boys, you know, sometimes. Should you not like to have a -holiday, if I hear a good character of you, eh--eh? Well, well, we will -see about it, but be good boys. Who is to have the Montem this year?” - -On being told he would remark: - -“Lucky fellow, lucky fellow.” - -The royal visit was a general topic of conversation during the day, and -though one of such frequent occurrence--nay, almost every week during -the hunting season--still was it always attended with delight, and the -anticipation of something good to follow. It was highly amusing to hear -the various remarks made by some of the boys who happened not to have -been present at the time of the royal cavalcade passing, and who, of -course, were anxious to hear what had occurred. - -“Well, what did old George say? Did he say that he would ask for a -holiday for us? By Jove, I hope that he will, for I want to ride -Steven’s new chestnut to Egham.” - -“You be hanged,” a companion would retort; “I want to go to Langley to -see my aunt, who has promised to give me syllabubs, the first ‘_after -four_’ that I can go.” - -Another perhaps wanted to have a drive to Virginia Water, a favourite -excursion with the boys. Such and the like expectations of holiday -happiness were as often anticipated, and frequently realised, by the -ride of kindly old George III. through the town of Eton. - -[Illustration: _Eton College from Crown Corner._ _From an -eighteenth-century print lent by Walter Burns, Esq._] - -In a regulation costume of knee-breeches and black silk stockings (any -holes in the latter being concealed by ink) the Eton boys going up to -the Castle would stroll about the terrace, which, like the river, was -“in bounds” though the approaches to it were not. There the King mixed -freely with them, asking any one he did not know by sight, “What’s -your name? Who’s your tutor? Who’s your dame?” And on receiving the -answer he would generally remark: “_Very_ good tutor, _very_ good dame.” - -[SN: MONTEM PARADE] - -On the evening of the picturesque “Montem,” the terrace was the scene -of what was called “Montem parade,” in which the fantastic costumes of -the boys were conspicuous features. On one occasion George III. kept -all the boys to supper at the Castle, taking care, however, to forget -all about the masters, who were consequently annoyed. The old king more -than once interfered to prevent Eton boys from being punished, and -actually gave one offender who had been expelled for poaching in the -Home Park a commission in the Guards. - -William the Fourth also took a great interest in Eton, as did Queen -Victoria, who sometimes sent for privileged boys. On one occasion -she attended speeches, and all the school considered it a compliment -when she invited Dr. Hawtrey to tea. In the earlier portion of her -reign, whenever she passed through Eton she was loudly cheered by -the Etonians, and would check the speed of her carriage out of -consideration for those who ran beside it. - -The memory of George III., as every one knows, is still preserved at -Eton by the celebration of his birthday--June 4th. What, however, every -one does not know is that the present costume of the Eton boys--black -jackets and tail coats--is in reality but a sort of perpetual mourning -for the old king. - -At the end of the eighteenth century the costume of an Etonian -consisted of a blue coat, knee breeches, white waistcoat and ruffled -shirt, but a few years later white ducks and pantaloons began to be -worn by Oppidans, though the Collegers were compelled to adhere to the -older dress for some time longer. - -After 1820 the smaller boys wore jackets and black slip-knot -ties (handkerchiefs they were called at first), the bigger ones -swallow-tailed dress-coats and spotless white ties. For a considerable -period the latter had no collars, but stiff neckcloths about a yard -long, tied twice round. The first boy who started a single tie and -collar was one of the master’s sons, and at first the innovation was -regarded with disfavour as much too free-and-easy. The masters kept a -sharp eye upon the boys’ tails, any one attempting something like a -“morning” coat being at once called to account and told by his tutor -not to “dress himself like a bargeman.” No objection, however, was made -to an indulgence in studs, bunches of charms, and other jewellery; and -many boys decorated their coats with summer flowers, in the arrangement -of which they showed some taste. - -Towards the middle of the nineteenth century morning coats took the -place of the swallow-tails. Since then, with the exception of a -diminution in the height of the top hat, which in the late fifties of -the last century was preposterous, the dress of an Etonian has remained -pretty well unchanged, though, of course, from time to time there -have been varying fashions as regards waistcoats. Thirty years ago the -most popular of these were those made of a sort of corduroy relieved -by coloured silk. At present, I understand, some perturbation has been -caused amongst the upper boys by a report that the Headmaster proposes -to prohibit every sort of fancy waistcoat; but it is to be hoped that -such an interference with Etonian liberty will not be carried into -effect. - -[SN: FADS] - -The custom of swells wearing stick-up collars, instead of the turn-down -ones worn by their undistinguished schoolfellows, is now of some -antiquity and appears likely to last. - -Up to about fifty or sixty years ago Eton boys never wore greatcoats -at all. The famous Headmaster, Dr. Keate, was a warm supporter of this -Spartan habit, which underwent only gradual modification as time went -on; for, even after greatcoats were allowed the boys very seldom wore -them, and never by any chance put them on unless they were sure that -some of the swells of the school had given them a lead. So strong is -the force of custom in this matter, that when a few years ago the -Headmaster issued a circular that every boy, no matter his place in the -school, was to wear a greatcoat whenever he liked, no notice whatever -was taken of it, the old state of affairs continuing to exist. Another -curious usage is that which ordains that no boy except a swell may -carry his umbrella rolled up, akin to which was the idea, prevalent -thirty years ago, and very likely prevalent to-day, that turning up the -bottom of the trousers must not be attempted by any but those occupying -a distinguished position in the school. - -Before the era of steam, wonderful costumes were worn by Eton boys as -they started away for the holidays. On Election Monday the whole road -from Barnes Pool Bridge to Weston’s Yard would be filled with a crowd -of vehicles, whilst round the corner of the Slough Road, where the new -schools now stand, just beyond Spier’s sock shop, a number of youths, -gorgeously dressed in green coats with brass buttons, white breeches, -top-boots and spurs, would take horse and ride away to town, much to -the admiration of a crowd of lower boys. At Spier’s, at the corner -opposite the entrance to Weston’s Yard, Collegers were in the habit of -leaving their gowns when going out of bounds towards Slough. Shelley -as an Eton boy was a great frequenter of this sock shop, where the -excellent brown bread and butter and a pretty girl, Martha--the Hebe of -Spier’s--as he called her, made a great impression upon his youthful -mind. - -Farther away down Datchet Lane on breaking-up day, sporting spirits -would find traps of various sorts waiting for them--tandems were -occasionally driven by Eton boys during the school-time, fags being -taken out to act as tigers on surreptitious drives to Salt Hill or -to Marsh’s Inn at Maidenhead, once a favourite place of resort on -account of the cock-pit there. On one of these outings in a curricle, -a horse bolted, and the driver, brutalized by terror, ordered his fag -to jump on the horse’s back and saw at his bit. The foolhardy feat -was accomplished, and the horse stopped, but the small boy’s arms -were almost pulled out of their sockets, and one of them got badly -dislocated. According to one account it was Mr. Gladstone, then an Eton -boy, who tried to rectify the injury before a doctor arrived. - -[SN: TRADITIONS] - -The old Eton traditions were essentially aristocratic in their nature, -as was only natural considering that the vast majority of the boys -sent to the school were of good birth. Whilst amongst themselves the -boys were highly intolerant of all assumptions of superiority not -based upon the distinctions of good fellowship and physical prowess, -they were rather prone to regard the rest of the world with easy and -good-natured contempt; indeed they thought themselves the finest -fellows in the world, and little was done by the authorities to dispel -such an idea. According to a certain standpoint, this, no doubt, was -mere snobbishness, the main object of a favourite form of modern -altruism being to assume that the lowest is better than the highest, -and give way to everybody no matter who. It is, however, to be hoped -that the latter spirit--the spirit of defeat, not of victory--will not -be allowed to annihilate that individualism and independence which has -ever been held dear by those educated amidst Eton’s classic shades. -In former days, no doubt, somewhat extravagant respect was paid to -rank; but it must be remembered that the aristocracy were at that time -the real leaders of the country, and titles not merely honorary labels -purchased by “plebeian money bags,” through contributions to their -party war chests. For the most part they then carried with them real -territorial power. - -In its main features, the Eton of our forefathers was a true democracy, -though one enclosed in an aristocratic frame. In spite of Socialists -and sentimentalists “all men are born unequal,” and our ancestors were -fully alive to the odious affectation of ignoring social distinctions -which always have existed, and always must exist in every society. - -[SN: BADGE GIVING] - -The position of noblemen, as they were called (this included the -eldest sons of Peers), at Eton, then, somewhat resembled that of the -gentlemen commoners at the University. Like the latter, they had to pay -for their privileges, double fees being exacted from their parents’ -pockets. The privileges in question, it should be added, hurt nobody. -On the festivals of St. Andrew, St. Patrick, St. David, and, if in the -school-time, St. George, the Headmaster entertained Scotch, Irish, -Welsh or English boys of high birth at breakfast, and on such days he -and the Lower Master wore an appropriate “badge,” presented to them by -the boy who was highest in rank of the nation which was celebrating its -patron saint. Not infrequently the boy’s tutor was presented with one -of these badges, sometimes quite valuable gifts, costing five or six -pounds apiece. There was no fixed pattern, the design being always left -to the boy’s own taste, or to that of his parents; care, however, was -taken to introduce the shamrock, thistle, or leek, according to the day -which was to be celebrated. - -The quaint old usage was formerly quite a feature of the school-time -during which it took place. As late as 1862 a London newspaper gave -an account of its observance. In that year, on St. Patrick’s day, -Lord Langford, as the highest Irish nobleman who was an Eton boy at -the time, presented badges of St. Patrick, beautifully embroidered -in silver, to the Headmaster, the Reverend E. Balston, and to the -Lower Master, the Reverend W. Carter, both of whom wore these badges -throughout the day. On the same date, according to ancient custom, -twenty-four noblemen and gentlemen, as they were termed--that is to -say, Eton boys--attended a great breakfast given by the Headmaster. - -Why such an inoffensive and pretty custom was ever allowed to become -obsolete it is difficult to understand. - -According to one account, the individual responsible for the -discontinuance was the late Duke of Sutherland, who, when it came -to the turn of his son, Lord Stafford, to present the badge, -discouraged him from carrying out the old usage, which he branded -as mere nonsense. Probably the cost of the badges contributed to the -discontinuance of their presentation. It seems a pity that a fixed -pattern worth some trifling sum was not adopted in order to prevent -extravagance. - -Though the badges seem still to have been given up to the middle -sixties of the last century, by 1879--amongst the boys at least--all -tradition of anything of the sort had died away. One who had been at -Eton about 1866 told the writer that he had a vague remembrance of -hearing of the custom, but it had then ceased to be observed. - -It should be added that Dr. Hawtrey, in his monument in the College -Chapel, is represented wearing the badge of Scotland and the motto -_Nemo me impune lacessit_. - -[SN: PRIVATE TUTORS] - -Till about 1835, noblemen who came to Eton usually brought private -tutors with them, and boarded at dames: they were not obliged to have -school tutors. The most distinguished of these private tutors would -appear to have been John Moultrie, who in 1822 acted in this capacity -to Lord Craven, who three years later presented him with the living of -Rugby. As a youthful Colleger Moultrie had shown considerable poetic -power, and had he died at an early age speculation might have been busy -as to the great poems which English literature had lost through his -death. His early reputation rested chiefly on “My Brother’s Grave,” in -the style of Byron’s “Prisoner of Chillon,” first published in the -College Magazine and then in the _Etonian_. Often reprinted since, -it is probably the most widely read of his writings. He was a warm -lover of Eton, and paid a fine tribute of affection to his old school -in an introduction to an edition of Gray. Bringing private tutors to -Eton seems to have entailed considerably great cost, for the Duke of -Atholl told William Evans that his expenses under this system were -£1000 a year! Dr. Hawtrey, it was, who made the rule that every boy -should have a school tutor, after which the custom of bringing private -tutors practically ceased. Even in the sixties, however, it survived -in a modified way. Lord Blandford, Lord Lorne, his brother, Lord -Archibald Campbell, and his cousin, Lord Ronald Leveson Gower, all had -private tutors--the last three, indeed, lived with one in a house by -themselves. George Monckton, afterwards Lord Galway, who was at Eton -about the same time, also enjoyed the same dubious advantage. - -[SN: CHAPEL] - -As has already been mentioned at page 28, up to about 1845, boys who -were noblemen, sons of peers or baronets, sat in the stalls (ruthlessly -torn down during the so-called “restoration” of 1845-47) at the west -end of the chapel, near the Provost and Headmaster; and, according -to custom, a newcomer distributed packets of almonds and raisins to -his companions in the other seats of honour. Originally, it would -seem, this curious usage was limited to the Sixth Form boys, who also -followed it when for the first time they took their places as such. -Considerable obscurity, however, surrounds the whole subject of “chapel -sock,” as it was called; probably it was the continuance of some -medieval custom, the meaning of which had disappeared ages before. The -eating of almonds and raisins during divine worship seems very strange -to those of a later generation; in former times, however, it must be -remembered the chapel was sometimes used for other purposes besides -the celebration of services. The election of the College Fellows, for -instance, took place there, and sometimes some of the electors tucked -themselves up as well as they could and went to sleep. The general tone -of the school up to about seventy years ago was not very religious, or, -it is to be feared, very reverent; there was, indeed, too much chapel -and too little devotion. - -Two long collegiate services on Sundays and whole holidays, and one on -every half-holiday, made the boys tired of the whole thing. New boys -sometimes did take prayer-books in with them the first Sunday, but -never ventured to defy public opinion to that extent a second time. -Some of the Upper School were nearly nineteen years old, but amongst -them taking the sacrament was almost unheard of. The chaplain (or -“Conduct” as he was called) often misconducted himself by gabbling and -skipping--whilst the masters, perched in desks aloft, kept themselves -just awake by watching boys whom they “spited.” The boys themselves -had their own resources wherewith “to palliate dullness, and give time -a shove.” Kneeling with head down, as if in deep devotion, many a one -of them contrived to carve his initials on his seat without being -observed, and very few took the least interest in the service. As for -the interminable sermons, those they frankly disliked and despised, the -preachers being generally prosy and sometimes incoherent. As a fellow -of some originality said in one of his quaint discourses, the hearts -of the boys were like gooseberry tarts without sugar, and the vast -majority took little trouble to conceal their dislike for chapel during -the “restoration,” when the school attended service in a temporary -building. The forms on which they sat there being somewhat flimsy, -every effort was made to smash as many as possible, in order that boys -might have an excuse for absenting themselves owing to lack of seats. - -Most of the congregation looked upon the enormously lengthy services -as so much extra school and took no interest in the responses, for -years uttered by an old clerk named Gray, who was an Eton institution -dating from 1809. With the lapse of years he had become somewhat -deaf, and consequently made occasional blunders which were a constant -source of amusement. Especially did his hearers delight in old Gray’s -performances on certain festivals, such as the service for the queen’s -accession, when he generally canonized her twice in the same verse of -the Psalm. “And blessed be the name of Her Majesty for ever, and all -the earth shall be full of Her Majesty.” - -On the whole, the service was not conducted in a very reverent or -attractive manner, and the impression which it would have seemed to -convey was that every one, including the “Conduct,” was anxious to -get through it as quickly as possible. A great day, however, was -Oak Apple day, when the picturesque old service in memory of the -Restoration of Charles II. was duly gone through, all the boys sporting -oak leaves as a memento of the Merry Monarch of joyous memory. On -all other occasions, however, the services proceeded with monotonous -and unvarying regularity, which more or less still prevailed in the -writer’s Eton days thirty years ago, though at that time they had been -considerably brightened and no irreverence prevailed. - -The chapel bell always stopped five minutes before the hour, but the -Provost and Fellows never made their appearance till just as the -clock struck; it seemed to be the object of all the bigger boys in -the school to come in as nearly as possible at the same time as the -College authorities did, yet without running it so fine as to cause -a disagreeable rush at the last moment. These loiterers, always the -“swells” of the school, took their places just before the entry upon -their heels of the Sixth Form boys, who always headed the procession, -which was closed by the Provost. His entry was the signal for the -commencement of the service, and the “Conduct” or chaplain whose turn -it was at once began. Everything was got through at a pretty good pace, -though after about 1840 no slovenliness was to be observed. - -[SN: A FATAL SQUIB] - -From time to time, of course, even in the days when irreverence was -common, the boys were moved by some extraordinary service which -impressed the most unthinking minds. One of these occasions was the -funeral service of a boy named Grieve, son of the English physician to -the Czar of Russia, at the commencement of the nineteenth century. On -the 5th of November, then a day of much riot at Eton, poor Grieve had -filled his pockets with what proved to him the instruments of death, -in order to enjoy the frolics of the evening, which were suddenly -ended when a young nobleman unluckily “squibbed,” as it was called, -his unfortunate friend. Some of the fireworks which were in his pocket -immediately ignited, which, communicating to the rest their deadly -errand, exploded, and literally tore off a portion of flesh from his -bones. The poor fellow’s screams were dreadful, and he died in four -days’ time. - -This sad affair threw a gloom over the school for a long time, and -games and sports were almost forgotten. When the day came for Grieve’s -burial, its awe was strongly augmented by the solemnity with which the -funeral service (that most beautiful and sublime selection of prayers) -was read by the headmaster, Dr. Goodall; indeed, among the whole body -of upwards of five hundred boys, not a dry eye was to be seen. One of -these has left on record how to his dying day he could never forget -the impression made on his mind, when, with a trembling anticipation -of the approaching procession, he heard the first words, “I am the -resurrection and the life,” and his poignant emotion as the funeral -procession slowly wound into the chapel and the sky-blue coffin[2] -broke upon his sight. - -An old Eton Sunday institution was “prose,” held in Upper School, where -the Headmaster would read a few pithy moral sentences. As a rule it is -to be feared these were pearls thrown before swine, and the swine-herd -seemed to feel disgusted as he threw them. He then gave out the -subjects of exercises for the ensuing week, and informed the boys what -would be the amount of holidays in it. - -In the old days a number of the Eton masters were not the earnest -men who are to be found in the school to-day. At a time when the -aristocracy possessed great power, it was not extraordinary that young -noblemen should have been treated with a great measure of leniency. A -certain tutor, for instance, behaved with great philosophy when one of -his pupils, belonging to a great family, rolled him down the hundred -steps, and reaped the reward by afterwards rising to a position of high -eminence in the Church. Not a few masters were shackled by hide-bound -conservatism, whilst a certain type of eighteenth century pedagogue was -quite unfitted to inculcate learning. - - Lo! on a pile of dusty folios thron’d, - Her Janus brows with dog’s-ear’d fool’s-cap crown’d, - Fenc’d with a footstool, that no step should go - Too rashly near, nor crush her gouty toe, - Obese Tuition sits, and ever drips - An inky slaver from her bloated lips! - Unwholesome vapours round her presence shed, - Dim ev’ry eye, and muddle ev’ry head, - Stunt the young shoots, which smil’d with promise once, - And breathe a deeper dulness on the dunce. - -It is not fair to criticise the old Eton masters too severely, but -undoubtedly some were incompetent. They were quite content that matters -should proceed as they understood they had proceeded in the past, -and thought it no part of their duty to attempt improvement in the -time-honoured curriculum which for generations had been in vogue at -“Eton School.” - -[SN: A BABY OPPIDAN] - -In the early twenties of the nineteenth century, boys who were mere -children, hardly out of petticoats, were sent to Eton in order that -they might gradually work their way up and get to King’s. Oppidans also -were then very young, a child aged four and a half being admitted in -1820. At that time a boy could rise to the top of the school merely -by seniority, due importance not being attached to hard work and -sound scholarship. The “trials” were then more or less nominal, but -the curious thing is, that in spite of all this Eton produced some -very fine classical scholars, while the vast majority of the boys -were better acquainted with Latin and Greek than their successors who -went to Eton when a more exacting curriculum came into force. In 1827 -there were no examinations after the Fifth Form was reached, nor any -distinction attainable except that of being sent up “for good,” the -reward for which then was a sovereign, and every third time, a book. - -When a master came across some peculiarly good set of verses he would -send them up to the Headmaster “for good”; in due course the writer -would be called up by the Head, who would compliment him and read -out the lines to the assembled boys in Upper School. A guinea was -afterwards given to the boy by his dame. Sending up “for good” seems -now on the increase, but in my own school-days one seldom heard of -any one achieving such a distinction, whilst sending up “for play” -was rarer still. In the past, getting into Sixth Form did not change -an Eton boy’s life nearly so much as it does to-day. True, he had his -seat in the stalls in chapel, and came into church later than any one -else except the Provost and Fellows; in Upper School on certain public -occasions, he had also the honour of making speeches. Beyond this, -however, and the release from shirking the masters, his position was in -no wise altered or improved. - -Fifty years ago Eton in respect to school work somewhat resembled -an oriental state in which the first symptoms of modernisation are -beginning to appear. In the main the old classical traditions -commanded a rigid adherence, boys with a totally insufficient knowledge -of Greek being by a polite fiction supposed to be able to construe -Homer with ease, whilst dunces who could not write a sentence in -correct English were every week obliged to show up a copy of Latin -verses. The wonder is how all this was ever done at all, but done it -was; and, considering the vast ignorance of the majority, who frankly -regarded the whole thing with a sort of good-humoured contempt, done -fairly well. Perhaps this was in no small degree owing to the fact that -in almost every house there was some easy-going clever boy who, having -received a good grounding at a private school, was able and ready to -help his less gifted schoolfellows. - -[SN: MAP MAKING] - -One of the great features of school work was the execution of a map -once every week, illustrating various countries as they were in -classical times. Occasionally boys with a turn for drawing would -decorate the margins of their maps with some fanciful device. As a -rule, the masters extended a good-humoured toleration to this practice, -which often bore some reference to current events. At the time when a -coming prize-fight was exciting great interest in sporting circles, -a boy decorated the top of his map with portraits of the two fistic -heroes of the day. This, however, was little appreciated by his master. -A more clever form of decoration was the picture of an eight-oar -manned by masters and steered by Dr. Keate which a clever pupil of the -Doctor drew in the middle of the Mediterranean with _Gens inimica mihi -Tyrrhenum navigat aequor_ inscribed beneath the boat. All the maps were -shown up on the same day, when “Map Morning,” as it was called, filled -the school yard. - -The old system of sending mere children to Eton lasted up to about -half a century ago. In 1857 boys went still there as young as nine -or ten, nor was it uncommon to see children of seven or eight in the -Lower School. Many stayed at Eton till they were eighteen, after -having worked their way up from the First Form to Doctor’s Division, -at the rate of two removes a year--a process which, including three -years’ inevitable stoppage in Upper Fifth, required more than ten -years to accomplish. In the school list for Election, 1834, Lower -School has shrunk to a very small number. The first part of it, Third -Form, contains but three boys; the second division, seven. “Sense” and -“Nonsense,” which come next, have but six between them; there is no one -in Second Form, and in First Form only two. - -Up to the early ’sixties of the last century, certain divisions of -Third Form retained some quaint old titles--the first sections being -called Upper Greek, Lower Greek, “Sense” and “Nonsense.” Lower Remove, -Upper and Lower Remove in the Second Form and First Form completed the -tail-end of the school. “Sense” and “Nonsense,” it should be added, -received their quaint titles because boys in the latter were doomed to -a sort of “poetical purgatory,” and only wrote “nonsense” verses; that -is, Latin compositions which scanned as verse, but contained no ideas; -in which respect the effusions in question resembled the productions of -some living bards. - -[SN: LOWER SCHOOL] - -When Mr. John Hawtrey was an Eton master, Lower School, somewhat -altering its constitution, became larger again; the boys in it, mostly -very young, being all together in his house at the corner of Keate’s -Lane, where he kept what was practically a private school apart. His -boys were not allowed the same amount of liberty as those in other -houses: they took breakfast and tea in common, and generally played -their games in Mr. Hawtrey’s private field. On reaching the Upper -School they usually went to other houses. - -The curriculum of Lower School was entirely different from that -followed by the Upper Forms. In “Nonsense” the boys, besides being -taught to write nonsense verses, grappled with intricacies of the old -“Eton Latin Grammar.” After this they were promoted to “Sense,” when -the nonsense verses were discarded; Lower Greek and Upper Greek did -very elementary work. - -After Mr. John Hawtrey had left Eton to set up a preparatory school -at Aldin House, Slough, Lower School once more became small. In 1868, -just previous to its abolition, it contained 69 boys. The school -list had then ceased to give the old terms, Upper Greek, “Sense,” and -“Nonsense.” Shortly after First and Second Forms were abolished and -Fourth Form placed under control of the Lower Master, the Reverend -Francis Edward Durnford, so well known as “Judy” to several generations -of Etonians. Third Form still continued to exist in the writer’s day -(1879 to 1883); but it then seldom contained more than two or three -boys. Since that time it has varied in number, sometimes amounting to -ten or a dozen, or, as at present (1911), eight. It is interesting to -note that there are now more than sixty assistant masters, as compared -with ten in 1834. In the same time the number of boys at Eton has more -than doubled. - -[SN: SHIRKING] - -Up to the end of the nineteenth century there was a glaring -inconsistency in various unwritten regulations which ruled the Eton -boy out of school. Certain ordinances were seemingly moulded upon an -Hibernian model, many things being forbidden in theory though allowed -in practice. Up to 1860 everything beyond Barnes Pool Bridge was -considered out of bounds, though the river and terrace of Windsor -Castle were not. The boys, of course, went up town freely, most of -the shops they used being in the High Street beyond the bridge, and -so the ridiculous custom of “shirking” grew up. When an Eton boy up -town perceived a master he would get behind a lamp-post or rush into a -shop, the merest pretext of concealment from view being, as a rule, -sufficient to prevent the “beak” from taking any notice of him, for -it was not etiquette for masters to see boys, provided “shirking” was -observed. A number of extraordinary usages prevailed in connection with -the somewhat senseless custom. For instance, it was not the thing for a -master to turn round to look out for a boy following behind--the whole -system was ludicrous. One boy, seeing a master enter a confectioner’s -shop, where he was eating an ice, escaped notice by shutting one eye -and holding up the spoon in front of the other! - -At one time Sixth Form boys had to be “shirked” like the masters, but -this seems to have been very laxly observed, “liberties,” that is to -say exemptions, being often granted. - -Another great inconsistency was that though by the laws of the school, -no Eton boy might enter the Christopher, there were very few Etonians -who were not thoroughly acquainted with the interior of the old town, -where at one time Upper boys had regular dinners which were known to -the whole school. - -[SN: WINDSOR FAIR] - -Though “shirking” as a general rule ensured a boy’s immunity from -punishment when out of bounds, it ceased to exercise its charm at -Windsor Fair (abolished about 1871), which was strictly prohibited. -Nevertheless, the boys attended it in flocks, part of their amusement -consisting in dodging the masters. - -It was highly characteristic of the old-fashioned Eton system, that -though the Fair was strictly forbidden, no efforts at all were made to -prevent boys from going there, though they were often severely punished -if caught. Not a few of the masters, however, almost openly tolerated -such transgressions, and a few even made a point of giving their -pupils double pocket-money in Fair week. It must be remembered that -at that time all the masters were old Etonians, having passed their -lives between the school and King’s. Consequently they were generally -imbued with the old traditions, and had never come across any external -influences likely to alter a point of view adopted when they themselves -were being trained by masters of an old-fashioned Conservative type. - -At the Fair a large quantity of pocket-money was expended at the -various booths, the keepers of which, of course, at once recognised an -Eton boy, whom all the professional tricksters of the place looked upon -as their surest game. Every device was put before him, and all sorts of -temptations held out to induce him to stop and have a trial, as they -called it, of his luck. Cards, rings, coins, everything in fact was -made into an instrument for gaining a little money during this harvest -of inexperience. - -The rifle gallery, where they gave two shots for a penny, was a -favourite resort, and every stall which the boys passed, whatever -was the sort of trumpery with which it was filled, formed an excuse -for loitering to examine what there was. Dolls and knives and penny -trumpets and rattles, all required attention; boxes and brooches were -haggled over, and rings, and even rags, minutely inspected. - -The Fair consisted of a number of booths stretching from the Town Hall -to Castle Yard. There were the usual shows, and in the eighteenth -century a bull bait on Bachelors’ Acre, the place of which, in -latter years, was taken by roulette. This game, of course, run by -doubtful characters, was highly attractive to certain venturesome -Etonians--there was real danger in it, for a boy caught playing was -turned down to a lower form as well as whipped. - -Though many boys were flogged for going to this October festival, it -was always a source of great delight to the school, for it gave rise to -many jokes. - -It was a common practice for boys to purchase all sorts of mechanical -toys--jumping frogs and the like--there, and surreptitiously introduce -them upon some master’s desk. On one occasion, a perfect menagerie was -successfully planted on the table before Dr. Hawtrey’s very nose, and -all the punishment the culprits received for their tomfoolery was his -withering remark, “Babies!” - -As late as the beginning of the nineteenth century the old Windsor -Theatre was often visited by Etonians. The gallery, indeed, seems -to have been more or less reserved for their use. By the middle of -the century, however, the boys had long ceased to indulge in this -amusement, but up to the late seventies a considerable number -frequented Windsor races, at that time an open meeting. - -In 1879, the writer’s first year at Eton, an idea prevailed that if -we could run there and back without missing Absence, such a visit -was not forbidden. Be this as it may, the writer, with a friend, -did run there and back, the only unpleasant consequence being the -loss of some pocket-money. In the following year, besides the notice -prohibiting boys from being on the Windsor bank of the river during -the races (which, nevertheless, did not prevent a considerable number -from crossing over), drastic measures were taken by the authorities -to prevent Etonians from going there on foot, which, owing to the -vigilance of masters in Windsor, had to be abandoned altogether. It -was no unheard-of thing for a boy in those days to run to Ascot races -and get back in time for Absence--then at six. This, of course, was -contrived by getting lifts on the way, and though some were caught -and punished, quite a number indulged in what was to them an exciting -adventure. Two or three got to the races by assuming a disguise, whilst -others were picked up and hidden in carriages and traps by obliging -elder brothers or old Etonians. One boy--Bathurst by name--according to -current report, so tickled young Lady Savernake by his impersonation of -a nigger-minstrel that she gave him a £5 piece. - -[SN: PIG FAIR] - -In Eton itself up to the ’thirties of the last century, every Ash -Wednesday there was held a Pig Fair, just outside Upper School; this, -of course, led to great disorder--the boys delighting in letting the -pigs loose, and chasing them in all directions. At the last of these -Fairs in Keate’s time, a boy actually rode a pig from the gate of -Weston’s Yard to the Christopher, at the identical moment when Keate -came out of Keate’s Lane on the way to chapel, his gown flying in the -wind. Keate took little notice of this at the time, merely remarking, -“Pigs will squeak, and boys will laugh; don’t do it again.” - -When Gladstone was a boy at Eton, considerable brutality existed in -connection with the Fair. The boys, according to old custom, hustling -the drovers and then cutting off the tails of the pigs. Gladstone -boldly denounced such cruelty, and gave considerable offence by -declaring that the boys who were foremost in this kind of butchery were -the first to quake at the consequences of detection. He dared them, if -they were proud of their work, to sport the trophies of it in their -hats. On the following Ash Wednesday he found three newly amputated -pig-tails hung in a bunch on his door, with a paper inscribed: - - “Quisquis amat porcos, porcis amabitur illis; - Cauda sit exemplum ter repetita tibi.” - -Underneath these lines the future Prime Minister wrote a challenge to -the pig-torturers, inviting them to come forward and take a receipt -for their offering, which he would mark “in good round hand upon your -faces.” The pig-baiting, however, continued till Dr. Hawtrey did away -with the Fair. - -Even in the rough old times the life of the Oppidans was pleasant -enough; a totally different state of affairs prevailing amongst them -from that which flourished in Long Chamber, where small collegers were -so roughly treated that many of them preferred to be Oppidans till such -time as they had attained a place in the school which would guarantee -them against being bullied. - -Amongst the Oppidans, indeed, there would seem never to have been any -bullying at all, whilst their health and comfort was looked after -pretty much as it is to-day. Nevertheless, in old days, they had a -far greater knowledge of the stern facts of life than is at present -the case. Their rambles round the slums of Windsor--visits to the -Fair and contact with the rough and undesirable characters of the -vicinity--taught them what human nature really is, while the fighting, -which was then recognised, precluded all trace of namby-pambyism. In -those days Eton sent forth few sentimentalists into the great world, -but it undoubtedly furnished England with the very best type of officer -to meet the enemy in the Peninsular and at Waterloo. It was an era when -the sickening cant of humanitarianism, born of luxury and weakness, had -not yet arisen to emasculate and enfeeble the British race. - -[SN: FAGGING] - -Fagging at Eton seems never to have degenerated into brutality. In -former times, however, fags had to perform many services which sound -strange to modern ears. An Etonian, for instance, who had been fag -to the future Wellington, it is said, used to declare that the chief -service he had to perform was that of bed-warmer, for the Fifth Form -then made the Lower boys lie for a time in their beds to take off the -chill. This story, however, is probably legendary, fagging amongst -the Oppidans having generally been limited to getting breakfasts from -sock shops, taking messages, and cooking. Fag-masters have seldom been -anything but considerate, and the old joke of sending a green newcomer -(after his first fortnight of immunity from fagging) to Layton’s, the -confectioner on Windsor Hill, for a pennyworth of pigeon milk, has -probably never been put into practice. - -As long as a hundred years ago cases of bullying out of College -were sternly repressed by the boys themselves. At that time a great -sensation was caused because a boy high in the Fifth Form flicked with -a wet towel the bare back of his fag, who complained after Absence -to the captain of the school. The circumstances soon got wind, and -nearly the whole school followed the captain to the bully’s dame’s, -which was Raguineau’s. He was pulled out of his room, and most soundly -horsewhipped close by one of the large elms, to the delight of all. - -Though the accommodation was not uncomfortable, the boys’ rooms were -then, as a rule, smaller and less luxurious than is the case to-day, -the windows being often barred like those of a prison or a lunatic -asylum. The furniture was all of the commonest wood, and consisted of a -table, two chairs (well carved by preceding generations), a bureau--a -sort of _multum in parvo_ for books, clothes, and everything else--and -a large press which turned into a bed; this, small boys always regarded -with misgiving, it being a practice for raiding parties to shut the -occupier up in it. - -In 1825 some of the rooms were as small as five feet by six, some were -not carpeted, and a few of those on the ground floor were unpleasant -owing to the contents of pails descending from the upper windows. - -On the fifth of November the Lower boys revenged their wrongs by making -a bonfire of their Greek grammars in the school-yard; and later in the -year, when the snow came, they would industriously collect it in the -house, in order that in the evening they might overwhelm some little -fellow and his books with a pile of it. - -Very early rising was then the rule, and in winter boys got up by -candle-light. The Fourth Form had an infliction called “Long-morning.” -They had to be in school by half-past seven, but when the masters -overslept themselves there was a “run”--_i.e._ no school. At the -beginning of the eighteenth century there was an earlier school still, -at six o’clock. - -[SN: NICKNAMES] - -Nicknames have always been popular at Eton, many of them enduring in -after-life. Thomas James, who in 1766 wrote an account of the school, -was nicknamed Mordecai and Pasteboard, whilst the three brothers Pott -were called Quart, Pint, and Gill. - -About the middle of the eighteenth century nicknames both for masters -and boys were very common. Certain masters were then called Pernypopax -Dampier, Gronkey Graham, Pogy Roberts, Buck Ekins, Bantam Sumner, -and Wigblock Prior. The following are some boys’ nicknames:--Bacchus -Browning (Earl Powis), Square Buckeridge, Tiger Clive, King Cole, -Mother and Hoppy Cotes, Damme Duer, Dapper Dubery, Baboon FitzHugh, -Chob and Chuff Hunter, Toby Liddell, Squashey Pollard, Codger Praed, -Hog Weston, Gobbo Young, and Woglog Calley. - -In old days many Eton nicknames were superior, and often elegantly -classical. At one time a boy named M’Guire was well known in the -school, because, if prizes had been given for knock-knees he would have -carried off the first prize anywhere. Homer has a stock of phrases -with which he is apt to fill up his verse, just as lawyers use “common -forms” for their prose. One of these, frequently occurring in the -description of a hero, is _phaidima guia_ (beautiful limbs), and Paddy -M’Guire bore the appropriate name of “Phaidima Guia.” - -A peculiarly happy nickname was Lapis Lazuli or Cornelius a lapide, -applied to a boy (Newcastle scholar), in after-life well known to -Etonians as the Rev. E. D. Stone. He recently contributed some most -interesting recollections of Eton to an attractive book written by Mr. -Christopher Stone, his son. - -One of the most apt nicknames ever bestowed on any boy was Verd -Antique, applied to the eldest of five brothers Green, who were at Eton -at the same time--the other four being known as Maximus, Major, Minor, -and Minimus. - -Slang, though fairly prevalent then, in later years was of a different -kind. It would appear that Eton boys did not then say “burry” for -“bureau,” nor “brolly” for “umbrella,” whilst “footer” for “football” -was unknown. A favourite old Eton colloquialism, “con,” a word -equivalent in its meaning to chum and pal, has now long died out, -whilst “pec” used for money was about obsolete thirty years ago. -“Scug,” an untidy boy, and “scuggish,” bad form, words which were -constantly in the mouths of Etonians of two or three generations back, -are now, I believe, much less used by Upper boys. “Sock,” a term -denoting all kinds of dainties, still exists, but masters are called -“ushers” instead of “beaks.” “Gig,” an old piece of Eton slang which -comprehended all that was ridiculous, all that was to be laughed at and -plagued, has long ceased to be used. - -[SN: DAMES AND TUTORS] - -A curious and old-fashioned word once in constant use amongst Eton -boys, but now quite obsolete, was “brozier”--this indicated a boy who -had spent his pocket-money, and was without means of obtaining “sock.” -Brozier was also used in connection with a disconcerting manœuvre -sometimes executed by boys at the expense of a dame. When one of these -ladies had gained the reputation of not providing sufficient food at -the usual meals, and of keeping an ill-stocked larder, an organised -attempt would be made to eat her “out of house and home”--as the supply -of provisions became exhausted, more would be demanded in the most -pointed manner--this was known as “Brozier my dame.” - -One of these ladies, possessed of great strength of mind and resource, -being exposed to a determined attempt of this kind, turned the tide -just as her boys--though nearly choked in the moment of victory--were -winning the battle. Whispering two words to her maid, the latter -disappeared only to return with an enormous cheese, as strong as it -was big. This the dame cut away liberally, saying with a smile, that -it must not be spared, for there was another bigger one handy. The -boys never tried a brozier with her again. This lady had a happy knack -of managing her boys, and after getting them flogged relentlessly on -slight provocation, would, in spite of themselves, laugh them out of -all ill-humour. - -The earliest “Tutor’s” house on record seems to have been kept by W. H. -Roberts, a master who took a few pupils in 1760. When the eighteenth -century had got fairly under way, the Oppidans were in all probability -distributed amongst “dames” and tutors in much the same way as has -prevailed in recent times. - -Of late, however, a dame has come to be merely the technical name of a -house-master who has no regular “division” or class in the school. They -are often mathematical masters, or teachers of special subjects. In old -days many ladies used to keep boarding-houses for the boys, which of -course gave rise to the name of “dame.” Miss Evans, who died in 1906, -was the last of these. She was universally respected and beloved, and -occupied a unique position in Eton life,--her name will long survive. - -One of the most celebrated dames of other days was Miss Angelo, a -pretty woman who, it is said, was made an Eton dame owing to the -good offices of George the Fourth when Prince of Wales. This lady’s -pony chaise and fur tippet were familiar to several generations of -Etonians, among whom she bore the nickname of the Duchess of Eton. -She belonged to the famous family which furnished four generations of -fencing-masters to the school. - -[SN: LEAVING BOOKS] - -Old Eton was full of peculiar customs--bad, good, and indifferent. -Amongst the latter was the giving of Leaving-Books. Often a popular -boy would go away from Eton with quite a fine little library of these, -and towards the end of each school-time there was some rivalry and -excitement about these collections. Williams’ (the bookseller) shop -became resplendent at such times, the books being all handsomely -bound and mostly gilt, and varying in price from a guinea upwards. -Eventually, however, the gifts became absurdly numerous, and in 1868 -the custom was abolished by Dr. Hornby--mainly, I believe, on the -score of economy. It might have been better, perhaps, to have limited -the price of the books, for these gifts were productive of kindly -feelings. The receiver always shook hands with the donor and requested -him to write his name in the book, and the collection formed a pleasant -remembrance of Eton in after years, and a memorial of friendship with -schoolfellows. - -Every boy who gave a leaving-book had to be thanked and shaken hands -with. And in the last week of the Half boys came and wrote their names -in their respective books “after two,” when those leaving Eton were -expected to be in their rooms, where various dainties were provided. -After the names had been signed there was more shaking of hands. - -Another old usage, now very rightly abolished, was “Leaving-Money.” In -former days an Oppidan, as he said good-bye to the Headmaster, would -leave, in an envelope, a sum, the amount of which depended upon the -generosity of his parents. - -The recognised method for a boy to present this donation was to hold -the envelope inside his hat, which he would place for a moment on the -table, and so unostentatiously deposit his offering. - -The position of a Headmaster receiving such gifts was rather awkward, -and Dr. Hawtrey, a man of great delicacy and refinement of manner, -used to ignore them as far as was possible. At the end of the Summer -Half, he would observe, “It’s rather warm, I think I’ll open the -window,” and as he did so, the envelope was furtively laid upon the -table. When the next boy who was leaving was ushered in, the same -process was gone through, except that the Doctor would observe, “Don’t -you think it’s rather cold? I think I’d better shut the window.” - -[SN: THE LONG GLASS] - -A distinctly bad old custom, which prevailed up to quite recent -times, was the draining of the “Long Glass” at Tap--that curious Eton -institution where the Upper part of the school are still allowed to -obtain chops, steaks, bread and cheese, beer and cider. Though the long -glass is still preserved, I believe it has not been used for many a -long year, a circumstance which can arouse nothing but gratification -amongst all sensible people. - -At one time there was “Long-Glass” drinking once or twice a week during -the Summer Half. Nearly a yard long, and holding a quart, the glass -in question somewhat resembles a coach-horn with a bulb instead of -an opening at the large end. Aspirants to the honour of draining it -attended in an upper room of Tap after two, each with a napkin tied -round his neck. The object was to drain the glass without removing it -from the lips, and without spilling any of its contents, which was -extremely hard, for when the contents of the tubular portion of the -glass had been sucked down, the beer in the globe would remain for a -moment as if congealed there; and if the glass was tilted up a little, -and shaken, the beer would give a gurgle and suddenly splutter all over -his face and clothes. Only by holding the Long Glass at a certain angle -could a catastrophe be avoided. - -The results of this rather disgusting practice were often to be clearly -discerned on the coats and waistcoats of boys emerging from Tap, and it -is to be hoped that, unlike some other old Eton customs which deserve -revival, it will remain merely a memory of a more intemperate age. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[2] It seems to have been an old custom for boys who died at Eton to be -buried thus. - - - - -III DR. KEATE--FLOGGING AND FIGHTING - - -At the end of the eighteenth century the Eton boys had become somewhat -difficult to control. Heath and Goodall had both been Headmasters fond -of comfort and ease, and in order to keep things from drifting into -a state of open disorder, ignored many infractions of discipline. -In consequence of this they both enjoyed a fair measure of personal -popularity--the parents would seem to have known little about what was -going on, for, in spite of the continued deterioration in discipline, -the numbers of the school continued to rise. - -[SN: DR. KEATE] - -When Keate became Headmaster in 1809, he found himself confronted by a -somewhat difficult situation. A man of unflinching character, he had at -first to suffer for the weakness of his predecessors and, owing to his -stern methods, incurred unpopularity which it took some time to efface. - -No one who had ever come in contact with Keate ever forgot him, for his -appearance was exceedingly striking. He was a small man, little more -than five feet high, short-necked, short-legged, thick-set, powerful, -and very active, whilst within his small frame was concentrated the -pluck of ten battalions. His countenance resembled that of a bull-dog, -and he also had something of that animal’s mouth. Indeed, it was -said in the school that old Keate could pin and hold a bull with his -teeth. His iron sway was to many a very unpleasant change, after the -long, mild reign of Dr. Goodall, whose temper, character, and conduct -corresponded precisely with his name, and under whom Keate had been -master of the Lower School. He was at first, there can be little doubt, -too severe; discipline, wholesome and necessary in moderation, being -carried by him to an excess; on one morning alone he is said to have -flogged eighty boys. Flogging, indeed, may be said to have been the -head and front, or rather the head and tail, of his system. Like Dr. -Busby, the famous Headmaster of Westminster School, he never spoilt the -child by sparing the rod. According to Dr. Johnson, Busby used to call -that instrument of correction his sieve, and declare that whoever did -not pass through it was no boy for him. Keate, although rigid, rough, -and despotical, was on the whole not unjust, nor devoid of kindness, -a proof of which is that, after twenty-five years, he retired fairly -triumphant, applauded and respected by the vast majority of those with -whom he had come in contact. During one of the frequent visits which he -paid to Eton after his retirement, his grim old face was seen looking -down on the boats in Boveney Lock, whereupon the crews stood up and -cheered their old master with a will. - -Much has been written of the curious appearance of the famous -Headmaster, who has been said to have worn a fancy dress partly -resembling the costume of Napoleon and partly that of a widow woman. -This was a great exaggeration. It is true he wore a huge cocked hat; -this was not from eccentricity, but because he was a Conservative and -respected tradition--it had long been the custom for the Head- and -Lower-Masters at Eton to wear such a head-dress, and Keate merely -retained it after it had become obsolete with the rest of the world. - -[SN: THE ROUGH OLD DAYS] - -As a rule the famous Headmaster wore an angry look, whilst ever ready -to explode into a rage, though occasionally flashes of unexpected -good-nature would temper his attitude of unwavering severity. This, -however, was seldom, his command over his good temper being so complete -that he scarcely ever allowed it to appear. On the other hand he could -not be put out of humour, being always in the ill-humour which he -thought fitting for a Headmaster. He had a fine voice, which he could -modulate with great skill; but he had also the power of quacking like -an angry duck, and the latter was his almost invariable way of speaking -to boys to inspire respect. His red shaggy eyebrows were so prominent -that he habitually used them as arms and hands for the purpose of -pointing out any object towards which he wished to direct attention. -The rest of his features were equally striking in their way, and highly -characteristic of the man. - -Dr. Keate was not devoid of sense of humour. On one occasion when he -had set a certain form an essay on “_Temere nil facias_,” one boy -named Rashleigh failed to send in any work at all. The Doctor, who of -all men was the last to be trifled with in such matters, sent for the -delinquent, and, glowering with ferocity, demanded the meaning of such -conduct. The culprit, however, was quite undismayed and replied, “Sir, -you told me yourself not to do it.” - -“What do you mean?” retorted Keate in tones of thunder. - -“Why, sir,” replied the boy, “in setting the theme you said, ‘Do -nothing rashly,’ and I have obeyed you.” This display of ready wit, it -is said, secured the offender’s pardon. - -When Keate assumed the Headmastership the whole public-school system -had remained behind the age, and many of the manners and customs of -barbarous times still continued at schools long after home life and -manners had become civilised. There is no reason to suppose that Dr. -Keate was in any way of a brutal disposition or wanting in natural -affections. He had to deal with a very difficult situation, and it is -greatly to his credit that he maintained the prestige and increased the -numbers of Eton in spite of almost insurmountable difficulties. - -When, for instance, it became clear to the boys that the easy-going -state of affairs which had prevailed under Dr. Goodall had come to an -end, the school was thrown into a state of latent rebellion. One of -the first innovations imposed by Keate was to impose an “absence” the -evening after what was then known as “long church.” - -The first time this was put into force the whole school booed the -Headmaster as he opened his mouth, and it took him two hours to get -through calling the “absence,” though various tutors did all they could -to help him detect the boys who were the ringleaders of the disorder. -After trying to discover the principal culprits and failing, Keate -finally determined to punish the last remove of the Upper Fifth and -the whole of the Lower Fifth (there was then no Middle Division), whom -he considered responsible for the outbreak, by making them attend a -five-o’clock “absence.” Some ninety boys absented themselves, or rather -hid behind the trees in the playing fields where this “absence” was -called, and purposely did not answer their names. The situation was -grave, and at first it seemed likely that all of these rebels would be -expelled; eventually, however, Keate determined to be more lenient and -merely announced that he would “flog the lot.” - -[SN: SWISHING WHOLESALE] - -When the first batch came up for punishment in the library a scene -of riot took place, and as the first boy knelt down on the block a -shower of eggs smashed round Keate; in fact, after three victims had -suffered, the Headmaster’s clothes had got into such a state owing -to the unsavoury missiles hurled at him, that he had to go home and -change. On his return, however, he was seen to be accompanied by a -number of assistant masters, and owing to their aid in keeping order -he had finished swishing the whole of the ninety boys by eight o’clock -that evening. - -The masters must have had their work cut out to subdue the -insubordination of such turbulent boys. Though the number of these -boys was close on 500--later, from 1821 to 1827, it varied between 528 -and 612--at no time were there more than nine assistants, including -the Lower Master. While some of the forms in the Lower School only had -twenty or thirty boys, certain divisions in the Upper School were of -quite unwieldy size. In 1820 Dr. Keate’s own division had swelled to -198. He then relieved himself by creating the Middle Division of the -Fifth, but he continued to keep about 100 boys under his own charge at -the end of Upper School, where much disorder prevailed. - -All sorts of jokes and tricks were indulged in, and about 1810 it -became a regular practice during the Winter Half to try and put out -the candles in the two great chandeliers. There had originally been -three of these, but according to tradition the third had been broken in -the great rebellion some thirty years before. On one occasion a huge -stone that was shied at the chandelier went within an inch of Keate’s -head and cracked the panel behind him. Having somehow got to know the -culprit, Keate let it be known that it was a boy at a certain dame’s, -at the same time declaring that the only chance the boy had was to give -himself up and trust to his leniency; otherwise he would be expelled. -The boy was George Dallas, a straightforward fellow. He immediately -went to Keate, confessed, and solemnly assured the Doctor that he had -never intended to hurt him. Keate said he believed him, but of course -Dallas must know that the lightest punishment he deserved was a good -flogging, and that flogging he got. - -A large part of the boys’ time seems to have been spent devising -ingenious forms of annoying Keate, who sat enthroned in a spacious -elevated desk, enclosed on all sides, like a pew, with two doors, one -on each side. One fine morning he entered Upper School, and, going to -his desk, tried to open one door, and found it was fastened. He went -round, grinning, growling, and snarling, to the other side; the door -there had been screwed up too. The desk was up to the breast of a tall -man and as high as Keate’s head; nevertheless, laying his hand on the -top of it, he lightly vaulted in, the feat being saluted with loud -cheers and a hearty laugh. This made the Doctor more angry than ever. -“I will make some of you suffer,” he said, and he did; for the next -day, to the general astonishment, he called up all the boys who had -been concerned in the screwing up and soundly flogged them. The secret -of this was that Cartland, Keate’s servant, suspecting that mischief -was afoot, secreting himself between the ceiling and roof of Upper -School, had witnessed the whole screwing-up process through the rose -from which hung a chandelier, and carefully noted down the names of the -boys concerned. - -Another time a huge mastiff was put under Keate’s seat, but the Doctor -was fiercer than the dog, which ran away, frightened at his angry gaze. - -[SN: THIS ISN’T A GIRLS’ SCHOOL] - -One of the old school, Keate had no sympathy with innovations. Though -he himself is said to have always carried an umbrella in sunshine as -well as rain, he could not bear to see a boy with one. “Wet, sir? Don’t -talk to me of weather, sir,” he would say; “you must make the best of -it. This isn’t a girls’ school.” By way of paying their Headmaster -out for such a remark, a party of boys once made an expedition to the -neighbouring village of Upton, took down a large board inscribed in -smart gilt letters “Seminary for Young Ladies,” and fixed it up over -the great west entrance into the school-yard, where it met the Doctor’s -angry eyes in the morning. - -In spite of his stern disposition and rough ways Keate was highly -sensitive as to ridicule, and especially disliked attempts to -caricature his appearance. - -When the informer in the celebrated case of the Cato Street -conspirators--an Italian image-man by trade, and a very clever -one--made his appearance at Eton one day with a tray full of plaster -busts of the well-known Doctor, cocked hat and all, Keate was very much -annoyed to find that his likeness was selling like wildfire amongst -the boys. There seemed to be only one way of preventing the wholesale -popularisation of his dumpy figure, so, buying up what was left of the -Italian’s stock, he had the figures taken to his backyard and broken up. - -One or two boys had the temerity to personate Keate. Lord Douro, son of -the Iron Duke, dressed in an exact copy of the Doctor’s robes and hat, -actually painted the Headmaster’s door red one night, to the amazement -of a few persons who saw him. - -In some verse commemorating this feat, the watchmen were supposed to be -summoned before a conclave of masters the next morning to describe what -they had seen:-- - - “We both last night - Saw him--the Doctor--in his own cocked-hat, - His bands, his breeches, and his bombasine, - Paint his own door-post red.” Then great the wrath, - And great the marvel of that conclave; all - Turned their cold eyes on him, their dreaded chief, - Convicted on such damning evidence - Of this irreverend deed. - -Keate never discovered the culprit till years after when, as a Canon of -Windsor, he was entertaining Lord Douro at dinner. The latter, speaking -of Eton days, alluded to the door-painting incident, and was about to -make a full confession when Keate became so red in the face that he -thought it wiser to desist. - -[SN: AMATEUR FLOGGING] - -Lord Abingdon was another Eton boy noted for his mimicry of Keate; -indeed, dressed up in a cocked hat and gown made expressly for him, -his disguise was so perfect that he actually went round one night and -called “Absence” at the different dames’ houses without being detected. -Years later, after a dinner-party at his home in Oxfordshire, his -Lordship would dress up as Keate, and, birch in hand, enact a scene -in the “library” for the edification of visitors. On one of these -occasions he persuaded one of them to “go down” on a block, made in -exact imitation of that at Eton, which stood in the room, whilst two -others “held him down,” and the story goes that the noble host pitched -into his guest with such hearty goodwill that, when allowed to get up, -the latter was so sore in more ways than one that he called for his -carriage and drove off in a great rage. - -Though boys mimicked and laughed at Keate behind his back, very few had -the courage to stand up to him face to face. One of the few, however, -who did so was Charles Fox Townshend, the founder of “Pop,” who, -“staying out” on account of indisposition, refused to write out and -translate the lessons of the day, in consequence of which he was in due -course summoned to the awful presence of the redoubtable Headmaster. In -the well-known tones of thunder which made four generations of Etonians -tremble, Keate demanded the meaning of such conduct. “Don’t speak so -loud, Dr. Keate,” replied Townshend, “or you will make my head ache. -If I had felt fit to write out and translate the lesson I should have -gone into school, but I did not feel well enough, so I stayed out.” The -famous Headmaster, it is said, was so dumbfoundered by the readiness of -the delinquent’s reply that he let him go without any punishment. - -On the whole, Keate does not seem to have been an ill-natured man, -for, in spite of his occasional fits of ferocity, he was held in -considerable esteem by a large number of the boys. They bore him no -ill-will for the floggings he had caused them to undergo, and, when -he left Eton in 1834, presented him with a gift testifying their -appreciation of his merits. This consisted of a silver reproduction of -the Warwick Vase, on the pedestal of which was inscribed-- - - PRESENTED - BY THE EXISTING MEMBERS OF ETON SCHOOL - TO THE REVD. JOHN KEATE, D.D. - ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE HEADMASTERSHIP - JULY 30, 1834, - AS A TESTIMONY OF THE HIGH SENSE THEY ENTERTAIN - OF HIS EXQUISITE TASTE AND ACCURATE SCHOLARSHIP - SO LONG AND SO SUCCESSFULLY DEVOTED - TO THEIR IMPROVEMENT - AND OF THE FIRM YET PARENTAL EXERCISE - OF HIS AUTHORITY - WHICH HAS CONCILIATED THE AFFECTION - WHILE IT HAS COMMANDED THE RESPECT OF - HIS SCHOLARS. - -[SN: AN AMUSING DINNER] - -Keate was in Paris soon after Waterloo, and there he met a number -of old pupils to whom he had administered castigations. The latter -determined to give their former pedagogue a dinner, which in due -course took place at the Restaurant Beauvilliers, then one of the -best dining-places in Paris, the hosts being Lord Sunderland, Lord -James Stuart, and other scions of the aristocracy. The banquet was -a most jovial one, and Keate did full justice to its excellence, -drinking every kind of toast, and making a most suitable speech, which -appropriately ended with “Floreat Etona.” After dinner a good deal of -chaff began to fly around the table, and the guest of the evening was -told of many Eton happenings which he had never heard before. For the -first time he learnt of how two of his masters had secretly contrived -to go up to London every Saturday in order to dine with Arnold and -Kean at Drury Lane, surreptitious suppers at the “Christopher” were -described, whilst tales of tandem expeditions, fights with bargees, and -poaching excursions in Windsor Park reached his somewhat astonished -ears. The old man, however, took everything in excellent part, merely -remarking that all he had heard but inspired him with regrets that -he had not flogged the assembled company as much as they appeared to -have deserved. On leaving, he thanked his hosts in a few well-turned -phrases, and, parting from them on excellent terms, went home amidst -loud cheers. - -No doubt he owed a good part of the popularity which, in spite of his -sternness, he eventually obtained to the attractions of Mrs. Keate, who -was a very fascinating woman. In the year 1814, during a match with -Epsom, the Eton champion, John Harding, scored 74--an extraordinary -number in those days, when the bowling generally beat the bat. It -called forth a poem from a clever Colleger (“Marshal” Stone), in which -were the following lines. The Doctor saw them and was vastly amused:-- - - No vulgar wood was the bat of might - That swung in the grasp of Harding wight; - No vulgar maker’s name it wore, - Nor vulgar was the name it bore. - It was a bat full fair to see, - And it drove the balls right lustily; - Without a flaw, without a speck, - Smoothe as fair Hebe’s ivory neck-- - It was withal so light, so neat, - The Harding called it--Mrs. Keate. - -When the allied sovereigns were present at a fête in the gardens at -Frogmore in 1815, the King of Prussia is said to have gone up and -kissed Mrs. Keate, making the excuse of her remarkable likeness to his -Queen. - -All sorts of stories have been told of Keate’s fondness for wielding -the birch. “Remember, boys,” he is once supposed to have said, “you are -to be pure in heart, or I’ll flog you till you are.” - -He certainly did castigate an enormous number of Etonians, amongst -them, it is said, half the Ministers, Secretaries, Bishops, Generals, -and Dukes of the earlier portion of the nineteenth century; but, -nevertheless, the boys in his own division were usually punished by -having to write out impositions, and were not flogged except for some -very flagrant offence, such as intoxication. - -Keate, as Headmaster of Eton, it must be remembered, was chief -executioner, and had to do justice when a boy was complained of by any -assistant master. - -The school had drifted into very slack ways, and Keate, who possessed -a very intimate knowledge of Eton, realised that leniency would merely -make matters worse. Consequently he rather favoured drastic measures, -and in spite of adverse criticism his system had a good effect. It has -often been urged that it failed because the boys at times openly defied -his authority. In the earlier days of his rule this was occasionally -the case, and gross insubordination prevailed, though it never reached -such a point as it had attained in the days of Keate’s predecessors. -On the other hand, when the stern old Headmaster handed over the reins -of power to Dr. Hawtrey, the school had become quite orderly and -controlled. - -[SN: NAPOLEONIC METHODS] - -Though, as has already been said, not much given to flogging boys -under his immediate control, he was a firm believer in the efficacy -of the birch for almost every kind of offence, and was quite ready -to be a ruthless executioner in order to facilitate the work of his -subordinates. - -His methods were entirely Napoleonic, and when flogging boys who -had committed some unusually heinous offence, by way of making -an impression on their minds as well as their bodies, he used to -accompany his infliction of punishment with a number of cutting remarks -punctuated by strokes of the birch: “A disgrace to your friends” -(swish, swish), “Ruin to your parents” (swish, swish, swish, swish), -“You’ll come to the gallows at last!” and so forth. - -Flogging at Eton was once described by the _Edinburgh Review_ as “an -operation performed on the naked back by the Headmaster himself, who is -always a gentleman, and sometimes a high dignitary of the Church.” - -The Eton boys of the past took their floggings very lightly. One of -them having, it is said, been flogged by the Headmaster by mistake for -another boy, though he knew that he had done nothing to deserve his -castigation, made no attempt whatever to escape it. When, however, -the real culprit was discovered an investigation took place, and -the flogged one’s tutor then asked, “Why did you not explain to the -Headmaster that you had never been complained of?” - -“Well, sir,” was the reply, “I have been complained of so often that -once more or less didn’t seem to matter much; besides, I thought that -very likely some master I had forgotten about might have complained of -me after all.” - -[Illustration: Headmaster’s Room, showing Swishing Block and Birches.] - -Like many others, Fielding, a typical Englishman of a long-past age, -was in after life proud of having been flogged. Alluding to Eton in his -introduction to the thirteenth book of _Tom Jones_ he says, “Thee in -thy favourite fields, where the limpid, gently rolling Thames washes -thy Etonian banks, in early youth I have worshipped. To thee, at thy -birchen altar, with true Spartan devotion, I have sacrificed my blood.” - -[SN: REFUSING TO GO DOWN] - -In later times, however, a certain number of boys have shown an -invincible dislike of being birched, and some have actually preferred -to undergo expulsion rather than kneel at the block. The 4th Marquis -of Ailesbury (notorious for his follies) when a boy at Eton, having -been complained of, ran away in order to avoid a punishment to which -he declared he would never submit. This, I believe, happened twice, -after which he was at last obliged to confront the Lower Master, who -administered a certain number of strokes. On rising from the block, -however, the irrepressible culprit made use of such language that his -sojourn at Eton was at once cut short. In most cases, however, fear -of expulsion has generally made those summoned to the block submit. A -peculiar case was that of a boy high up in the school, and a well-known -swell at athletics, who, going up to Oxford in order to matriculate, -instead of returning to Eton directly the examination was over, -outstayed his leave and remained for some days amusing himself with a -Christchurch friend. As a consequent result, when he did return the -voice of a praepostor was heard inquiring “Is ---- in this division? -He is to stay.” The culprit, who considered himself a grown man, at -first stoutly declared that nothing would induce him to undergo a -flogging, and it required a good deal of persuasion to make him realise -that continued resistance would entail his going away from Eton without -a leaving book; that is to say, practical expulsion, which is liable -to injure a boy’s prospects in after life. Eventually, concluding -that it would be best to submit, he duly paid the required visit to -the library, where Dr. Balston officiated in a most sympathetic but -efficient manner. - -In rougher days, scapegraces used to make a flogging the occasion -for all sorts of jokes. One boy, for instance, got a friend who had -some knowledge of art to paint a rough portrait of the Headmaster on -that portion of his body which has always been associated with the -punishment of youth. When the Head was about to deliver his blows he -was at first considerably taken aback by being confronted by his own -likeness upon such an unconventional background. However, he rose to -the occasion, and, with the aid of a couple of birches, completely -obliterated all trace of any portrait. - -In the case of big boys there is some humiliation in being flogged. A -certain captain of the boats, who had indulged too freely in champagne, -a very tall and powerful young man, about to be flogged by Dr. Hawtrey, -begged hard that he should receive his punishment in private, and thus -escape the degradation of being observed on the block by a large crowd -of boys looking through the open door. The Headmaster, however, would -not hear of this for a moment, declaring that publicity was the chief -part of the punishment. - -[SN: SABBATH CASTIGATION] - -When Election Saturday was in full swing, a certain number of boys made -a point of indulging in insubordination, thinking that so close to the -end of the half they would escape punishment. Some of the masters, -however, made a point of punishing irregularities at such a time with -ruthless determination, and never failed to complain of any boy whom -they found to be intoxicated on Election Saturday, with the result that -floggings on the Sunday (the boys then went home on the Monday) were -not infrequent. - -In order to castigate such offenders. Dr. Goodford would be ready in -his room on Sunday, where he would sometimes attend at 10.30 at night, -in order to flog boys going by an early train next day. Even those -leaving Eton altogether had to submit, for otherwise they would have -been ranked as being expelled. Mr. Brinsley Richards tells of a boy, -nearly six feet high, and with a moustache, who debated in agony of -mind whether he would take a swishing on the night before leaving the -school. He had actually got a commission in the cavalry; his uniforms -were ordered, and he was to join his regiment in ten days; but on -Election Saturday night he got uproariously drunk, was seen by a strict -master, and put in the bill. He duly surrendered to his fate, received -twelve cuts with “two birches,” and the following day took leave of -Dr. Goodford on the pleasantest terms possible. - -Dr. Goodford seems to have taken a genial view of flogging; on the -morning of one St. Andrew’s Day he swished a Scotch boy who was coming -to breakfast with him, and greeted him later on at that meal with a -cheery “Here we are again!” - -An amusing story used to be told of a boy just about to leave Eton -who, having refused to be flogged, on his arrival at home discovered, -to his horror, that his refusal to bow to constituted authority would -prevent him from being allowed to enter the career upon which he had -set his heart. Hoping to put matters right, he at once set out for -Eton, only to find on his arrival there that the Headmaster had gone -to Switzerland. The ingenious youth, determined to get flogged, then -somehow procured two birches and hurried off to Geneva, only to find -that the Head had gone on to Lucerne. To that city he too followed, -but, missing the pedagogue whom he sought, again had to continue his -pursuit, which eventually ended in the refectory of the Monastery -of Mont St. Bernard, where he eventually persuaded the Doctor to -administer the sought-for flogging amidst a circle of edified monks. -The ordeal over, the Headmaster was presented with the leaving fee, -which was then customary, in return handing the relieved youth a -leaving book in the shape of a _Guide_ to the Alps, which happened to -be the only volume procurable. - -[SN: A SWISHING TRADITION] - -During the writer’s school days at Eton, though flogging was in full -swing, the castigations administered by Dr. Hornby--and he speaks from -personal experience--were not severe. On the other hand the Lower -Master, the Rev. J. L. Joynes, tempered the severity of his floggings -according to the offence which they were intended to correct. On one -occasion the writer remembers him laying with a will into a boy who is -now a distinguished officer. The latter, however, although he received -some thirty-two strokes, administered with two birches (the first one -after a time became useless owing to the force with which it was used), -never flinched in the least, though this “real flogging” must have -occasioned considerable pain, very different from the mild sensation -produced by the usual ones--often little more than a disagreeable form. -At that time the tradition still prevailed that the wielder of the rod -whilst “swishing” was not allowed to lift his hand above his shoulder. -Though, as far as the writer can remember, this rule was adhered to by -the executioner, he has since heard that the sole foundation for the -idea was a curious underhand motion of the right arm peculiar to Dr. -Hawtrey which his successors seem to have copied. - -From time to time more or less public protests have been made against -the use of the birch, which has always been an object of detestation in -the eyes of sentimentalists and professional humanitarians. - -In 1856 a long correspondence appeared in the _Times_ dealing with the -question of flogging. This arose out of the case of a boy named Morgan -Thomas, whose father upheld him in not submitting to be flogged. - -A report that in future no Upper boys will be flogged, recently called -forth some controversy in the newspapers, most old Etonians being, -it would appear, of opinion that the abolition of the birch and the -substitution of other punishments, including, I believe, caning, are -to be deplored. The inevitable sentimentalist, however, was of course -well to the front, declaring that “birching, or even caning, is out -of date, it being much better to bring boys up to do the right thing -and to avoid doing the wrong thing from a sense of honour and pledge.” -Apparently this gentleman was under the impression that such a method -of education was a new and entire innovation! - -In future it appears that amongst Upper boys, flogging is to be -supplanted by something resembling the painful process once known -as a “College hiding.” At the time when Oppidan Fourth Form boys -used to delight in jeering at Tugs, a good many, being captured by -Collegers, were dragged off and given a number of cuts with a cane--a -far more painful ordeal, it was said, than an ordinary swishing by the -Headmaster. - -[SN: ABDUCTING THE BLOCK] - -On the evening of the 12th May 1836 three old Etonians--Lord Waterford, -Lord Alford, and Mr. J. H. Jesse, who had been entertaining some boys -to dinner at the Christopher after a boat race against Westminster, -being in particularly high spirits, determined to have some fun before -driving back to town. Not being able to get into Upper School (where -the block was then kept) by the door, Mr. Jesse and Lord Waterford, -at considerable risk, crept along the narrow stone ledge over the -colonnade, and, entering Upper School by an open window, forced the -lock of the door from within, and carried their prize off in triumph, -in spite of an attempt to stop them on the part of the College -watchman. The trophy, I believe, was never returned, and is still in -existence at Curraghmore. - -Though the abduction of the block was considered a capital joke, a more -serious view was taken of another exploit afterwards perpetrated by Mr. -Jesse. During Ascot week of the following year he contrived to wrench -the sceptre from the hand of the statue of the founder in School Yard -and get away with it. This aroused a very strong feeling of indignation -amongst boys as well as masters, and the emblem of sovereignty was, in -consequence, soon restored with an apology. This is the only time that -the bronze effigy of Henry VI., erected by Provost Godolphin in the -early years of the eighteenth century, has ever been molested. - -The block in Lower School has also had its adventures. In or about 1863 -a King’s scholar, Lewis by name, during some disturbance abstracted -it--according to tradition to save it from being destroyed during -some disorder. Whatever may have been the truth of the matter, he kept -it, and when, a short time later, he obtained a Postmastership at -Merton, took it away to Oxford with the rest of his belongings. On his -death this block passed into the possession of Dr. Lewis, who lived -in Glamorganshire; and when this gentleman died, Mr. F. T. Bircham, -obtaining it from his widow, handed it back to the Headmaster of Eton -on May 3, 1890. - -The venerable, though somewhat gruesome relic in question is of some -historical interest, for on it are carved a number of names, amongst -them Milman, Lonsdale, Routh, Wellesley, and H. Hall (1773). It is to -be hoped that, should Lower boys ever cease to need the discipline of -the birch, this relic of sterner days will be kept in Lower School, -with the old-world appearance of which it so well accords. - -The present block, the one used in the library, was, I believe, -abducted some three or four years ago, two boys having carried out -the extraordinary feat of climbing into Upper School through a window -and smuggling out the awesome relic of torture, which they eventually -sent to the authorities of the British Museum, who returned it to the -authorities of the school. - -[SN: THE OFFICIAL BIRCHMAKER] - -An important functionary in connection with Eton castigations has -always been the Headmaster’s servant, rod-making being one of his -traditional functions. Under Keate the office was held by Cartland, -opprobriously nicknamed “Sly” by Collegers, who abhorred him. In Dr. -Hawtrey’s day came Finmore, who, after the former’s death, continued in -office as servant to Dr. Goodford. Part of the duties of the office lay -in seeing that there were always at least half a dozen new rods in the -cupboard of the “library,” Dr. Goodford being apt to get very angry if -an execution had to be adjourned for want of birches. A dozen new rods -were supposed to be at hand in the cupboard every morning, for there -was no calculating the number of floggings that might be inflicted in a -day. Finmore used to make the rods at his own house, with the help of -his wife, and brought them to the library quietly after Lock Up, or in -the morning before early school. Sometimes, however, when the supply of -rods ran short Finmore had to bring in fresh birches in the middle of -the day, which, for several reasons, was a somewhat hazardous task. - -One afternoon, after three o’clock school, when there were only three -birches available, six boys were up to be flogged. The Head flogged -three of the culprits and adjourned the others till six o’clock, at -the same time ordering the Sixth Form praepostor to be sure and tell -Finmore that the cupboard must be replenished before six. Some Lower -boys, however, getting wind of this, and hearing that Finmore was bound -to come to the library between four and five, lay in wait for him, -and in due course espied him hovering near the top of Keate’s Lane, -empty-handed, but walking suspiciously near to a grocer’s cart making -its way towards Weston’s Yard. Suddenly a shout was raised, and the -crowd of boys, scampering off, stopped the cart just as it was turning -into the yard, surrounded it yelling, and extracted from it six new -birches wrapped in a cloth. Finmore, breathless and almost choking with -emotion, vainly tried to save his rods. Half a dozen boys, however, -soon ran off with one apiece, the unfortunate official being left to -bewail his evil fate. In Dr. Hornby’s day the custodian of the birches -was White, a spruce, neatly-dressed figure whom many old Etonians will -still remember. - -He it was who, in consideration of a fee of a guinea, saw that -the names of boys leaving Eton were cut in Upper School. For a -consideration he would also supply birches tied up with blue ribbon to -any one desirous of carrying away such grim mementoes. - -Whilst the block, for Lower boys at least, remains one of the features -of Eton, fighting, once a characteristic institution of the school, has -long disappeared, having seemingly fallen out of favour in the late -fifties of the last century. - -In the period preceding Waterloo the combats were fierce and frequent; -there was one nearly every day, and so determined were the Etonians of -that era that there is a case on record of two boys rising at six in -the morning to begin the conflict, and sparring away for three hours! - -[SN: “SIXPENNY CORNER”] - -Whilst the Oppidans, according to immemorial custom, settled their -differences in “Sixpenny Corner,” the Collegers fought their battles -in Long Chamber. An unwritten code decreed that when a King’s scholar -wished to fight he must ask permission of the Captain of the school to -be allowed to do so after Lock Up, and this, as may be imagined, was -never refused. About nine o’clock a fairly spacious ring was formed -just below the second fireplace, boys standing on bedsteads placed -around, holding candles, which enabled the combatants to see one -another. It would appear that in the old fighting days the Collegers -fought fewer battles than the Oppidans,--the fights of the former were -usually short and sharp, the boys being so well acquainted with each -other’s strength and powers, that after a round or two the fight was -discontinued and the quarrel made up. - -The old-fashioned encounters in “Sixpenny Corner,” which seem to have -been conducted in a more or less formal style, were, of course, most -frequent in the days when the Prize Ring occupied a prominent place -amongst sports patronised by men of fashion. - -Young Corinthians who had only just left school no doubt indoctrinated -friends still at Eton with enthusiasm for the knights of the fist, and -caused them to regard pugilism as a science worthy of attention. - -A curious piece of etiquette in connection with fighting was, that if a -Lower boy wanted to fight one in the Upper School, he could do so only -after having obtained leave from the Captain of the school. - -At one time Eton battles were fought with hats on, which caused the -Westminster boys to declare that, owing to the damage inflicted upon -knuckles by the hat brims, most Etonian encounters were not of a -serious kind. - -The Sixth Form and Upper boys were expected to see that fair-play was -enforced, and that when one combatant was clearly overmatched and -plainly worsted, a reconciliation took place. Both were made to shake -hands, and having vented their ill-feeling in a manly and honourable -way, they were afterwards often found to be the best of friends. - -A great battle at the beginning of the nineteenth century was the fight -between Calthorp and Forster. - -“Sixpenny Corner,” at the angle where the wall game now takes place, -was the traditional scene of battle, and here the great Duke of -Wellington, as little Arthur Wellesley, fought Bobus Smith, brother of -Sydney Smith, the fight, according to all accounts, ending in a draw. - -A redoubtable pugilist was Stratford de Redcliffe, who emerged victor -from many a tough contest. Less successful was Shelley, who is said to -have received a severe thrashing from little Sir Thomas Styles. During -another fight the youthful poet attracted a good deal of attention -by refusing to rest on the knee of his second, preferring to stride -round the ring quoting Homer! No wonder the boys used to call him “mad -Shelley”! It must be remembered, however, that he was a constant butt -for a large portion of the school. “My belief,” said Dr. Hawtrey, “is -that what Shelley had to endure at Eton made him a perfect devil.” - -[SN: THRASHING A LIFEGUARDSMAN] - -In the early days of the nineteenth century a gigantic boy named Wyvill -became celebrated for his fistic powers. He once gave a Lifeguardsman -a severe thrashing in Windsor, and the soldier was so much upset that -he went to the Headmaster, Dr. Goodall, to complain of his mauling. -The latter, who hated to have to take notice of any Eton escapade, -said, “My good fellow, how can you expect me to know what boy it was?” -“Boy!” he answered with a country accent; “he is the biggest mun in the -tuttens,” or two towns. And so Wyvill ever after went by the name of -“the biggest mun in the tuttens.” - -When a challenge had been given and accepted, the details of the -forthcoming fight were arranged by friends, after which the combatants -just walked into the playing fields with their seconds, stripped off -their jackets, and went to work, the boys forming a ring, no other -formalities being observed--hardly even a sponge or a watch. When a -minute was supposed to have elapsed, one got up from his second’s -knee and said, “Come on.” A little hot blood flowed, and as soon as -either felt he had enough he had only to say so. Drawn battles were -not common or popular, boys preferring to have matters brought to an -issue. There was the most perfect fair-play, and if things were carried -at all too far, interference was pretty sure to be at hand, though -not otherwise. When, during a fight, Keate just showed himself at the -corner of the playing fields, the hint was immediately taken. - -Fights between Lower boys, it should be added, were deemed of small -account, but a battle between two well-known Uppers always attracted a -large crowd. - -The most tragic fight which ever took place at Eton was a fierce -battle between a small boy named Ashley Cooper and a big one named -Wood (afterwards Sir A. Wood). For three hours the unequal combat was -carried on, till, in the last round before Lock Up, the former fell -senseless and had to be carried to his tutor’s house, where, half an -hour later, he expired. His death, however, seems to have been caused -by a quantity of brandy given him by his elder brother, rather than by -the effects of the fight. Also, had medical attendance been procured, -Cooper’s life would probably have been saved. After, however, he had -been carried senseless to his house, every effort was made to conceal -the state in which he was in, gloves being placed upon his hands so -that their dreadful condition might not be visible. The boy died the -same night. - -The sequel of the encounter was a trial at Aylesbury, where, on March -9, 1825, Charles Alexander Wood, seventeen years old, was charged -before Mr. Justice Gazelee with the manslaughter of the Hon. Francis -Ashley Cooper, after a quarrel in the Eton playing fields. The fight, -it was proved, had been conducted in the strictest accordance with the -rules of the Prize Ring, which at that time still flourished. No less -than sixty rounds were shown to have been fought with the fiercest -determination--the time occupied, two hours. Cooper, who was two years -younger than his antagonist, had been given nearly a pint of brandy to -enable him to continue the struggle against a more powerful opponent. -Wood was, of course, acquitted; besides which, Cooper’s brother -entirely exonerated him, taking all the blame on himself for having -administered the brandy. - -[SN: AN ILLEGIBLE INSCRIPTION] - -This battle--the most serious schoolboy fight which ever took -place--probably had some effect in decreasing the popularity of fistic -encounters. It certainly created a great sensation, being, according -to some, commemorated by an inscription (now illegible) upon the white -stone let into the wall at Sixpenny Corner. The late Mr. Brownlow -North, Lord Kintore tells me, declared that he had been a second at the -fight, and remembered the insertion of the stone as a memorial. - -The Gasworks eventually superseded “Sixpenny” as a fistic arena, though -the time-honoured phrase, “Will you fight me in ‘Sixpenny’?” still -remained the recognised form of challenge. - -In 1858 fighting was already beginning to go out of fashion. In 1865, -while the Public Schools Commissioners were sitting, they examined -a Lower boy touching fights, and asked him if he had any theory to -explain why regular stand-up fights had become so rare? The boy -answered, “Oh! I suppose it’s because the fellows funk each other.” - -The real reason of the disappearance of fighting was that it came to -be thought bad form, and consequently no longer received any patronage -from boys who were the swells of the school. Once it began to be -considered “scuggish,” the fate of Eton pugilism was sealed, and though -informal encounters occasionally occur--there was a determined battle -near the railway arches in 1893--within the last forty years fighting -has become a thing of the past. - - - - -IV “CADS,” AND THE “CHRISTOPHER” - - -Though a century or so ago fights and floggings were ordinary incidents -of school life, a large number of boys contrived to make time pass -very pleasantly indeed. At that time the sporting Etonian was quite a -recognised type. - -The following sketch, from the _Sporting Magazine_, of Etonian ways -in 1799, whilst, of course, a somewhat exaggerated caricature, was -evidently based upon a very solid substratum of truth:-- - - _Sunday._--Not well--church a bore--headache increased by bell--sent - an excuse--up at ten--dressed by eleven--sipped tea in a back - room--read half a page of _Sporting Magazine_--d--d good--much - pleased with the Oxonian’s diary--walked to Castle--prayers with - Bluster--rowed the cut of Bluster’s coat--bad taylor--smoked a - Cockney, and his blue silks--kicked his wig in the kennel--teach the - dog good manners--came down to dinner--no appetite--Dame’s hash, - like shoe-leather--drank wine at the Christopher--bad port--waiter, - jawed--shoved him out--during evening church, finished Oxonian - diary--tight cock--wish I knew him--drank tea at Coker’s--bad - company--Spanker and self adjourned to Cloisters--good fun--returned - to Dame’s--sat with Pink--bad supper--four beer--rowed the - maids--picked teeth--went to bed. - - _Monday._--Waked at eight--keep up pretence of headache--up - at ten--dressed by eleven--Smith’s burgamot, not so good as - usual--breakfast--at one, walked to billiards--no one there--beat the - marker.--Mem. Not go to Huddlestone’s again--came down--dinner better - than usual--new cook--dull evening--went to bed early. - - _Tuesday._--Sham leave--hunted with King’s hounds--Steven’s blood - lame--d--d bore--forced to ride the grey--new boots--bad leather--cut - Webb for the future, and employ Atkins--Alderman S----y, wretched - quiz--his chesnut horse broke down--let him fall into a ditch--hat - and wig, both lost--looked like a bumble bee in a tar pot--good - hunt--hard riding--go along--keep moving.--Mem. Always row the - Alderman and not forget to cram Pink--came home tired--sandwiches and - wine at the White Hart--merry evening--got drunk--Dame jawed. - - _Wednesday._--Whole school day--very dull--walked to Steven’s--Grey, - knocked up--pain in my side--evening, cards, etc.--much - better--betting in my favour--beat Dashall at cribbage--won nine - shillings--lucky dog--went to bed in good spirits. - -Elaborate hoaxes were common at the commencement of the nineteenth -century. A young Etonian acquired a good deal of notoriety by sending -the town-crier, whom he had fee’d for the purpose, to announce a -general illumination in honour of the battle of Vittoria. It created -quite a sensation in both Windsor and Eton; and although no one knew -from whence the orders came, G. R.’s and coloured lamps in abundance -were displayed in the windows of many of the houses. A meeting of the -magistrates was hastily summoned, and the hoax was discovered. The -writing gave a clue to the culprit, who in due course underwent the -punishment usual in such cases. - -[SN: SPORTING BOYS] - -License which would be inconceivable at the present day -prevailed--bull-baiting on Batchelor’s Acre and cock-fighting in -Bedford’s Yard being quite ordinary amusements. Small wonder that at -one time strong complaint was made as to the habits of the school. -Ascot Races were regularly attended by many of the older boys. Hunting -and tandem-driving were not uncommon. Henry Matthews, author of the -_Diary of an Invalid_, a very clever and eccentric boy, drove a tandem -right through Eton and Windsor; a later rival, however, of Keate’s -day, when James Clegg of Windsor provided sporting boys with horses -and traps, drove one through the school-yard. Billiards continued to -be very popular, not only with the boys but with their Masters, who -claimed “first turn” at the tables. - -Copying the London bucks, Upper boys would sally out on dark nights -and wrench bell-pulls and knockers from the dames’ houses, or make -hay in the poultry-yard of old Pocock, the farmer at the corner of -“Cut-throat” Lane, as Datchet Lane was then sometimes called. - -Poaching expeditions in Windsor Park were quite common. On one occasion -young Lord Baltimore and a companion, when out after game, were pursued -by a Master. The young Peer, however, escaped, but eventually gave -himself up in order to save his friend (who had refused to divulge his -associate’s name) from expulsion. - -Guns could then be hired for the purpose of shooting swallows and -swifts on the Brocas bank, where a number of sporting “cads,” then -known as “Private Tutors,” assisted in all sorts of sprees, providing -dogs, fishing-tackle, badgers, ferrets, rats, fighting dogs, horses, -and even, it is said, bulls for baiting. - -Eighty or ninety years ago a dozen or more of such men were constantly -to be seen loitering in front of the College every morning, making -their arrangements with their pupils, the Oppidans, for a day’s sport, -to commence the moment school was over. At one time they used actually -to occupy a seat on the low wall in front of the College, but Dr. Keate -interfered to expel the assemblage; nevertheless, they continued to -carry on their intercourse with the boys, and walked about watching -their opportunity for communication. - -A number supplied cats for hunts upon the Brocas, while a number -organised duck hunts, a duck being put into the river and hunted with -considerable brutality. A few, however, escaped by diving and tiring -the dogs out. - -Some of these men were strange characters, who showed great -recklessness when times were bad, and would be ready to let boys have a -shot at them at a distance of seventy-five yards or so, three shillings -a shot being the accepted price. - -[SN: “PICKY POWELL”] - -Others would jump from the middle of Windsor Bridge for a -consideration. The stake-holder on such occasions was usually Jem -Powell, known as “Picky” Powell, who about 1824 was celebrated in -Eton for his “quart of sovereigns,” it being his invariable practice -when elated--for Jem, needless to say, was no teetotaller--to march up -and down in front of his house with a silver-gilt tankard filled with -his savings, all in gold. - -This Picky Powell would appear to be identical with the individual -who, years later, enjoyed a considerable reputation as having been -professional bowler to the school. During the annual matches with -Harrow at Lord’s, Picky usually made a point of having an informal -sparring match with a well-known Harrow “cad,” Billy Warner by name, -who, like his bigger antagonist, was supposed to have been a notable -cricketer in his youth. A favourite taunt of Picky’s which usually -inaugurated hostilities was, “All the good I sees in ‘Arrow’ is that -you can see Eton from it if ye go up into the churchyard.” - -The last appearance of Powell at Lord’s appears to have been in 1858, -when, as usual, he croaked defiance at his hereditary foe. On this -occasion, however, no sparring was permitted, but Picky reaped a rich -harvest of silver, bestowed upon him by old Etonians. - -[Illustration: Jack Hall, Fisherman of Eton. _Print lent by G. -Culliford, Esq._] - -A well-known character of the past on the Brocas was Jack Hall, -nicknamed “Foxy Hall,” by all accounts the most worthy of Eton -“cads,” and celebrated as an expert angler. His portrait, taken from -an old print, is here reproduced. Others were Joe Cannon, Fish, -“Shampo Carter” (who taught swimming in 1824 with the Headmaster’s -permission), Jack Garraway, and the Anti-Catholic Jim Miller, -the patriarch of “cads,” who signed a petition against Catholic -Emancipation “upon principle.” “For,” he said, “when the d----d rogues -burnt Cranmer and Ridley, they never paid for the fagots--unprincipled -varmints!” A great deal of license was accorded to these wall loungers, -most of whom were ready to abet the boys in every kind of mischief. - -One of the most noted sporting “cads” was old Jimmy Flowers, whose -speciality was badger-baiting on the Brocas, his stock-in-trade -consisting of a badger in a sack and an old tub with one end knocked -out. Dogs used to be put into the tub to fetch the badger out, the -charge being sixpence, unless the fight with the badger lasted very -long, when Old Jimmy used to exact a further fee. When the fun, if it -can be called fun, had lasted long enough, the badger, whose opinion -of the proceedings it would have been interesting to have heard, was -replaced in the sack, and with a cheery “Good day, gentlemen, your dogs -have had good sport,” Jimmy would walk away. - -Another well-known character in the beginning of the nineteenth century -was Old Matty Groves, who was much teased by the boys on account of -his rooted antipathy to clergymen, whom he used to denounce as the -“black slugs” of the country. He it was who led the procession which -every seven years went round to beat the Eton boundary, and nailed up -a cross of old iron hoops on a venerable willow near the grounds of -Black Potts, where in after years Dr. Hornby had a retreat. Old Matty -was very unconventional in his ways, and had been known in flood-time, -when the stream was running strong, to plunge into it in his clothes at -Barnes Pool Bridge and swim across to his cottage. - -[SN: FLOODS] - -Floods have always been liable to occur at Eton, though, for the most -part, they have generally subsided before becoming serious. In 1809, -however, there was a tremendous one, which carried away six of the -central arches of the old “Fifteen Arch” Bridge on the Slough Road that -spans the stream which feeds Fellows’ Pond. For five days the only -communication with some of the boarding-houses was by boats and carts, -and the school had practically a week’s holiday. The boys lay in bed -till a late hour, and when they got up it was to play cards and get -into other mischief. Driving down Eton Street in carts, with the risk -of getting spilt into the water, was one of their favourite amusements. - -Two subsequent floods have been almost, if not quite, as serious--one -in 1852, the year that the Duke of Wellington died, and one in 1894, -when all the boys had to be sent home. Many of the Masters, however, -remained behind, and spent their time in rescuing people in the -surrounding country and supplying them with food. - -[SN: SPANKIE] - -Though in 1829, owing to the adoption of stern measures, the “Private -Tutors” under whose auspices many a boy had shot his first moor-hen -and laid his first eel-pot were expelled from the College precincts, -the “sock cads” continued to haunt the “wall” for many years later. -The most celebrated of these, of course, was the famous Spankie, who -flourished about half a century ago. Spankie never failed to appear in -the playing fields during summer, whilst in winter he was more or less -of a fixture at the wall. Of him was written, one summer’s day when the -cricket was getting slow in Upper Club, the line, “Totaque tartiferis -Spancheia fervet ahenis.” A ridiculous and unfounded school tradition -declared that he was a son of a General le Marchant, and he was often -playfully apostrophised by that name. - -The principal characteristics of this worthy, besides a rubicund -countenance, a long blue frock coat, and an old top hat (invariably -worn on one side of his head), were extreme oiliness of manner, -combined with an unlimited amount of cheek. His wares, chiefly tartlets -of all sorts, were contained in a sort of huge tin can supported on -legs. At the proper season he also sold pots of flowers. - -Spankie was imbued with a tremendous veneration for the aristocracy, -and prided himself upon his acquaintance with the history of every -noble family in England. Rumour, indeed, declared that most of his -time out of sock-selling hours was devoted to studying the _Peerage_ -and the _Landed Gentry_, both of which works he was supposed to know -pretty well by heart. This, no doubt, was a schoolboy exaggeration, -but certain it was that Spankie had a curious and not inaccurate -knowledge of the noble houses whose youthful scions furnished him -with a comfortable income. It was a way of his to address the sons of -distinguished people by their fathers’ names, whilst, it should be -added, often fleecing them in a merciless manner, for, sad to tell, -his methods were not above suspicion. A favourite trick was carefully -to array a few very fine strawberries or cherries at the top of a -pottle after filling up the lower portion with very inferior fruit; as, -however, he made a practice of giving liberal tick, little was ever -said about this. He made quite a comfortable fortune out of the Eton -boys, as was realised when it became known that he had contributed no -less than £50 to the fund for building a new parish church in the High -Street. - -By the lower members of the school Spankie was looked up to as a -perfect oracle, for he seemed to know everything, could predict who -would be members of the Eleven or Eight, and tell the name and history -of the latest comer, stringing on to it, if necessary, a list of all -his relations, with their various achievements. One of this celebrated -sock cad’s chief peculiarities was that he could scarcely utter three -consecutive words without a “sir” coming at the end of them; and it was -marvellous how he could change them as easily as he did into “my lord” -when any of the young aristocracy came up to him. - -In addition to entertaining an unlimited respect for the British -aristocracy, Spankie nurtured a deep contempt for trade, as the small -sons of rich manufacturers, especially when they had failed to meet -their liabilities, frequently had reason to know. “Good morning, -sar,” Spankie would say to a scion of some house not unconnected -with “cotton,” who might be rather backward in settling his debts. -“Glad to see you back, sar. Bought some pocket-handkerchiefs at your -establishment in the vacation, sar; cheap enough, only six shillings a -dozen; but I don’t find them wash well, sar.” - -According to some, Spankie made quite a comfortable little sum by -supplying the names of visitors to Eton to the London papers, whilst -rumour also declared that on occasion the College authorities employed -him to trace and recapture runaways. - -[SN: SOCK CADS] - -One of Spankie’s best-known predecessors was a sock cad named Charley -Pass, who was to be seen daily stationed at the wall near the gateway -with a curious tin apparatus containing pies, kept hot by a charcoal -brazier. He had a peculiar cry, somewhat resembling that of the long -obsolete pieman. “Ham and Veal; Mutton Eel,” he would call out as the -boys were emerging from school. Young Collegers who knew his ways would -drive him to fury by shouting “and dog--that’s what I want.” Trotman -with his barrow was also a familiar figure in the “forties.” - -Another sock cad who had some pretensions to being a rival to Spankie -was a hook-nosed little man known as Levi, the Jew. Spankie and he -constantly indulged in verbal sparring, in which the Hebrew, who was a -man of few words, as a rule got much the worst of it. On one occasion -this so infuriated Levi that a battle royal ensued. Goaded to frenzy -by some taunt of Spankie’s, Levi challenged him to come on, and an -animated tussle ensued, speedily ended only by the appearance of one of -the Masters, who, separating the combatants, thoroughly frightened both -by declaring that he had a good mind to see that the two of them should -be prevented from frequenting the neighbourhood of the wall. The idea -of this thoroughly cowed even the irrepressible Spankie, and henceforth -Levi and he lived at peace. - -A less assertive character than either of the two worthies mentioned -above was old Brion or Bryant, a white-headed sock cad whose invariable -costume was a grey coat. According to current report he had no less -than twenty-one children. His speciality lay in purveying small glasses -of cherry jam dashed with cream at fourpence, which must have yielded -him a good profit. - -Bryant outdid the other sock cads in owning a huge barrow, which every -day was wheeled to the wall. A portly, good-natured man, he was not -as astute as Spankie, and consequently was frequently imposed upon by -his young customers. Sometimes, however, he showed a keen aptitude for -business. When, for instance, a little boy complained that he had -given him but a small pennyworth of preserve in his jam-bun, he would -evince the amiability of his intentions by saying, “I was afraid it -might disagree with you, sir.” - -Another well-known character in the sixties of the last century was an -old lady known as “Missis,” who sat by the entrance to the school-yard -selling apples, nuts, bullfinches, and dormice. - -During more recent years there have been no sock cads of such -marked individuality as those mentioned above, nor do they enjoy -the privileges which were accorded to their predecessors of a more -easy-going age, their appearance at the wall being discouraged. Some, -however, still ply their trade in the playing fields and at the -bathing-places. The most original of the modern school was “Hoppie.” -Every portion of this worthy’s costume, according to his own account, -had belonged to some prominent old Etonian. During the summer half -he was a constant frequenter of “Upper Hope,” where perhaps he still -parades “the Duke of Wellington’s coat” and “Lord Roberts’ trousers” as -of yore. - -Thirty years ago there were several individuals known as “Jobey”--a -name taken from almost the last of the old Eton characters, “Jobey -Joel,” who died not very long ago. He remembered the school when far -more latitude was allowed the boys, and had many a queer tale to tell -of that vanished institution, the Christopher, now but a fading memory -in the minds of a few. - -[SN: THE CHRISTOPHER] - -The ancient hostelry in question would seem to have flourished as -long ago as the sixteenth century. The mention of a certain Nicholas -Williams lodging “ad signum Christoferi” occurs in the Eton Audit Book -for 1523. The old inn served as a refuge to the “ever memorable” Eton -Fellow, John Hales, who for his unwavering allegiance to the King was -deprived of his fellowship. - -In later days the Christopher became a great social centre of local -life. All the coaches stopped at its door, and before Dr. Hawtrey -abolished the Eton Market there was a weekly ordinary for farmers, and -occasionally a hunt dinner, with noise enough to have driven the Muses -back to Greece. Its rooms were in great request with parents come down -to see their promising or unpromising offspring, whilst old Etonians -revisiting Eton made the old place their headquarters as a matter of -course. - -“Lord! how great I used to think anybody just landed at the -Christopher!” wrote Horace Walpole when he returned to his old school -in 1746. The place recalled many memories of boyhood to his mind, and -he declared that he felt “just like Noah, with all sorts of queer feels -about him.” - -Horace Walpole had passed some happy days at Eton, where one of his -greatest friends was the studious and quiet Gray, who read Virgil for -amusement out of school. The writer of the famous letters had a great -affection for Eton, and Cambridge, as he said, seemed a wilderness to -him as compared with the “dear scene” he had left. In after life the -recollection of his school-days was ever keen. When, for instance, he -first saw a balloon he declared that he was at once reminded of an Eton -football. Though fond of reading, like many other Eton boys, the writer -of the famous letters showed little enthusiasm for the school work. - - “I remember,” says he, “when I was at Eton, and Mr. Bland had set me - on an extraordinary task, I used sometimes to pique myself upon not - getting it, because it was not immediately my school business. What! - learn more than I was absolutely forced to learn! I felt the weight - of learning that, for I was a blockhead, and pushed above my parts.” - -Spending much of his time in the playing fields musing, he retained the -recollection all his life. - - “No old maid’s gown,” said he, “though it had been tormented into all - the fashions from King James to King George, ever underwent so many - transformations as these poor plains have in my idea. At first I was - contented with tending a visionary flock and sighing some pastoral - name to the echo of the cascade under the bridge. As I got further - into Virgil and Clelia, I found myself transported from Arcadia to - the garden of Italy; and saw Windsor Castle in no other view than the - Capitoli immobile saxum.” - -In Horace Walpole’s day Kendall, himself an old Etonian, presided over -the Christopher. Later came Garraway and Jack Knight. - -The rattling of coach wheels over the cobblestones outside the old inn -was a never-failing source of excitement and interest to the boys. Most -of them knew the drivers, whom they delighted to hail with volleys of -chaff. - -[SN: STAGE COACHMEN] - -A famous Eton stage coachman was Jack Bowes of the “Original,” which -started from the Bolt in Tun, Fleet Street, and called at Hatchett’s -in Piccadilly. Often on his arrival at the Christopher, Bowes would be -welcomed with a brisk fusillade fired by boys from pea-shooters. He had -been a soldier and seen a good deal of service, and was a most popular -character with all sorts of people, and especially with the relatives -and fathers of Eton boys; for, like Moody, another Eton coachman, Bowes -knew all that there was to be known about the College and its ways. -He was a kindly man, and reassured many a small boy fresh from home -and nervous as to the ordeal awaiting him when he reached the great -public school. One idea which not a few new boys had firmly implanted -upon their minds was that by way of initiation into the privilege of -becoming an Etonian they would be pitched off Windsor Bridge and made -to struggle for their life. There was, of course, not the slightest -foundation for such an idea, which no doubt arose because in former -days it was no very uncommon thing for Etonians, anxious to show their -powers as swimmers, to take a header from the Bridge into the Thames -beneath. Many indeed were experts at such feats. - -Less kindly than Bowes were some of the hangers-on who gained a -livelihood by lounging about the White Horse Cellar in Piccadilly, -which was always a great rendezvous for all sorts of queer characters, -itinerant orange-vendors and others, who flocked round the coaches -hoping to make a more or less honest penny. Amongst these was one -well-known individual who gained a livelihood by doing odd jobs in the -way of carrying parcels and helping with luggage. He was especially -active on days when the Eton boys were returning to school, and as -he took some little fellow’s trunk to hoist it on to the coach would -cheerfully impart the information that “he had never seen such a fine -load of birch as had gone down the day before.” - -“Bishop”--a particular kind of punch--and Bulstrode ale were the two -beverages for which the Christopher was famous. Garraway brought the -latter into fashion, and a huge amount of it was drunk, and though -Garraway had only purchased a small stock of this famous old ale at the -sale at Bulstrode, by some miraculous process it continued to be served -out in plentiful quantities ever after. This became a standing joke -against mine host of the Christopher, who afterwards made a speciality -of an excellent tap, which he called the Queen’s, from some he had -purchased at Windsor. This was sold in small quarts, at a shilling per -jug. - -[SN: THE OPPIDANS’ CLUB] - -The old place was often quite full of undergraduates, young officers, -and bucks come down to take a look at the school they had so recently -left, and some of these young men, especially those from Oxford (where -formerly so many Etonians went on account of its being the headquarters -of classical learning) formed what was known as the “Oppidans’ Club.” -The main object of this convivial association, which met in one of the -cellars, next to consuming large quantities of port, was to sally out -after nightfall and abduct the shops’ signs--barbers’ poles and other -insignia of trade--from the houses in the High Street, afterwards -bearing them back to the Christopher in triumph. The tradesmen bore -these eccentricities with considerable fortitude, for in the end they -were pretty sure not to suffer. - -Representations to the masters and authorities were scarcely necessary -to redress such whimsical grievances, the injured parties being well -aware that they would receive due compensation. The next day the -spoils and trophies were arranged in due form in the cellar at the -old inn, which became well known by the name of “Oppidan’s Museum.” -Here the merry wags were to be found in council, holding a court of -claims, to which all the shopkeepers who had suffered any loss were -successively summoned; and after pointing out from among the motley -collection the article they claimed, and the price it originally cost, -they were handsomely remunerated or the sign replaced. The good people -of Eton generally chose the former, as it not only enabled them to -sport a new sign, but to put a little profit upon the cost price of -the old one. The trophies thus acquired were then packed up in hampers -and despatched to Oxford, where they were on similar occasions not -infrequently displayed or hung up in lieu of some well-known sign, -such as the Mitre, etc., which had been removed during the night. - -Some Collegers once played a joke of this sort on Dr. Keate. A -Windsor hatter, Jones by name, had outside his shop an immense tin -three-cornered cocked hat as a sign, the exact counterpart, except much -larger, of the one Keate wore. This was stolen one winter’s evening -by a detachment of Collegers; they managed to send it to London, and -thence, carefully packed, it was forwarded to Keate. Meanwhile, a -letter was sent to Jones saying that the writer could give him some -inkling of who was the thief, for that Dr. Keate had long been observed -to eye this magnificent cocked hat with longing envy, and there was no -doubt if a search warrant was procured, it would be found in the house -of the Headmaster. - -The cellar in which met the so-called “Oppidans’ Club” was known -as “the Estaminet.” The usual fare here was bread and cheese, beer -and porter, and in its general features it seems to have been the -precursor of the present Tap. Lower boys had no share in its amenities. -On occasion, however, stronger potations were indulged in, and of -course this was more especially the case when old Etonians from the -Universities were paying a visit to their old school. - -[Illustration: THE OPPIDAN’S MUSEUM _or Eton Court of Claims at the -Christopher_. _From a coloured print in the possession of the Rt. -Honble. Lewis Harcourt, M.P._] - -No doubt, these visitors had rather a demoralising effect upon the -boys who stood by in admiration, envying the bucks who lounged over -the rails of the gallery and indulged in chaff with those below, -whilst they ogled any pretty girl who might chance to meet their roving -glance, or chaffed any mischievous Etonians who hung about the old -yard, occasionally pulling the bungs out of the casks which were ranged -there. - -In the old Christopher the assistant masters at one time had a room -reserved for them in which they were wont to meet, whilst regular -convivial assemblies were sometimes organised there by Eton boys, one -of the chief being on St. Andrew’s Day, when Colleger had met Oppidan -at the wall. - -[SN: A RAID] - -In its last years, when the famous hostelry began to be regarded as a -great moral danger by the authorities, they began to make determined -efforts to prevent boys from being within its doors, and one St. -Andrew’s Day a raid was suddenly made. Just as the revelry had reached -its height, Smut, otherwise known as Beelzebub, the head waiter, -announced the appearance of a party of masters. Great confusion ensued, -and as an ominous creaking of boots was heard on the staircase, the -landlord’s daughter turned off the gas, and all was left in darkness. -A stentorian voice was heard crying, “I require the landlord of this -house to provide me with a light.” Meanwhile, one of the masters groped -his way to the door of the banqueting-room and held it so that no one -could pass. One of the raiding party, a master named Goodford, who -afterwards became “Head,” greatly distinguished himself by embracing -Smut, whom in the darkness he mistook for a boy trying to make his -escape. However, he was rudely undeceived by a gruff voice grunting -out, “Come, none of this nonsense!” At length a light was procured, and -as the boys filed out, one by one, their names were entered in a “black -list.” - -The curious thing is that little organised effort seems ever to have -been made to prevent boys from being allowed to enter the old inn; -raiding them when within its walls naturally did little good; in fact, -it merely stimulated the spirit of adventure and made them go there -more. A cousin of the writer--well-known as master of the West Kent -foxhounds--describing Eton life under Hawtrey, could not help speaking -with glee of how he and a companion were the only boys out of twenty -who managed to escape during one of these raids, the perilous method -adopted having been to climb down a waterpipe and then drop into the -yard at the back. - -The Christopher finally ended its career as a hostelry in 1842, owing -to the Crown giving up the lease to the College. Its abolition had -been constantly urged ever since Dr. Hawtrey had become Headmaster. -A violent foe to the old inn and its enemy, he branded it as the -greatest evil in Eton life, and after it had been numbered with things -of the past he was so pleased that, as a sort of thank-offering, he -wanted it to be pulled down and a chapel of ease erected on the site. -This scheme, however, was not carried out, St. John’s Church being -built in the High Street instead and the Christopher turned into a -boarding-house, the tap-room becoming a court of justice, where petty -sessions were held. - -Another part of the building was appropriated to the use of the Eton -Debating Society, commonly called “Pop” (it is said, from “popina,” -an eating-house), which celebrated its centenary in the present year. -Its original domicile was over the small shop of Mrs. Hatton, the -confectioner, quarters very useful for gratifying a love of “sock.” It -is said that at the Saturday four-o’clock meetings the proceedings were -often delayed by the consumption of ices and cakes and the drinking of -cherry brandy. - -[SN: WILLIAM JOHNSON] - -The vestibule, where so many wild young bucks had kicked their heels, -was turned into a pupil room, in which for a time presided one of the -most gifted, if eccentric, Eton masters who ever existed, William -Johnson (who afterwards changed his name to Cory), the author of -_Ionica_ and of the Eton boating song. Highly unconventional in his -ways, he could never remain unmoved when he heard the sound of drums -outside in the street, indicating that some regiment was passing -through the College. Eton has given many a gallant officer to England, -and, as the large number of memorials in the Chapel shows, the roll of -Etonian soldiers is associated with numberless glorious memories. These -stirred the imaginative mind of the clever master, and, keenly desirous -that the rising generation should imbibe a due portion of that martial -ardour which was the heritage of their school, he would lead his pupils -out to the archway, and, pointing to the passing regiment, proudly -exclaim, “Boys, the British army!” - -Mr. Johnson was an Eton master from 1845 to 1872, during which -period he showed all the qualifications of a gifted teacher, though -at times betraying considerable eccentricity. He was much given to -introspection, and amused boys would often regale themselves with the -sight of Billy Johnson, as they irreverently called him, standing wrapt -in profound meditation all alone in the school-yard, totally oblivious -of everything about him. He was very short-sighted, which gave rise to -the story that he had been seen furiously rushing down Windsor Hill, -making futile grabs at a fleeing hen, which he believed to be his hat, -blown off by the wind. In school, owing to this infirmity, he was -unable to perceive what boys were doing, and the carving of names and -cutting into desks and forms was carried on in perfect safety beneath -his very nose. Against positive disorder, however, he could well defend -himself, and his paradoxical utterances and epigrammatic sayings kept -even the most turbulent spirits in check. - -His powers of satire were generally recognised as being highly -formidable, and masters as well as boys sometimes felt the keen thrust -of his rapier. In a school book, _Nuces_, written by him for the use of -the lower forms, was to be found a sentence which Etonians universally -agreed was a hit at a somewhat unpopular master, conspicuous for the -length of his flowing beard. This ran: “Formerly wise men used to grow -beards. Now other persons do so.” - -[SN: THE BOATING SONG] - -Though the poetical masterpiece of Mr. Johnson is the small volume -entitled _Ionica_, which contains some beautiful verse, a more -generally known composition of his is the Eton boating song, which -has been carried by old Etonians practically all over the world. An -interesting account of how this song came to be written is given by -the Reverend A. C. Ainger in his admirable work on _Eton in Prose and -Verse_. It would seem to have been composed in the winter of 1863 -for the 4th of June of that year. Some little time later the words -were printed in the third number of a periodical called the _Eton -Scrap-book_, of which Everard Primrose was one of the joint-editors. -A copy of the words were sent in 1865 to a subaltern in the Rifle -Brigade, Algernon Drummond by name, who was then with his battalion at -Nowshera, in India. This young officer, who, four or five years before, -had been one of Johnson’s pupils, was haunted by the words till the -tune came to them, and eventually, owing to him, a number of officers -who had been at Eton made a practice of singing it nightly after mess. -Gradually guests learnt it, with the result that old Etonians in other -regiments took to singing the song which recalled to them their old -school in distant England. - -The composition of this boating song, it should be added, cost William -Johnson much trouble and some sleepless nights; nevertheless, its -final form contains some lines which are scarcely worthy of an author -who, in _Ionica_, has shown himself a true poet. It must, however, be -remembered that the song, as we have it, was never intended for the -wide publicity which it so speedily attained. No doubt its popularity -has been in a great measure caused by the charming tune to which it was -set, whilst the whole-hearted and somewhat touching devotion to Eton -expressed in the words makes an irresistible appeal to all true sons of -the school, particularly to those who remember the days when, free from -care, they passed many a happy hour - - Skirting past the rushes, - Ruffling o’er the weeds, - Where the lock stream gushes, - Where the cygnet feeds. - -The fact that “the rushes” are now no more, having been entirely swept -away by the great flood of 1894, will not cause Etonians of a later -date to sing the words less heartily, and many a generation yet to come -will probably continue to accord this boating song the appreciation -which it first obtained nearly half a century ago. - -No man, perhaps, ever expressed better the true Eton spirit than Mr. -Johnson in some words he uttered a few months before his death. He was -a sufferer from heart disease, and realised that his end might at any -time occur. Declining a friend’s invitation, he said, “I think it -unmannerly to drop down dead in another man’s grounds.” - -The pupil room in which he sat has now ceased to serve that purpose; -the old structure of the Christopher, having undergone further changes, -is now used merely to accommodate masters, and has ceased to be an -Eton house. The only external trace of the inn yard as it was, are -some of the old balustrades of the ancient gallery facing the site of -the livery stables which were swept away in 1901. Many will remember -Charley Wise, the proprietor, who used to be such a familiar figure -standing under the archway thirty years ago. - -[SN: SHELLEY] - -The original sign of the Christopher, it should be added, hangs at -the modern Christopher in the High Street. Shelley, when an Eton boy, -one night stole the great gilded bunch of grapes from this, and hung -it in front of the Headmaster’s door, so that the astounded pedagogue -ran into it as he was hurrying into school in the morning. The whole -character of Shelley was a mass of contradictions, and he seems to have -been far from happy at school, where he seldom joined in any sports; -according to some he never went on the river, but this is doubtful. -The young poet’s favourite ramble was Stoke Park and the picturesque -churchyard close by, rendered famous for all time by Gray’s _Elegy_, of -which Shelley is said to have been very fond. - -As was shown by the incident of the Christopher’s grapes, Shelley, -though as a rule of a meditative disposition, was on occasion given to -playing pranks. He once bought a large brass cannon at an auction in -Windsor, and harnessed many Lower boys to draw it down into College. -It was captured by one of the tutors and kept till the holidays at -Hexter’s. He was fond of experimenting in science, and set fire to a -tree in south meadow by laying a train of gunpowder to it; another -time, by means of an electrical machine, he flung his tutor against the -wall. - -This tutor’s name was Bethell, and, according to all accounts, he was -a somewhat unattractive character. Amongst the boys he was known as -“Vox et praeterea nihil” and “Botch” Bethell, because he was supposed -always to be making errors or botches in altering their verses. His -favourite phrase, which he used to alter as it might be for a long or -a short verse, was for the former “sibi vindicat ipse,” for the latter -“vindicat ipse sibi,” in consequence of which an impudent boy in his -house, being one day asked at meal-time what he would take, said, “Sir, -I vindicate to myself a slice of mutton.” Towards the boys under his -charge Bethell was harsh, and sometimes even brutal. Meeting a Lower -boy one day coming in with a bowl full of sausages covered by his hat -to keep them warm, Bethell sternly inquired, “What have you got there?” -The boy, fearing trouble, whimpered, “Nothing, sir,” upon which Bethell -jerked up the bowl with his hand and sent hat and sausages flying into -the road. - -In Shelley’s day, life at Eton had changed a good deal, compared with -that led some twenty years before, when Arthur Wellesley was a shy, -retiring Lower boy, in whom neither masters nor schoolfellows saw any -germs of future greatness. - -[SN: THE GREAT DUKE] - -He was about twelve years old when he went to Miss Naylor’s, and -in spite of his shyness he is supposed to have taken part with his -companions in several escapades. Traditions used to be current at Eton -about his shooting expeditions up the river at unpermitted seasons and -hours; and during the middle of the last century a tree standing near -the site of his dame’s was known as “the Duke’s Tree,” because it was -said that as a boy the old duke had been fond of climbing it. Arthur -Wellesley was not very long at Eton, but nevertheless in after life he -cherished a great love for the school to which in due course he sent -his sons. One of his first acts on going down to visit them there was -to take them to see the door at his old house where, when a boy, he had -cut his own name. Though no great athlete himself, he fully appreciated -the manly character induced by games and sport, and Creasy declares -that not many years before his death he was passing by the playing -fields, where numerous groups were happily busied at their games of -cricket. Pointing to them, the old Field-Marshal said, “There grows the -stuff that won Waterloo.” - -The great Duke’s elder brother, Lord Mornington, afterwards Marquis of -Wellesley, had, as is well known, a fanatical love for Eton, where, -by his express wish, he was buried, his own beautiful Latin lines[3] -recording the satisfaction with which he looked forward to resting -there. According to a request which he left behind him, six weeping -willows were planted in different parts of the playing fields, and a -bench fixed at a particular spot which commanded his favourite view. - -As an Eton boy he was a particularly fine elocutionist, as was shown -by two recitations of his at Speeches on Election Monday 1778, before -a large number of royal visitors; in Strafford’s dying speech he drew -tears from the audience. David Garrick, hearing of it, complimented the -youthful speaker on having done what he had never achieved, namely, -made the King weep. To which the clever Etonian returned the graceful -answer, “That is because you never spoke to him in the character of a -fallen favourite.” - -In many ways this brother of the Iron Duke may be considered the -type of the perfect Etonian, and, as far as classical learning went, -scarcely any boy educated at the school ever equalled him. When Dr. -Goodall, a contemporary at Eton of Lord Wellesley, was examined in 1818 -before the Education Committee of the House of Commons respecting the -alleged passing over of Porson in giving promotions to King’s College, -he at once declared that the celebrated Greek scholar was not by any -means at the head of the Etonians of his day; and on being asked by -Lord Brougham, the Chairman, to name his superior, he at once said, -“Lord Wellesley.” - -[SN: A SUGGESTION] - -Curiously enough, there appears to be no record of where the young -nobleman boarded. Presumably it was at Miss Naylor’s, where later came -his illustrious brother. A commemorative tablet should surely be set up -near the spot where those two great Etonians lived when Eton boys. The -houses where a number of other prominent men spent their school days -are for the most part known, and several others might be honoured in -a similar manner, arousing a spirit of noble emulation and pride in a -splendid record of those who have deserved well of their country. - -A somewhat remarkable coincidence is that George Canning, Gladstone, -and the late Lord Salisbury in turn boarded at the same house. In -Canning’s time the dame was Mrs. Harrington, in Gladstone’s Mrs. -Shurey, whilst in Lord Robert Cecil’s day the Rev. G. Cookesley was in -control. Amongst modern politicians Lord Rosebery boarded at Vidal’s, -Mr. Balfour at Miss Evans’s, Lord Curzon at Mr. Oscar Browning’s, and -Mr. Lewis Harcourt at the Rev. A. C. Ainger’s. The room of the present -Colonial Secretary was celebrated as being the best decorated in Eton. -The writer has a vivid recollection of being impressed by the number of -well-arranged pictures which he saw when, as a small boy, he enjoyed -the honour of being asked to breakfast there. The whole place was full -of evidences of the artistic taste which admittedly distinguished Mr. -Harcourt as First Commissioner of Public Works. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[3] See Chapter VI. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: Herbert Stockhore, the “Montem Poet,” going to Salt Hill -in 1823.] - - - - -V MONTEM - - -Though even to-day a few old Etonians survive who took part in the last -Eton Montem, the memory and the recollection of the quaint glories of -this ancient and unique festival will soon have become totally obscured -by the sordid dust of modern life. - -Whilst the lover of old customs may lament that the merry voices of -Montem are drowned for ever, it is absolutely certain that even had -the famous triennial pageant been allowed to continue after 1844, its -celebration could never have been prolonged up to the present day in -its ancient form; for, besides being utterly out of accord with modern -ideas and ways, the ceremony would have brought such crowds to Eton as -to have rendered any procession to Salt Hill more or less impossible. -To some, however, it may be a matter for regret that no attempt was -made to perpetuate the memory of Montem by holding a modified festival -in the playing fields. - -It is all very well to denounce old customs as merely useless relics -of a bygone age. The individual who carries such a view to an -extreme is in reality even more unreasonable than he who delights in -contemplating the past alone. Both in their different ways are in the -wrong: the fanatical worshipper of ancient ways being apt to lose -sight of the improvements wrought by progress, whilst he who despises -antiquity forgets that the state of society in which we live, and the -institutions of the country itself, are all derived from preceding -ages. Do or think what we will, our ancestors are far more necessary to -us than posterity. - -The tumulus or mound, to which the whole school formerly marched in -procession at Whitsuntide once in every three years, stands in a field -just off the Bath road in the hamlet known as Salt Hill. Supposed by -some to be an ancient barrow, it appears to have never been opened, -though a portion was sliced off in 1893 when some cottages were built -close by. It seems a pity that this hillock--the scene of so many -picturesque gatherings in the past--should not have been preserved -intact, and some memorial, inscribed with a brief account of the -ceremony of Montem, placed upon its summit. - -[Illustration: The Montem of 1823. _From an old print._] - -[SN: THE PARSON AND HIS CLERK] - -The exact origin of “Montem” is involved in considerable obscurity. -Perhaps the most plausible explanation is that it arose in a similar -manner as the old Winchester custom of “going on Hills.” Another theory -is that the festival was of feudal origin, the tenure of the College -estates having been held by the payment of “salt-silver”--an ancient -legal term signifying money paid by tenants in certain manors in lieu -of service of bringing their lord’s salt from the market. It may have -also been originally connected with the curious ceremony of electing -a “Boy-Bishop.” In a number of old Montem Lists, which the writer has -been fortunate enough to acquire, the parson occupies a prominent place -in the procession, coming immediately after the Captain and being -followed by the clerk. Both ecclesiastical characters, it should be -added, were always personated by Collegers, and it was the custom for -them to indulge in gross buffoonery, the parson delivering a burlesque -sermon on Salt Hill, down which he afterwards kicked the clerk. In 1778 -this proceeding so scandalised Queen Charlotte, who was present, that -she begged it might never occur again, and henceforth both parson and -clerk ceased to figure in the ceremony. - -According to some, the original date for celebrating Montem was -December 6th, the very day dedicated to St. Nicholas, and usually -chosen for the election of the “Boy-Bishop” in ancient times. Be -this as it may, in Elizabeth’s reign the procession took place -about the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Granted that it was -ever celebrated on St. Nicholas’ Day, those who derive it from the -“Boy-Bishop” have a coincidence of time in their favour, whence it -is not unreasonable to suppose a connection between the triennial -festival at Eton and the ancient ecclesiastical mimicry of an episcopal -election. Another circumstance favourable to the same supposition is -found in a singular custom which formerly made part of the Montem -festival. The parson at one period, receiving a Prayer-book, used to -read part of the Service to the crowd; which usage bore an obvious -resemblance to the mimic services performed by the “Boy-Bishop” in the -distant past. Till 1759, when the date was changed to Whit-Tuesday, -Montem was annual; it then became biennial, and finally after 1775 -triennial. - -In those days it had already assimilated some striking features of that -curious alliance of licensed mendicity, brigandage, and gaiety--the -modern charity bazaar. Of its ancient character as a semi-religious -festival nothing remained, and it had become a collection for the -benefit of the Captain of the Collegers who might have been fortunate -enough to obtain a vacancy at King’s College, Cambridge. - -[SN: “MONTEM-SURE”] - -The proceedings in College which heralded the approach of Montem were -characteristic and peculiar. In former days it was the custom that -any vacancy at King’s should be immediately announced at Eton by -the “resignation man,” generally the coachman of the Provost of that -College, a delay of three weeks all but a day being allowed to the -Captain of the school in which he might make his preparations for -leaving. If, however, this period of grace should chance to expire on -the very eve of Whitsun-Tuesday Montem-day, the right of being Captain -would lapse to the Colleger who was next on the list, so that the -twentieth day before Whitsun-Tuesday in that year was a very critical -day for the Captain and second Colleger. Till midnight it could not -be known for certain who would be Captain. The boys called that night -“Montem-Sure Night,” when wild excitement prevailed amongst the -Collegers in Long Chamber, and as the last stroke of midnight sounded -from the clock in Lupton’s Tower, some fifty-two stout oaken beds -would be let fall on to the floor with a thundering crash, numberless -shutters would be slammed with furious energy, and “Montem-Sure,” -shouted by many powerful young throats, would ring out all over Eton. - -Whoever was Captain of the school on the Whitsun-Tuesday in a Montem -year became _ipso facto_ Captain of Montem. But, as has before been -said, the Captain of the school could not be known for certain till -within twenty days of the eventful Whitsun-Tuesday. - -A King’s scholar could, if he succeeded in passing his “election -trials” every year at the end of July, remain at Eton a twelvemonth -after passing the last examination, provided he was not yet nineteen. -If by that time he had not gone to King’s College, Cambridge, he was -superannuated, and had to leave Eton. At the examination at the end -of every July those boys who had passed their eighteenth birthday -were placed in school order of merit, and were called from thence to -Cambridge at any time of the year, whenever, through death, marriage, -or any cause, a vacancy occurred in the number of the seventy members -of King’s College, in order to supply which King Henry VI. founded his -school at Eton of seventy scholars. Montem only happened every third -year, for which reason it was only possible that a boy who was born -in such a year that he would have passed his eighteenth birthday on -the July previous to a Montem could ever become captain of Montem, and -obtain the financial benefits accruing from the collection made at that -festival. - -[SN: “SALT! SALT”] - -William Malim, the Headmaster, who wrote an account of Eton for the -Royal Commission who visited the school in 1561, thus described the -Montem of his day:-- - - About the festival of the Conversion of Saint Paul, at nine o’clock - on a day chosen by the Master, in the accustomed manner in which they - go to collect nuts in September, the boys go ad montem. The hill is - a sacred spot according to the boyish religion of the Etonians; on - account of the beauty of the countryside, the delicious grass, the - cool shade of bowers, and the melodious chorus of birds, they make it - a holy shrine for Apollo and the Muses, celebrate it in songs, call - it Tempe, and extol it above Helicon. Here the novices or new boys, - who have not yet submitted to blows in the Eton ranks, manfully and - stoutly, for a whole year, are first seasoned with salt and then - separately described in little poems which must be as salted and - graceful as possible. Next, they make epigrams against the new boys, - one vying with another to surpass in all elegance of speech and in - witticisms. Whatever comes to the lips may be uttered freely so long - as it is in Latin, courteous, and free from scurrility. Finally they - wet their faces and cheeks with salt tears, and then at last they are - initiated in the rites of the veterans. Ovations follow, and little - triumphs, and they rejoice in good earnest, because their labours are - past, and because they are admitted to the society of such pleasant - comrades. These things finished they turn home at five o’clock and - after dinner play till eight. - -In the days of Elizabeth, and during the turbulent time of the Civil -War, Montem seems to have assumed a more regular and ceremonious -form. Only, however, at the beginning of the eighteenth century did -it acquire those military characteristics which it retained with -little modification till its abolition in 1847. Till the middle of the -eighteenth century (1759) it was held in the last week in January, -but at that date Whitsun-Tuesday was appointed as the great day. Dr. -Barnard it was who altered the dresses and formed the boys into a -regular collegiate regiment. - -In ancient times the collectors, that is to say the boys who scoured -the roads for miles round Eton to collect contributions, carried -large bags which actually contained salt, a pinch of which they gave -to every contributor as a receipt. In the rough old times, when any -boorish-looking countryman after having contributed a trifle asked for -salt, it used to be a favourite pleasantry to fill his mouth with it. -The last Montem at which salt was actually used seems to have been -that of 1793. The cry of “Salt! Salt!” lasted long after tickets had -taken the place of the condiment, and, indeed, endured to the end, -embroidered bags being proffered to travellers along the roads, who, in -return for contributions which varied from fifty pounds to sixpence, -were presented with little blue tickets inscribed with one of the Latin -Montem mottoes. In the years preceding the abolition of the ceremony, -_Mos pro Lege_ and _Pro More et Monte_ were used in alternate years. -Not infrequently people who had never heard of the ancient custom were -very much astonished at being asked for salt. William the Third, it -is said, soon after his accession, had his carriage stopped by Montem -runners on the Bath road, and his Dutch guards, being not unnaturally -indignant at their monarch being waylaid in such unceremonious fashion, -were only prevented from cutting down the boys, whom they took for some -kind of highwaymen, by the King himself, who good-naturedly gave the -salt-bearers a liberal contribution. - -In 1706 Montem would seem to have evolved into something of the same -form which it retained till its abolition, the organisation being of -a military kind. In that year Stephen Poyntz was captain, Berkeley -Seymour lieutenant, Theophilus Thompson ensign, and Anthony Allen -marshal, or, as the Montem List always termed it, “mareschal.” - -[SN: THE MARCH TO SALT HILL] - -In connection with the ceremony, Poyntz composed the following lines:-- - - Allen pandit iter, Poyntz instruit agmen, - Cogit iter Seymour Thompsonque insignia vibrat. - -I think I am right in saying that it has hitherto escaped notice that -the great Duke of Wellington took part in an “ad Montem.” An old list -in my possession shows that at the Montem of June 5th, 1781, Mr. -Wesley, as he is termed, marched to Salt Hill as one of the attendants -of an Upper boy named Lomax. An appended note adds, “His Grace’s first -appearance in arms.” His sons, Lord Douro and Lord Charles Wellesley, -marched in the processions of 1820 and 1823. - -At the Montem of 1826 Gladstone, in order evidently to express that -sympathy for downtrodden nations for which he was so celebrated in -after life, went to Salt Hill in Greek costume wearing the fustanella -and embroidered cap. This was Pickering’s Montem, and owing to -Gladstone and others repressing a good deal of wanton damage, the sum -obtained for him was one of the largest on record. - -The march to Salt Hill was, of course, always somewhat tumultuous, and -much licence prevailed. As time went on efforts were made to purge the -fête of its disorderly features, but up to the very end there was a -good deal of horseplay and rowdiness amongst the boys; indeed, at the -last Montem but one, in 1841, they did great damage to the inns at -Salt Hill, whilst it was rare that the gardens of these hostelries -came unscathed through the eventful day, owing to the boys slashing -the plants and bushes with their swords. If the Captain of Montem -happened to be unpopular, much damage was often done, the boys being -well aware that on him would fall the burden of compensation, which -had to be paid out of the Montem money; and it is said that on one -occasion an unfortunate Captain was actually out of pocket owing to the -compensation he had to pay. - -Montem commenced by a number of the senior boys taking post upon the -bridges or other leading places of all the avenues around Windsor and -Eton soon after the dawn of day. These runners (or “servitors,” as -the Montem List calls them) were indefatigable in collecting salt or -money from every one whom they came across, and for seven or eight -miles around Eton travellers were liable to be accosted. The runners -who worked in outlying districts generally drove in a gig, being -accompanied by an attendant dressed in white--well able to protect the -runners against violence or robbery. The total of the sums collected -was afterwards given to the two salt-bearers--one Colleger and one -Oppidan--Upper boys who marched in the rear of the procession. In the -earlier part of the day these functionaries remained in the precincts -of College. The twelve runners were gorgeously attired in fancy dresses -of various kinds, bright colours predominating; they wore plumed hats -and buff boots, and carried silken bags strengthened with netting to -hold the “salt”--that is the money which they obtained. Their peculiar -badges of office were painted staves emblazoned with mottoes at the -top, which in most cases consisted of short quotations from Virgil -or Horace. “Quando ita majores” was a favourite one. Occasionally, -however, the motto was modern, “Nullum jus sine sale,” for instance. -Contributors of “salt” received in return a small dated ticket -inscribed _Pro More et Monte_ or _Mos pro Lege_. This, placed in a hat -or pinned on to a coat, would pass any one free with all runners for -the rest of the day. - -[SN: MONTEM MORNING] - -Nothing could have been prettier or more animated than the old -school-yard the morning of a Montem, filled as it was with the boys in -their military uniforms of blue and red, or in fancy dresses, for the -most part of a rich and tasteful kind. Fantastically attired Turks, -Albanians, and Highlanders mingled with courtiers and pages of every -age, an additional note of colour being furnished by the bright dresses -of numerous female relatives and friends who had come down to Eton -to see the show. In addition to the boys in uniform and fancy dress, -a considerable number of Lower School who followed at the end of the -procession wore the old Eton costume of blue jacket and white trousers, -only abandoned after the death of George III. Such boys carried long -thin wands about five feet long, which after the ceremonial were, -according to immemorial usage, cut in two by the corporals with their -swords. Occasionally, however, some of the “polemen,” as they were -called, contrived to keep their wands intact to the end of the day--a -rare and difficult feat. - -At the close of the eighteenth century Montem was often attended -by Royalty. The College flag, of rich crimson silk emblazoned with -the Eton arms and the motto _Mos pro Lege_ within a wreath of oak -and laurel, would on the great day be displayed at one of the Long -Chamber windows early in the morning, and at eleven o’clock George -III. would generally appear with his family, and be received by the -boys with a long-continued roar of huzzas. The King would then be met -by the Headmaster at the entrance to the school-yard and conducted to -an elaborate breakfast, after which the Royal party would move with -the procession towards Salt Hill, the principal scene of the day’s -display. A breakfast given by the Captain of Montem in the College Hall -continued to be one of the features of the day right up to the last -celebration in 1844. In the _Illustrated London News_ of that year can -be seen, amongst other interesting pictures of the last Montem, a cut -of this banquet. The unrestored Hall is filled with guests, the College -flag being suspended above the High Table. After the feast general -exhilaration prevailed. My cousin, Sir Algernon West--a survivor of the -last Montem, which he attended as a “poleman”--tells me that he has an -unpleasant memory of a schoolfellow, who had partaken of the pleasures -of the table too freely, prodding him with a sword. - -[Illustration: The Montem of 1841--The March round the School-Yard. -_Engraved by C. G. Lewis after a drawing by W. Evans._ _Print lent by -D. Jay, Esq._] - -The procession always commenced in the Great Quadrangle at Eton, and -proceeded through Eton to Slough, and round to Salt Hill, where the -boys all passed before the King or Queen and ascended the Montem; here -an oration was delivered, and the Grand Standard was displayed with -much grace and activity by the Standard-bearer, selected from among the -senior boys. - -There were two extraordinary salt-bearers appointed to attend the -Royalties; these salt-bearers were always attired in fanciful habits, -generally costly and sometimes superb, and each carried an embroidered -bag, which not only received the royal salt, but also whatever was -collected by the out-stationed runners. - -The donation of the King or Queen, or, as it was called, “the royal -salt,” was always fifty guineas each; the Prince of Wales thirty -guineas; all the other Princes and Princesses twenty guineas each. - -[SN: THE WINDMILL] - -As soon as the ceremony “ad Montem” was over the Royal Family returned -to Windsor. The boys then dined in detachments--seniors separated -from juniors--in the taverns at Salt Hill, the gardens at that place -being laid out for such ladies and gentlemen as chose to take any -refreshment, whilst several bands of music played. The “Windmill -Inn,” the garden of which was on the other side of the road, was then -often the scene of much riotous festivity, as was a rival house--the -“Castle.” The abolition of Montem was, of course, a severe blow to both -hostelries. About twenty-five years ago the “Windmill” was about to -be converted into a school when a fire broke out and the old building -was destroyed. A noticeable feature of the exterior had been some -magnificent wistaria, the stems of which were twisted into agonised -shapes by the flames. The “Castle” actually did become a school. A -large part of the original house was pulled down in 1887 and the rest -of the place converted into a compact country residence. The “Windmill” -was known to many as “Botham’s,” from the name of its proprietor, who -in the palmy days of Montem during the last century divided what was a -profitable monopoly with the host of the “Castle,” Partridge by name. -The latter’s charges were so high that Foote, after partaking of some -refreshment in his hostelry, once told him that he ought to change his -name to Woodcock--“on account of the length of his bill.” - -[Illustration: Ad Montem, 1838. _From a scarce coloured print in the -possession of Messrs. & Robson Co., Coventry Street, W._] - -[SN: FINANCIAL RESULTS] - -After having dined at these inns all the boys returned in the same -order of procession as in the morning, and, marching round the Great -Quadrangle in Eton School, were dismissed. In the eighteenth century -the Captain would then go and pay his respects to the Royal Family -at the Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, previous to his departure for King’s -College, Cambridge; to defray which expense the produce of the Montem -was presented to him. Upon Whit-Tuesday in the year 1796 it amounted -to over one thousand guineas. The sum, however, varied considerably -in amount, its magnitude being in a great manner determined by his -popularity or unpopularity in the school. In the latter case, as has -been said, the result of the collection would sometimes be a good deal -diminished by damage done in the gardens of the inns at Salt Hill, -where ill-disposed boys would destroy the shrubs and flowers with their -swords in order to run up the bill. All the other expenses of the day -were paid for out of the Salt, and in the latter years of Montem the -total collected generally amounted to something between a thousand and -eight hundred pounds; but when all disbursements had been made the -Captain was very lucky if he got three or four hundred pounds. A proof -of this is that when Montem was discontinued in 1847, Dr. Hawtrey gave -the boy who would have been Captain two hundred pounds contributed by -himself and a few friends out of their own pockets as compensation. -This sum the Headmaster had ascertained was a fair equivalent for the -net amount usually pocketed by the Captain after all expenses had been -paid. These outgoings, it must be remembered, were large, including as -they did a breakfast to the whole of the Fifth and Sixth Forms and a -dinner to personal friends in the evening, in addition to which there -were numerous other disbursements which amounted to a considerable sum. - -In an early account of Montem _circa_ 1560 there is a reference to the -new boys, termed “recentes,” being seasoned with salt, meaning probably -that they had to make some small monetary contribution; for up to the -last Montem celebration, by reason of a curious usage, the origin of -which was unknown, boys who had come to Eton within the preceding year -were expected to pay the Captain a small sum called “recent-money.” - -At the last celebrations of Montem the order of procession differed -somewhat from that observed in olden days. It was then headed by -the marshal, followed by six attendants; band; captain, followed by -eight attendants; sergeant-major, followed by two attendants; twelve -sergeants, two and two, each followed by an attendant; colonel, -followed by six attendants and four polemen; corporals, two and two, -followed by two polemen apiece; second band; ensign with flag, followed -by six attendants and four polemen; corporals, two and two, followed -by one or two polemen apiece; lieutenant, followed by four attendants; -salt-bearers, runners, and stewards; and a poleman brought up the rear -of the procession. - -The flag was always solemnly waved in the school-yard before the -procession started, and on arriving at Salt Hill it was waved a second -time at the top of the mount, the boys all clustering round like a -swarm of bees and cheering with great vigour. Great importance was -always attached to the waving of the College standard in a proper -manner, and for a long time previous to Montem day the Ensign practised -for hours in Long Chamber. The old traditional way of manipulating -the banner was as far as possible followed, the custom being to wave -it round in every direction and conclude by one triumphant final -flourish which was the grand climax of the whole celebration. - -[SN: AN ETON REGIMENT] - -A complete military organisation with regular uniforms was adopted -by the school on Montem day, and Eton became a collegiate regiment. -The senior Colleger ranked as captain, the second salt-bearer as -marshal, the other Sixth-Form Collegers becoming ensign, lieutenant, -sergeant-major, and steward; any other Sixth-Form Collegers not -acting as runners were sergeants. The captain of the Oppidans was -always a salt-bearer by right, whilst the next to him on the school -list was colonel; the other Sixth-Form Oppidans ranked as sergeants. -All the Fifth-Form Oppidans were corporals and wore red tail-coats -with gilt buttons and white trousers. They had also crimson sashes -round their waists, black leather sword-belts, and swords hanging by -their sides. A cocked hat and plume of feathers exactly like that -worn by field-officers completed this martial attire. The Fifth-Form -Collegers’ dress was like that of the Fifth-Form Oppidans, insomuch -as they donned sash, sword, cocked hat, and plume; but their coats -were blue instead of red, so that they resembled naval officers more -than military men. The coats of the Sixth Form, both Collegers and -Oppidans, had distinctive details of uniform denoting rank, which could -be at once distinguished from the various forms of epaulet and great -or little prevalence of gilt. The steward wore the ordinary full dress -of the period. The Lower boys who acted as polemen wore the old Eton -costume--blue coats with gilt buttons, white waistcoats and trousers, -silk stockings and pumps. The pages of the Sixth Form and others were -attired in fancy dresses, often of a rich description. A feature of -the last Montem uniforms were the buttons. These bore the Eton arms, -Royal crown, and motto, _Mos pro Lege_, together with the date of the -foundation of the College. - -Montem coats were allowed to be worn after the great day was over, but -the boys suffered for this privilege, most masters generally selecting -them to construe in preference to their more soberly clad schoolmates. -One master, indeed, became so notorious for this that eventually his -whole division appeared in red coats, so as to prevent any particular -boys from being singled out. The last Montem coat worn at Eton is said -to have been observed in 1847. - -As a general rule pretty good order seems to have been preserved -in connection with Montem, and this is the more wonderful when one -remembers that a large number of the boys wore real swords and indulged -in liberal potations at the inns at Salt Hill. In 1796, it is true, -some disorder did occur near the historic mount, a large crowd surging -around the carriage in which sat the Queen and the Princesses. George -III., however, soon put matters to rights by calling out to some of the -worst offenders, “Surely you are not Etonians?” adding that he did not -remember their faces, and felt sure Eton boys would be better behaved. -Three years later, at the Montem of 1799, an Eton boy made a mistake -of which he was afterwards much ashamed. As the procession was moving -along, a visitor on a spirited and fiery horse kept pressing closer to -it than was pleasant, and one of the sergeants, a youth named Beckett, -putting one hand significantly upon his sword-hilt and the other on -the rider’s knee, exclaimed in a bold manner, “I should recommend -you, my friend, not to let your horse tread upon Me.” In reply to -this the horseman merely smiled, bowed, and drew his horse away. It -was afterwards discovered that the stranger was the King of Hanover. -Altogether Montem was a day of great enjoyment for those who were -present at it, much jollity and fun of the old English sort being one -of its chief characteristics. Most of the visitors were well acquainted -with its traditions and entered thoroughly into its spirit. A favourite -joke was to make a pretence of refusing to contribute whilst concealing -the little blue paper receipt previously received as quittance for salt -paid. - -[SN: THE PLEASURES OF MONTEM] - -“I will not attempt to reason with you about the pleasures of -Montem,” said an old Etonian, who was defending the old festival -against the attacks of one of those hawk-eyed commercial gamblers -who, calling themselves “business men,” dominate the modern world; -“but to an Etonian it is enough that it brought pure and ennobling -recollections--evoked associations of hope and happiness--and made -even the wise feel that there was something better than wisdom, and -the rich something nobler than wealth. I like to think of the faces -I saw round the old mount, recalling school friendships and generous -rivalries. At the last Montem I attended, it is true I saw fifty -fellows of whom I remember only the nicknames--not a few degenerated -into scheming M.P.’s, cunning lawyers, or speculators--but at Montem -one forgot all that. Leaving the plodding world of reality for one day, -such men regained the dignity of Sixth-Form Etonians.” - -The last celebration of Montem took place on Whitsun-Tuesday in -1844, on which occasion some of its ancient features were altered. -The dinner, for instance, took place on Fellow’s Eyot, within the -College precincts, instead of at Salt Hill, the boys having also -to answer to their names in the playing fields. An ominous sign, -which seemed to forebode that the ancient ceremony was soon to be -discontinued for ever, was that in the last year of Montem the famous -cry of “Montem Sure” was not heard to ring out of the Long Chamber -windows, no bedsteads crashed, and no shutters banged. Montem, it is -true, still lived, but it seemed to be felt that its end was near. -Nevertheless, the procession took place according to immemorial usage, -and the fancifully attired throng of boys, accompanied by a crowd of -carriages, foot and horse, wended its way to the classic mount where -the ceremonial which countless generations of Etonians had gone through -was duly performed. Prince Albert, for instance, was stopped on -Windsor Bridge, and in compliance with a request for salt, gave £100. -At Salt Hill the bands played merrily, and the crowd of boys and old -Etonians cheered as of yore when, for the last time on the summit of -the mount the Ensign waved the historic College banner, inscribed with -the quaint old motto, _Pro More et Monte_. Not a few, however, amongst -the throng gathered there had a presentiment that they were assisting -at the obsequies of the time-honoured ceremony, and as they wended -their way back to town felt that Montem was now to be numbered with the -many other old-world festivals which so-called progress was sweeping -away. - -These gloomy forebodings proved to be only too well founded. Montem, -indeed, had become somewhat incongruous with the changed spirit which -was producing a purely utilitarian age. The facilities afforded by the -then newly constructed railway also flooded Eton and Slough with hordes -of visitors, many of them highly undesirable, besides which the Press -was none too tender in the attitude which it adopted towards the old -festival. - -[SN: THE “HOLBORN MONTEM”] - -In June 1844, for instance, _Punch_ published an amusing, if rather -malicious, illustrated attack upon the Eton festival, entitled “The -Holborn Montem,” in which it pictured the effect which would be -produced were a number of London ragamuffins permitted to hold up -foot-passengers and omnibuses whilst making demands for salt. Dr. -Hawtrey, the Headmaster, was bitterly opposed to the continuance of -the old ceremony, and to him and to the Provost it owed its abolition. -The remainder of the College authorities were about equally divided in -their opinions. When Provost Hodgson put the matter before them they -voted as follows:-- - - _For abolishing Montem._ _For preserving Montem._ - - Hodgson, Provost. Plumtre. - Grover, Vice-Provost. Carter. - Bethell. Dupuis. - Green. Wilder. - -Queen Victoria personally is known to have been opposed to the -abolition; nevertheless she did not care to interfere, and in 1847 -it was announced that no celebration of Montem would take place, and -though many earnest representations were made by old Etonians to Dr. -Hawtrey, the decision to abolish Montem was maintained. Had the Provost -been of the same type as Dr. Goodall, some semblance at least of the -ancient ceremony would have been preserved, but the post happened to -be held by Provost Hodgson, the friend of Byron, who, though a man -of poetical turn of mind, was a great reformer. He made many changes -in College, and abolished the horrors of Long Chamber, which is much -to his credit. On the other hand, he was perhaps too thorough-going -in doing away with the ancient festival of Montem, which might have -been preserved in an altered form. _Per se_ it was, in many respects, -indefensible, being full of absurdities; nevertheless it might have -been continued in some reformed and improved shape. - -The abolition was keenly resented by the boys, and on the Whit-Tuesday, -when the ceremony should have taken place, the old red flag, which -had figured at many Montems, was hung out of one of the windows of -Upper School as a signal of revolt, and something like a riot ensued. -This was, however, in the main confined to the Lower boys, who, -after smashing a few windows (for the repair of which their parents -afterwards grumblingly paid), were soon reduced to order. - -Numbers of old Etonians sadly shook their heads when they heard -that Montem had become a thing of the past, but, as has been said, -remonstrance and protest were alike unavailing to make the Eton -authorities realise that entire abolition was too drastic a measure. - -[SN: THE BONE FOR THE MARROW] - -The truth is that at that period all over England old-fashioned -merrymaking was beginning to be checked by the chilling force of that -utilitarian commercialism which has since dominated the country. -The modern spirit, ever prone to exchange happiness for success, -was already making its influence felt, whilst many, under the false -impression that romance, tradition, and fancy counted for nothing, were -straining every nerve to secure the bone whilst entirely failing to -obtain its marrow. - -The passing of Montem, besides causing some severe pangs of grief to -many an old Etonian, greatly perturbed a number of humbler folk, and -its abolition was bitterly lamented by a host of tradesmen, cabmen, -omnibus drivers, innkeepers, and the like. Numbers of people derived -either pleasure or profit from the triennial celebration. The most -sincere mourners were the cab and omnibus drivers, who bitterly -regretted their lost harvest, and on the anniversary of the great -festival wore black crape upon their arms. - -An interesting and curious exhibition of Montem relics and costumes, -it may be mentioned, was shown at Eton in the Upper School during the -celebration of the 450th anniversary of the foundation of the College. -Of the three great Eton festivals, Montem, Election Saturday, and the -4th of June, the last and most modern of the three alone survives. The -proceedings on Election Saturday, it should be added, were of a similar -kind to those which still take place on the birthday of King George the -Third--that is to say, the boats’ crews wore gala dresses and dined at -Surly, after which there were fireworks, whilst the bells of Windsor -pealed and the crews cheered. - -[SN: MONTEM ODES] - -Before leaving the subject of Montem a few words may not be out of -place as to a quaint character who was known to many generations of -Etonians as the Montem poet. This was Herbert Stockhore, who, dressed -in quaint attire in a donkey-cart, was a prominent feature at all -Montem celebrations from 1784 to 1835, when he was ninety. Before -being chosen Montem poet Stockhore was a Windsor bricklayer living in -a little house built by himself, which he called Mount Pleasant, in a -lane leading from Windsor to the meadows. - -On the 4th of June good old George III. always presented Stockhore -with a present of gold, and George IV. continued the kindly practice. -At other times Stockhore subsisted entirely upon the bounty of the -Etonians and the inhabitants of Windsor and Eton, who never failed -to administer to his wants and liberally supply him with many little -comforts in return for his harmless pleasantries. - -Stockhore had a time-honoured method of composing his odes well -calculated to ensure their favourable reception. The quality of his -versification was, of course, very moderate. It may be judged from the -following, culled from the Montem Ode of 1826 (Pickering’s year):-- - - I, Herbert Stockhore, once more, - In spite of age and pains rheumatic, - Hop down to “Montem” with verses Attic, - To make the Muse as have done before. - For why should I lie a-bed groaning and bickering - When I ought to be up to sing Captain Pickering. - -A happier effort, perhaps, was his greeting to George III.:-- - - And now we’ll sing - God save the king, - And send him long to reign, - That he may come - To have some fun - At Montem once again. - -It is not, however, on account of his rhymes that Stockhore deserves to -be remembered, but on account of the fact that he was one of the last -of those lowly-born characters who by their native wit, good-humour, -and kindly eccentricity secured a unique place in the affections of -many far above them in rank, intellect, and wealth. The Board School -has now rendered all such humble types extinct. - -[SN: HERBERT STOCKHORE] - -Stockhore had originally been a sailor, and some said also a soldier. -At any rate on “Montem” day he wore a fancy robe of various colours -thrown over his old military coat, with trimmings of divers cotton -ribbons. An extemporised coronet, encircled with bay and crowned with -feathers, completed a costume which astounded visitors unaware of the -bard’s identity. His eccentric though harmless habits rendered him a -popular character with the Eton boys, and his recitation of a Montem -Ode was always warmly applauded, and owing to the sale of his doggerel -and the contributions he received the old man led a fairly comfortable -existence. His way was first of all to set down upon paper the names of -those about to take part in “Montem” and other details furnished to him -by some one in a position to know, after which he would compose a rough -jumble of rhyming lines. This was then submitted to some Colleger, who -undertook its revision, and was printed for the author to vend, which -he did at a very remunerative price; it also formed an excuse for the -extraction of coins from old friends and visitors to Eton. Stockhore, -though in his latter years, like his rhymes, much given to limping, was -able to attend the Montem of 1835, at which time he had reached the -great age of ninety. - -At the next one, held in 1838, though still alive, being too feeble -to go, he was represented at the great festival by a man named Ryder. -Three years later, in 1841, Stockhore passed away, aged ninety-six -years. The boys then chose Edward Irvine by vote, but though he or -some other claimant was still hanging about Eton half a century ago, -the office really died with Stockhore, for his successors had no trace -of the quaint and simple individuality which had been known to many -generations of Etonians, one of whom, a few years before the famous -Montem poet’s death, composed the following lines:-- - - Be Herbert Stockhore all my theme, - The laureate’s praises I indite; - He erst who sung in Montem’s praise, - And Thespis like, from out his cart - Recited his extempore lays - On Eton’s sons, in costume smart, - Who told of captains bold and grand, - Lieutenants, marshals, seeking salt; - Of colonels, majors, cap in hand, - Who bade e’en majesty to halt; - Told how the ensign nobly waved - The colours on the famous hill; - And names from dull oblivion saved, - Who ne’er the niche of fame can fill; - Who, like to Campbell, lends his name - To many a whim he ne’er did write; - When witty scholars, to their shame, - ’Gainst masters hurl a satire trite. - But fare thee well, Ad Montem’s bard, - Farewell, my mem’ry’s early friend; - May misery never press thee hard, - Ne’er may disease thy steps attend; - Be all thy wants by those supply’d, - Whom charity ne’er fail’d to move; - Etona’s motto, crest, and pride, - Is feeling, courage, friendship, love. - Poor harmless soul, thy merry stave - Shall live when nobler poets bend; - And when Atropos to the grave - Thy silvery locks of grey shall send, - Etona’s sons shall sing thy fame, - Ad Montem still thy verse resound, - Still live an ever-cherished name, - As long as salt and sock abound. - -The “famous hill” alluded to in these verses now presents a most -melancholy appearance, its summit being vulgarised by a _châlet_ of -miserable design, whilst, as has been said, the glory of the Inns -close by has long departed. For some time after Montem days, however, -the Windmill (Botham’s) seems to have been an occasional resort of -Etonians, for an interesting oak table (saved from the fire), which -is now in the possession of the popular Master--Mr. Edward Littleton -Vaughan--has carved upon it the names of some seventy well-known -Etonians, besides initials, and dates, mostly ranging from 1845 -to 1857. It would therefore seem that, contrary to tradition, the -names were not carved after Montem, but are rather those of boys who -frequented Botham’s, as their predecessors had frequented the old -Christopher. - - - - -VI THE COLLEGE BUILDINGS - - -In the course of the various changes which Eton has undergone, the old -Quadrangle (till 1706 not paved but grass), which in old Montem days -was gay with a riot of high-spirited youth, has, on the whole, escaped -disfiguring alteration. The original intention of the founder was to -have a cloister in the Quadrangle; and a line of lead running beneath -the windows, together with some foundations discovered in 1876, lead -one to suppose that such a scheme was actually begun. On the whole, the -general aspect of the school-yard, which enthusiastic Etonians regard -as a sort of “rose-red city half as old as time,” remains unaltered. -New, however, are the pinnacles of the Chapel and the Gothic window of -the Hall. - -Within the last hundred years almost the only drastic changes have -been those in its exterior, the western end of which was remodelled -at the restoration of 1858, and the construction of a bow window for -the master residing in College, whose rooms are on the left-hand side -of the Quadrangle, at the end of what was formerly the ancient Long -Chamber. Otherwise there is small evidence of change. The brickwork -retains its old mellowed colouring, and the founder’s statue remains -as grimy as ever, though perhaps a trifle less black than in the days -when its sable hue convinced the small child of one of the College -officials that Henry VI. had been a black man. The infant in question, -as a loyal son of Eton, had been taught to salute this statue (which, -according to old custom, should always be passed on the right-hand -side) whenever he went through the school-yard. Out for an airing with -its nurse in Windsor one day, the child, perceiving a private of one of -the West India Regiments, became convinced that it was Henry VI. in the -flesh. Solemnly rising in its perambulator and reverently exclaiming -“Founder,” the astounded soldier was accorded a salute which filled him -with amazement. - -The feature of the Quadrangle, of course, is the fine tower of Provost -Lupton, under which at Election time, up to 1871, the Provost of Eton -was wont to greet the Provost of King’s with a kiss of peace, and the -Captain of the school to deliver his Latin Cloister Speech. The gates -here are closed on the death of a Provost, and not opened till his -successor is appointed. Carved above the window of Election Chamber, -over the gateway, is a representation of the Assumption of the Virgin, -to which in pre-Reformation days Collegers reverently raised their hats. - -[SN: THE GREEN YARD] - -Passing through this arch one reaches the cloisters, about which -linger so many old-world memories. Once known as the “tower cloister,” -this appellation seems in the eighteenth century to have been discarded -for that of “the Green Yard.” The railings here, of Sussex iron, were -put up in 1724-25. - -[Illustration: The Cloisters of Eton College. _From a coloured print -dated 1816._] - -[SN: CHANGES IN CLOISTERS] - -A good many alterations have recently been carried out in this part -of the College, some of which have of necessity rather impaired its -old-world charm. - -On the cloister side of Lupton’s Tower a strengthening arch and support -have been built to guard against possible subsidence, some signs of -which had begun to appear. In the cloisters also certain expedient -changes and renovations have also been made. - -During the middle of the eighteenth century an additional storey -was added to the cloister buildings, and, owing to the narrowness -of the structure, communication between the new storey and the old -was eventually effected by affixing a staircase to the outside wall, -in which a hole was made to give entrance to the staircase. This -staircase has now been entirely removed, and a new staircase between -the first and second floors fitted in two flights, each stretching the -whole breadth of the building. Election Hall now occupies practically -the whole of the space between Lupton’s Tower and the north side of -school-yard. Formerly there was a small room at the tower end, and a -passage past this room communicating with Election Chamber on the -lowest floor of the tower. This room is now part of Election Hall, most -of the passage having disappeared, whilst the beautiful oak panelling -has been removed to the new staircase. The roof of Election Hall is -now higher than of yore, the increased size of the room and the bad -state of the roof having called for such an alteration. The room over -Election Chamber has been converted into a sitting-room, and the -partitions in it have been removed, so that it is now the same size as -Election Chamber and looks out both ways. The clock remains unchanged. -In the remoter part of the house the passage has been widened, and the -walls have been stripped of the plaster and now show the old timber. -A new door has also been made under the tower, giving access to a -staircase which leads straight up to the first floor. - -The Provost’s Lodge has also undergone some change. The dining-room -here--the Magna Parlura--which contains portraits of various kings -and provosts and occupies the centre of the Lodge, has undergone -considerable renovation at certain periods, especially in the middle of -the last century, when it was decorated with considerable care by Dr. -Hawtrey. The ceiling was then painted and the panelling, reaching to -the top of the room, finished with a dado of deal, which has now been -removed, and the oak, which before was grained, scraped. The panelling -has also been lowered and now rests on the floor, the old timbers -above being visible. Two stone windows have been opened up in this -room, which had formerly been blocked by the Georgian staircase. At -the other end of the room an interesting discovery was made of another -Tudor door opening into the gallery just opposite the stairs. On each -side of the door are Tudor windows with wooden frames. Most of the -doors opening into the gallery are of Tudor workmanship, but these are -the only two Tudor windows that have been discovered in the College. -The woodwork half-way down the staircase is of good Gothic workmanship, -whereas the staircase is of much later date. The servants’ hall, on the -ground floor, was formerly divided by partitions, but these have been -removed. The panelling here is of the seventeenth century, the panels -large and tall in design. At one end of the room there is an alcove -faced with the original mirrors and containing a basin set in beautiful -inlaid work of black and white marble. This, however, is covered up -with a wooden plate, which conceals the marble. - -At the time of these alterations there was some talk of removing the -railings in the cloisters, which are of Sussex iron, and reviving an -inner walk, traces of which have been discovered round the edge of the -grass. On the tower side the railings have already gone--the remainder, -let us hope, will be left untouched. A great feature of the cloisters -is the old Cloister Pump, which, as in the days when a less luxurious -race of Collegers washed at its spout, continues to yield the best -water in Eton. This old pump is associated with the cry of “Cloister -P!” at which the lowest boy present had to fetch a canful of the sacred -water, the cry which sent every fag in Long Chamber tearing down -Sixth-Form passage. Not very far away is the well-worn stone staircase -up which so many generations of Collegers have made their way into the -Hall, which, in spite of renovation, still retains a certain amount of -interest for those fond of relics of another age. - -A considerable portion of the existing structure dates from about 1450, -and to some extent follows the design favoured by King Henry VI. The -founder’s original idea, however, was that a northern bay window should -face the southern one. He also contemplated a porch with a tower over -it. One must be thankful that at the restoration of 1858 the College -authorities did not attempt to carry out these plans. - -The early architectural history of the Hall is somewhat puzzling. -For some undiscovered reason it was begun in stone and finished in -brick, whilst three large fireplaces were constructed but never used, -being covered with panelling till the so-called restoration of the -last century. In 1721 some alterations were carried out according -to the plan of a Mr. Rowland, but from that time till 1858 the Hall -remained as it is shown in the illustration facing page 164. At that -date, however, the Rev. Mr. Wilder, the Fellow who had contributed so -liberally to the modernisation of the interior of the College Chapel, -turned his attention to the old building, which was restored at his -expense. It is to be regretted that a good deal of Renaissance work of -historical interest then disappeared, retaining some features of the -original design constructed in its place. - -For some unexplained reason (apparently it was in fair repair) the old -roof was destroyed, and a new one substituted. The simple three-light -Renaissance west window, with a curious ornamented ledge beneath, -gave way to an elaborate Gothic window, filled with stained glass -representing the very “apocryphal” story of Henry VII.’s Eton days. -Beneath this was erected an elaborate screen of panelling, decorated -with the arms of successive provosts. The rest of the old panelling -was allowed to remain, though, owing to a very thorough process of -renovation, a great proportion of the present woodwork is modern. Along -the top of the panelling may still be seen a number of old nails. From -these, according to an old Eton custom, Collegers at Shrovetide used -to hang scrolls of Bacchus verses which were suspended by coloured -ribbons. These Bacchus verses, written in praise or abuse of the jovial -deity, continued to be written in the earlier portion of the last -century, though by that time their character had changed. - -[SN: BACCHUS VERSES] - -The art of verse-writing was held in the highest esteem at Eton, and -was, together with accurate prosody, the road to distinction. False -quantities were considered crimes. In the _Etonian_ Praed had some -clever lines as to this in his poem, “The Eve of Battle”:-- - - And still in spite of all thy care, - False quantities will haunt thee there, - For thou wilt make amidst the throng - Or ζωή short or κλέος long. - -A copy of Bacchus verses composed by Porson on the subject of Cyrus -exulting over captive Babylon is preserved in the library. Pepys noted -these Bacchus verses in 1666:-- - - To the Hall, and there find the boys’ verses, “De Peste,” it being - their custom to make verses at Shrovetide. I read several, and very - good they were, better, I think, than ever I made when I was a boy, - and in rolls as long, or longer, than the whole Hall by much. Here is - a picture of Venice hung up, and a monument made by Sir H. Wotton’s - giving it to the College. - -This picture was moved many years ago, and now hangs in Election Hall. -Beneath it is the following inscription:-- - - Henricus Wottonius post tres apud Venetos Legationes ordinarias in - Etonensis Collegii beato sinu senescens, eiusque cum suavissima inter - Se Sociosque concordia annos iam XII. Praefectus Hanc miram Vrbis - quasi natantis effigiem in aliquam sui memoriam iuxta Socialem Mensam - affixit, 1636. - -On the picture itself may be seen the words, “Opus Odoardus Fialettus, -1611.” - -Near the oriel window there still stands the iron reading-desk from -which in old times a scholar used to read out passages of Holy Writ. In -early days he appears to have been known as “the Bibler.” - -[SN: BURNT TAPESTRY] - -Before the restoration of the Hall two pieces of tapestry given by a -Fellow--Adam Robyns--in 1613 used to be hung beneath the west window -at Election time. They represented the flight into Egypt and Christ -teaching in the Temple. When the Hall had been restored and the -ornate modern panelling or screen set up where this tapestry used to -hang, it was relegated to the bake-house. This was burnt in 1875, and -the tapestry, together with the green rugs given to the Collegers -by the Duke of Cumberland in 1735, were utterly destroyed in the -conflagration. These rugs or coverlets were edged with gold braid and -embroidered with the College arms. - -[Illustration: The College Hall before Restoration. _From an old -print._] - -Up to the period of the modern alterations the Hall was warmed by a -circular charcoal brazier standing beneath the louvre or opening in the -roof. In 1858, however, the three large fireplaces discovered behind -the panelling were taken into use; they had never had chimneys before. -Hot-water pipes now also assist to warm the Hall. - -On the walls hang some eighteen portraits, all of Collegers except two, -representing George III. and Sir Thomas Smith. The Rev. John Wilder, -the well-meaning Fellow who spent such large sums of money in altering -and restoring Hall and Chapel, is commemorated by a brass in the -south-west corner. - -On the right in the Hall is a small table called the “Servitor’s Desk.” -The duty attached to the old office of Servitor consists in noting -down in a book the commons allowed for each day’s dinner according -to the number actually dining in Hall. He counts by “messes” and -“half-messes,” a mess consisting of four boys. It is the practice of -most Servitors to carve their name on the desk, and among the names -carved are those of A. C. Benson, author and poet, and J. K. Stephen. - -A few of the old customs are retained, the authorities still sitting at -the high table at the west end. The Sixth Form sit at the first table -on the left side, carving their own joint; one of them says Grace, -shouting “Surgite! Benedicat Deus” at the beginning of the meal, and -“Surgite! Benedicatur Deo” at the end, when the others reply, “Deo -Gratias.” On Sundays a Latin Grace is chanted. The fare of Collegers -formerly consisted almost[4] exclusively of mutton, from which arose -the term “Tug-mutton,” and “Tug” applied to a King’s scholar. - -[SN: “HARPY-PIES”] - -Within the last three decades three ancient usages have been abandoned. -The first of these was “Bever,” which was abolished in 1890. “Bever” -consisted in a modest collation of bread and salt and beer in “after -fours” in the summer; Collegers might partake of this if they wished, -and were allowed to invite guests. A second old usage which disappeared -about the same time was that of certain boys receiving a double -allowance of bread. Though most of the old oak panelling of Hall was -replaced by new in 1858, amongst the old panels was one which for -more than three hundred years had proclaimed the privilege of the mess -of four boys which dined nearest to the door on the north side of the -Hall, “Queen Elizabethe ad nos gave October x 2 loves in a mes 1596,” -being roughly inscribed upon it. Commemorating the munificence of the -virgin Queen for more than three hundred years, two loaves, instead -of the customary one loaf, were set before the four boys sitting near -the panel. This practice has now been ended. The third old custom was -of a far less pleasant character, and its disappearance is not to be -deplored. Formerly, after the Collegers had dined, a number of old -almswomen were allowed to collect the remains, and in consequence the -Hall was at certain times thronged with a mass of old women thrusting -chunks of bread and scraps of broken meat into bags. The whole thing -was a somewhat unseemly scramble. The boys were often not very well -disposed to the harpies, as they called the old ladies, and would -wickedly make them what were known as “hag-traps” and “harpy-pies.” -The composition of these was a masterpiece of diabolical ingenuity. -A large square piece of bread or quarter loaf having had its centre -hollowed out by means of a hole in the side, the interior was cunningly -filled with an unsavoury mixture of mustard, pepper, cayenne, and -whatever else came to hand, after which the opening was cleverly closed -so that the bread might present a totally unsuspicious appearance and -then left lying about amongst genuine loaves. Though the old ladies -had considerable experience of various disagreeable forms of College -humour, this wicked device always secured a certain amount of success. -At the present time the female pensioners are given a small monetary -allowance in place of being allowed to enter the Hall. - -[SN: AN UNAPPRECIATED POET] - -The Upper School occupies the whole of the west side of the -school-yard, with the exception of the space covered by the -headmaster’s room at the north end. It was originally built by -Provost Allestree, but so faultily that it had to be rebuilt under -his successor, Provost Cradock, in 1694. Though by some attributed -to him, the architect was probably not Sir Christopher Wren; yet the -style adopted, very different from that of the other buildings in the -school-yard, is that associated with his name. Though now only rarely -used, Upper School was formerly the principal class-room of Eton, and -at the beginning of the nineteenth century no less than 400 boys were -taught there at the same time. The ground floor beneath is now occupied -by rooms which in the last century were considered quite good enough to -accommodate large “divisions,” but have now been turned into a “school -office,” a porter’s lodge, and store-rooms of various kinds. On the -floor above is the “Upper School” itself, approached at the south end -by a fine staircase--a well-proportioned room, lined with oak panelling -which has served for the recording of many Eton names, and adorned -with the busts of Etonians who have served their country. The first of -these busts was put up in 1840, when the Marquess Wellesley presented -his to the school--his brother, the Duke of Wellington, shortly -afterwards following his example. Most of the great Etonians are here, -including Shelley. It is said that when the idea of erecting the poet’s -bust was first mooted, Dr. Hornby objected, saying that Shelley was a -bad man, and he only wished he had been educated at Harrow. The memory -of this poet--in former days, at least--was not held in any particular -respect by the vast majority of Etonians, most of whom held much the -same views about him as have been attributed to Dr. Hornby. - -Some thirty years ago, when the subject of the amenities of Eton was -being discussed by a House Debating Society, an Upper boy--now a -well-known Peer--brought the debate to a close with a breezy speech. -Eton, he said, was in his opinion a very good place; all boys were -happy there, or ought to be. As far as he could make out, all boys -always had been happy there, and he had only heard of one who wasn’t, -and that was “a boy called Shelley, who was a mad fool.” He then sat -down amidst applause. - -An immense quantity of names are cut on the woodwork of Upper School. -Most of these are those of boys who became famous in after life. The -name of Charles James Fox, for instance, is to be seen beneath his -bust. Gladstone’s may easily be recognised among a number of other -names of the same family by the fact that there was not sufficient room -left for the whole name, and consequently the last three letters are -cut much smaller than the rest. Lord Roberts’s name is on the large -south door, and Shelley’s under Lord Wellesley’s bust, to the right, -and again high up, to the left, beneath his own bust. Gladstone’s name, -it should be added, is on the upper right-hand panel of the door which -stands to the left as you face the Headmaster’s desk in the Upper -School. His sons have their names cut on the same door close by. This -carving was not done by Gladstone himself, but by Dr. Keate’s servant -in requital for a fee. Originally boys, before leaving, cut their -names where they liked in Upper School. Later on, as in the writer’s -time, it was the custom on leaving to present the Headmaster’s servant -with a guinea to have this done. The present practice seems to be that -for half a guinea a specially appointed official cuts a boy’s name. -Close to Upper School, on the top of the staircase leading to the -Headmaster’s room, may be seen the name Lord Dalmeny cut twice on the -left, opposite the door; the older is that of Lord Rosebery, the newer -that of his son. - -[SN: LOWER SCHOOL] - -The original Eton schoolroom was the present Lower School, which -happily remains practically in its original state. The exact date of -its erection is uncertain, but it would appear to have been built -somewhere about the end of the fourteenth century. According to an old -tradition Lower School was once the College stables, and it was Sir -Henry Wotton who, when Provost, fitted it up with pillars, on which he -is supposed to have painted pictures of Greek and Roman authors for -the instruction of the boys. This quaint old room was formerly open -for its full length, and looked very picturesque with its double row -of oaken pillars supporting the floor of the chamber above, and deeply -recessed windows, the oaken shutters, as well as the pillars, graven -with the names of former Etonians. For two centuries it was the only -schoolroom. In recent times, for convenience of teaching, it has been -turned into three rooms by means of deal partitions. These, however, -being merely temporary erections, have not injured the ancient fabric -of the room. Many generations of boys have amused themselves by poking -pens and knives into the deep chinks of the pillars and spearing out -bits of paper that had been thrust in there by boys of bygone times. -Mr. Brinsley Richards has described how, as a boy at Eton, he extracted -the fragment of a play-bill, issued by a strolling troupe who performed -at Windsor Fair in 1769. In the writer’s day many a boy, unconsciously -imbued with that love of sending messages to posterity which is such a -characteristic of youth, would write his name upon a scrap of paper and -poke it deep into a hole or cranny. - -Numerous names carved on the shutters and pillars of this room are -striking links with the remote past. The names in question, it would -appear, are in the vast majority of instances those of Collegers -elected from Eton to King’s. They begin on the westernmost window on -the north side, the earliest name discoverable being that of Kemp, -1577, somewhere about the middle of the shutter. On the first shutter -on the left-hand side of the third room is the mark of a name which -has been erased. This is supposed to have been that of Greenhall, who, -leaving King’s College, became a highwayman and was captured, hanged, -and dissected. - -Samuel Pepys, who visited Eton in 1666, was very pleased with Lower -School. This favourable impression is recorded in his diary:-- - - All mighty fine. The School good, and the custom pretty of boys - cutting their names in the shuts of the window when they go to - Cambridge, by which many a one hath lived to see himself a Provost - and Fellow, that hath his name in the window standing. - -Over Lower School was the ancient “Long Chamber,” now turned into -the junior Collegers’ dormitory. It once extended the whole length -of the school-yard, with the exception of the space occupied by the -Headmaster’s chamber at the west end, and that of the Lower Master at -the east. Its length was considerably lessened in 1844, and since that -time it has been divided by partitions into “stalls” or “cubicles,” so -that little of the original appearance of the interior remains. - -When Long Chamber was broken up into cubicles, old Plumtre, one of the -Fellows, preached a sermon on the text, “And Elisha said, Let every man -take unto himself a beam, for the place we have made is too strait for -us.” Plumtre was a staunch old Tory, who hated the Reform Bill. For one -whole night he walked round and round the Eton cloisters, praying and -waiting for the expected news of its defeat. - -[SN: THE CHAPEL] - -The Eton College Chapel was built in 1441, the foundation-stone being -laid by King Henry VI. in person on Passion Sunday of that year. It -was finished by Waynflete, who was Eton’s benefactor till his death -in 1484. Owing no doubt to lack of means, the latter curtailed the -original design, which provided for a nave 168 feet long stretching -down what is now Keate’s Lane and finished the building with the -Ante-Chapel, which still remains. A wooden rood-loft was erected over -the chancel arch, with a crucifix between wooden figures of St. Mary -and St. John, whilst stalls and frescoes, ordered to be wiped out -in 1560, completed an interior which must have been beautiful and -picturesque. Lupton’s Chapel, in which is Provost Lupton’s brass, was -built by him in 1515. Here is now the tablet giving the names of those -who fell in the South African War. - -At the time of the Reformation there was naturally a good deal of -iconoclastic destruction, and at the end of the seventeenth century -the Chapel had suffered severely from dilapidation and neglect. In -1699-1700, under Provost Godolphin, however, a general remodelling -of the Chapel had been undertaken, it would seem probable, under the -direction of Wren. In the course of the alterations the floor would -appear to have been raised, whilst the walls were covered nearly up to -the windows with panelling of simple though good design. A classical -organ-loft with fine decorative carving was at that time placed across -the choir near the second window from the west end. - -During the eighteenth century the interior of the Eton Chapel -evoked nothing but praise, but with the mania for restoration which -characterised the Victorian era, some desire for drastic alterations -began to make itself felt. Whilst the general appearance of the -Chapel was dignified and stately, there were undoubtedly certain -disfigurements, the chief amongst them two great box-like pews at the -east end, specially allotted to the male and female College servants. -An elaborate altar-piece of inlaid wood, entirely concealing the east -end, though good of its kind, was somewhat heavy and out of place. Good -or bad, however, all the woodwork was soon to disappear. - -[Illustration: Old Oak Panelling formerly in Eton Chapel, now in -Entrance Hall of Frampton Court, Dorset.] - -[SN: “NOBS”] - -In 1842, when the so-called Gothic revival first began to sweep -over England, destroying much worthy to be preserved and creating -comparatively little of artistic merit, it was determined to restore -the Chapel. At first this was limited to tearing down the classical -altar-piece, pews, and panelling at the east end and erecting -ponderous so-called Gothic altar rails, pulpit, and the like, all -of stone. These, however, were discarded a few years later, when, in -1847, a regular scheme of destruction and innovation was undertaken -by Deeson, one of whose chief artistic crimes was tearing down the -noblemen’s stalls, then standing against the walls at the western end. -Up to the so-called restoration of 1847, boys who were noblemen or -baronets used to occupy special seats of honour ranged along the Chapel -walls. When one of these privileged youths--known as “Nobs”--first -took his seat in one of these stalls he would, according to immemorial -custom, distribute amongst his neighbours small packets of almonds and -raisins, called “Chapel sock,” which were eaten in the Chapel itself. -These seats, finely designed with carving at the top, were ruthlessly -torn down, whilst no exact record of their appearance was preserved. A -considerable portion of the panelling, which formerly covered the east -end, adorns the hall at Frampton Park, Dorchester, but the writer has -been unable to trace the noblemen’s seats which were swept away to make -room for the present stalls. - -The behaviour of the College authorities in having discarded work -of high artistic interest, probably designed by Wren, is much to be -deplored. The evidence as to Wren having designed the panelling is -not absolutely conclusive, but much leads one to think that he was -concerned in its design. The Mr. Banks, “surveyor,” whose name has -been preserved as the designer of the costly woodwork, is probably -identical with Matthew Bankes, “master carpenter,” who, under Wren’s -direction, carried out the interior decoration and fitting of -Kensington Palace, Hampton Court, and other historical buildings. - -[Illustration: Carved and Decorated Organ Case formerly in Eton Chapel. -_Specially photographed for this work with the kind permission of the -Very Rev. Felix Couturier, Prior of the Dominican Monastery of St. -Thomas, Rugeley._] - -[SN: THE OLD ORGAN CASE] - -The huge organ-loft, about twenty-five feet in depth, was approached -by a flight of steps, which Provost Godolphin placed across the church -within the choir. This loft or screen was a very fine piece of work, -with fluted columns of oak, two of which are preserved in the Victoria -and Albert Museum, and elaborate carving, by Grinling Gibbons, much -resembling the one which still remains at Trinity College, Cambridge. -The organ-case, which, curiously enough, has hitherto escaped all -detailed notice in books about Eton, was of oak, and consisted of four -towers and three flats of pipes--the pipe shades, lower frieze scrolls, -side brackets and centre shield of arms being beautifully carved and -well designed, while characteristically English in style. Above was a -scroll ending in a point, for the carving of which Bird (who executed -much fine woodwork under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren) was -paid £24 in 1703. The organ itself, built by either William Smith or -Father Smith, was erected in 1700, and cost a large sum of money for -that day. This organ and its beautiful case is specially mentioned -in _Organ-Cases and Organs of the Middle Ages and Renaissance_, the -erudite and artistic work written and illustrated by the greatest -English authority on the subject, Mr. A. G. Hill, who speaks of the -old Eton College organ as being perhaps the best of all similar organs -still remaining in England. It may be mentioned that the example -formerly at Whitehall, and now in St. Peter’s Church at the Tower -of London, much resembles it. After the Eton Chapel restoration of -1844-1847 this old organ, with its beautiful case, was discarded in -order to make way for a new one which was placed half-way up the choir -on the south side. No one seems to have thought the old organ worth -preserving, and the case was eventually found by a member of the famous -organ-building firm of Hill, lying about in bits in the yard of those -who had taken it down. Mr. Hill at once recognised the high artistic -value of the magnificent woodwork, and, after the various portions of -the case had been fitted together, adapted it to a new organ, which -passed into the possession of the late Mr. Josiah Spode, of Hawkesyard -Park, Rugeley, who put it up in his hall. Mr. Spode left his property -to his niece, with a proviso that at her death a certain portion should -be applied to founding a monastery. This lady, however, preferred to -carry out this wish during her own lifetime, and, expending a far -larger sum than was stipulated by the will, founded at Rugeley the -Dominican Monastery of St. Thomas, in the beautiful chapel of which -the old Eton organ-case was put up. In connection with its history it -is curious to recall that this splendid specimen of Jacobean woodwork -was thrown out of the Eton Chapel because it was supposed to be “out -of place” in a Gothic building. The Chapel at Rugeley is a singularly -successful example of modern Gothic at its best, and the organ-case -accords perfectly with its surroundings. A feature of the old case, -adorned with scrolls and carvings lovingly wrought by the hand of a -master craftsman of a past age, is its heraldic embellishment, the -ornamentation including three shields bearing coats of arms. The large -central one at the top shows the Royal arms of England, enriched by the -legend “Honi soit qui mal y pense.” The smaller left-hand shield in the -hands of an angel at the bottom of the case bears the familiar arms of -Eton, whilst another on the right-hand side shows those of the sister -foundation of King’s. - -After the Eton authorities had cleared their Chapel of all the old -Jacobean woodwork, they turned their attention to the roof, it being -at first proposed to construct a new one of stone. Happily, however, -fear of the Chapel collapsing checked such a scheme, and the architect, -Deeson, merely stripped the paint and plaster from the roof, whilst -adding some pseudo-Gothic cusping. - -[SN: A RUTHLESS RESTORATION] - -The interior of the Chapel as it appeared before 1700 in no wise -resembled that which we at present see. Mural monuments abounded about -the chancel; these, after being concealed by the wainscoting put up in -1700, were ruthlessly torn from their places by those responsible for -the restoration of 1847. Some of them are in the Ante-Chapel, others -were totally swept away. In the original Chapel there were probably -only benches at the east end, whilst low wooden stalls with miserere -seats occupied the place of the present seats crowned by canopies. The -only remnants of the ancient woodwork appear to be some old wooden -forms in the Ante-Chapel, on which boys now leave their hats. It is -recorded that in 1625 Thomas Weaver, a “Fellow,” gave “four strong -forms to stand in the aisles of the Church for the townsmen to sit on.” -The seats in question, it should be added, seem originally to have been -intended for the townspeople of Eton, who then attended the Chapel as -their parish church. - -[Illustration: The Chapel before Restoration. _Engraved by D. Havell -after E. Mackenzie._] - -Above the low stalls were paintings, and these in 1560 the College -barber was ordered to wash out; his account for the work (6s. 8d.) is -still extant. The barber, however, merely covered up the designs with -white paint or whitewash, and when the fine old stalls were removed the -paintings could be clearly seen upon the wall behind. In 1847, however, -in order to produce a surface capable of showing up the canopies of -the new stalls then in course of erection, the workmen proceeded to -scrape out all trace of the ancient designs, and they had already -finished this work of destruction at the top of the walls beneath the -string-courses when a Fellow of the College, chancing to stroll in to -inspect the work, saved the rest, some of which still remains behind -the modern panelling, of which the Eton authorities have certainly -very little reason to be proud. After the discovery there was for a -time some idea of leaving the paintings exposed to view, or at least -contriving an arrangement of sliding panels. Provost Hodgson, however, -objected to them as being “superstitious,” and they were consequently -permanently covered by the present panelling. The designs, which were -fortunately sketched before being covered up, have been described -as the finest of the kind ever discovered in England. They were in -all probability the work of some Florentine artist of the fifteenth -century. Each row of paintings was divided longitudinally into -seventeen compartments, alternately wide and narrow. Concerning these -Sir Maxwell Lyte, in his excellent history of the College, writes:-- - - The former contained historical compositions, the latter single - figures of Saints represented as standing in canopied niches. Most - of these Saints may be identified by their emblems. Under each of - the large compartments there was a Latin inscription, explaining the - subject of the picture, and giving a reference to the book whence its - story was derived. The works most frequently quoted were the _Legenda - Sanctorum_ and Vincent of Beauvais’ _Speculum Historiale_, one of the - earliest productions of the printing-press, which had already gone - through three editions before 1479. According to a practice which - prevailed extensively in the fifteenth century, successive incidents - of a story were often represented as forming only one scene, the - same figure appearing two or three times in different combinations. - The whole series was intended to exemplify the gracious protection - afforded by the Blessed Virgin, the Patroness of the College, to - her votaries in all ages and countries. No less than six of the - compartments were occupied by scenes from the life of a mythical - Roman Empress. - -[SN: GROSS VANDALISM] - -From first to last the so-called restoration cost over £20,000, -£5000 of which was contributed by Mr. Wilder. In reality it was no -restoration at all--merely a terrible act of vandalism, only exceeded -in lack of taste by the alterations carried out at the sister college -of Winchester some thirty years later, when all the priceless woodwork -was removed from the chapel. Within recent years this was sold for an -enormous sum, and is now at Hursley Park, not many miles away from the -College which it once adorned. - -Besides the tearing down of the fine old panelling and the partial -destruction of ancient frescoes, in all probability a quantity of other -interesting old work was destroyed at the orgy of iconoclasm in 1847. -The only object of those in power at Eton at that time seems to have -been to destroy everything which recalled the past. They gloried in the -havoc they wrought within the Chapel, and in their “restoring fervour” -actually went so far as to tear up the black and white marble pavement. -It is to be hoped that some day this may be replaced. Would that some -portion of the fine old woodwork might be recovered and once again find -a place in the sacred edifice where for close upon a hundred and fifty -years it met the eyes of generations of Etonians! - -In place of the stately old noblemen’s seats put up in 1700, Deeson -designed seventy oak stalls with carved canopies of modern Gothic -design. Each canopy seems to have cost £42, which, considering that the -artistic value of the stalls is exactly nil, is a large sum. It would -be interesting to know what the value of the noblemen’s stalls which -Deeson tore down would be at the present time! - -Entering the Chapel through the screen, the first of the canopied -stalls on the right is that occupied by the Provost, that on the -left by the Vice-Provost. The second stall on the right was given by -the Fellows of King’s College, the third by Winchester College, and -the fourth by the President and Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford, -like Eton connected with the memory of Waynflete. The Headmaster’s -stall is the seventeenth on the right, distinguished by the words -_Magister Informator_. Exactly opposite is the seat of the Lower master -(_Ostiarius_), who, however, usually attends Lower Chapel. A number -of the stalls given by Etonians or Etonian families have tablets with -inscriptions. Next but two to the Lower master, for instance, is a -stall given by the Cust family, of whom some eight generations have -been educated at Eton. Beneath the seat is to be found the genealogy -of all the Custs who have been at the school. The twenty-sixth stall -on either side are those of the chaplains (_Capellani Conductitii_), -known as “Conducts” at Eton. The last stall but one on the left was -given by James Rattee, the contractor for the stalls, and the one -opposite by Deeson, the architect, who no doubt thought that his -imitation Gothic was vastly superior to the stately work which he -treated with such contempt. - -[SN: MACHINE-MADE GOTHIC] - -Most of the alterations in the Eton Chapel were lamentable in the -extreme. Nevertheless they excited great admiration amongst many who -had sat there in its unrestored days. Apparently they were quite -satisfied that the fine old panelling, in all probability designed by -Wren, should be removed. One of these lovers of novelty wrote: “Those -who only know the Chapel in its present nobly restored state could -with difficulty go back to the simply glazed windows, bare walls, -and cold cheerless aspect of the whole interior in former times.”[5] -How such a “noble restoration” (consisting in the destruction of -every vestige of ancient woodwork in order to substitute a quantity -of machine-made-looking Gothic stalls and some poor cusping to the -roof) can have moved any one to enthusiasm it is almost impossible to -understand. Nor can the crudely coloured stained-glass windows be said -to be a great improvement upon the old plain glass, which at least -caused no pain to the eye. - -The true and artistic restoration would have been to have retained the -old stalls against the western walls, while contriving a method by -which portions of it could be temporarily removed in order to afford a -view of the frescoes. The high box-like pews might have been modified, -the old woodwork being utilised to the utmost extent, or at least -preserved for use in other parts of the College. If the position of -the stately old organ-loft opposite the second window of the west end -was found to be absolutely unsuited to modern requirements, together -with its wooden pilasters of admirable design, it might have been -re-erected at the junction of the choir with the Ante-Chapel, the -stalls being continued farther back. As for the magnificent organ-case, -there would have been no difficulty, as has been proved at Rugeley, -about furnishing it with a modern interior and new pipes. The roof -should have merely been freed from paint, etc., and not been adorned -with the meaningless cusping, which, never contemplated by its original -designer, is so obviously out of place. - -The present organ-screen, erected in 1882 by Mr. G. E. Street in memory -of Etonians who fell in the Zulu, Afghan, and Boer wars of 1879, 1880, -and 1881, cannot be called a masterpiece of architectural design, -but in certain other respects the interior of the Chapel has been -somewhat improved within recent years. An elaborately designed floor -of black and white marble has been laid down at the east end. This, -together with a handsome if not altogether appropriate altar, forms -part of the memorial to the Etonians who fell in the South African War -(1899-1902). As stated before, the names of those who died for their -country in this deplorable contest are inscribed upon a roll of honour -in Lupton Chapel. - -The fine tapestry behind the altar, executed by the firm of William -Morris from the designs of the late Sir Edward Burne-Jones, was -presented by an art-loving Eton Master, Mr. H. E. Luxmoore, in 1895, -whilst the picture of Sir Galahad, hanging on the western wall, was -presented by its painter, Watts. - -The great stained-glass east window--a source of grumbling and -discontent to several generations of Etonians, who were obliged to -contribute what was known as “window-money”--was executed by Willement -between 1844 and 1849, being set up in bits as the contributions wrung -from the boys increased. Within recent years the crude and violent -tints of this costly example of the work of a bad period have been -softened. The irregular curve of the external arch-mould over this -window is said to be due to the circumstance that when the College -Chapel was built the stones of the Parish Church (which stood in the -present graveyard and was built in 1441) were used over again. - -[SN: A TRANSPARENT FAILURE] - -If the great east window is now somewhat less of a “transparent -failure” than of yore, the other windows on the north and south sides -of the Chapel remain specimens of bad design and colour. Those in -the Ante-Chapel, however, are less glaring. The two large windows by -Hardman on the north and south form the memorial to Etonians who fell -in the Crimea; those at the west end are personal memorials. Below -these windows are a number of tablets commemorating Etonians of note. -On the floor of the Ante-Chapel is a fine slab to the memory of the -late Bishop Abraham. There is also a marble statue of the Founder, by -Durham, and another of Provost Goodall, who in all probability would -have been appalled by the changes of 1847. - -The Rev. John Wilder, whose munificence served to modernise the College -Chapel he had known all his life, is also here commemorated by a -tablet. Besides giving £5000 to the restoration fund, he presented -fourteen stained-glass windows in the choir, and decorated the reredos -and east end as well as the new organ and case. Though his benefactions -were animated by a generous and unselfish spirit, it is much to be -regretted that he did not devote his money to some better purpose. - -[SN: THE LOST FONT] - -In the Ante-Chapel, behind a railing, is a font, placed there at -the time of the renovations sixty years ago. It was presented by -some Collegers as a memorial to C. J. Abraham. The last baptism for -which it was used took place two or three years ago, when an Eton -boy of fourteen or fifteen was christened in the Chapel. About to be -confirmed, it was discovered that he had never been baptized. In all -probability he was a foreigner. There stood previously at the same -place an older font, of which there is mention as early as 1479. -Lipscomb describes the earlier one as “a beautiful ancient font of -white marble, of an octagon shape, elegantly carved in relief and -supported by a pedestal on a square plinth.” It would be interesting to -know what has become of this font. If not broken up, it has probably -been sent away to some village church. - -In the Ante-Chapel, before the Reformation, there existed four altars, -the chief of which, still marked by a row of niches, was in the -south-eastern corner behind where now stands the statue of Provost -Goodall. This was called the Altar of St. Catherine, or sometimes the -Altar of Thomas Jourdelay, after a certain inhabitant of Eton who lies -buried near it. Provost Bost (1477-1504) left a sum of money for an -extra chaplain who should say Mass at this altar at least three times a -week for him and his relations. The altar in the north-eastern corner -of the Ante-Chapel was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The remaining -two were on either side of the entrance to the choir and were dedicated -to St. Nicholas and St. Peter. - -One of the few relics which the spirit of change has left intact in -this old Chapel is the lectern, which within recent years has once -more been taken into use. It dates from the fifteenth century, and -escaped destruction by the Puritans in 1651, when the College paid -sixpence for its removal. A considerable number of Etonians are -fittingly commemorated in the Chapel, but the Marquis Wellesley, in -all probability the greatest lover of Eton who ever lived, has his -memorial in the North Porch, where may be seen the Latin elegiacs which -he wrote as his own epitaph. The tablet on which they are inscribed was -erected by his brother, the great Duke. A good rendering in English -verse was made by Lord Derby:-- - - Long tost on Fortune’s waves, I come to rest, - Eton, once more on thy maternal breast. - On loftiest deeds to fix the aspiring gaze, - To seek the purer lights of ancient days, - To love the simple paths of manly truth,-- - These were the lessons of my opening youth. - If on my later life some glory shine, - Some honours grace my name, the meed is thine. - My boyhood’s nurse, my aged dust receive, - And one last tear of kind remembrance give! - -Lord Wellesley was deeply attached to his old school, and some of -the last productions of his pen were dedicated to Eton. Consequently -it was only fitting that when he died, in testimony of the strong -affection which he entertained towards the place where he received his -first impressions of literary taste, and in accordance with his desire -expressed before his death, his body should be laid to rest beneath the -College Chapel of Eton--that spot of earth which, through a long and -arduous life in many lands, was ever the nearest and dearest to his -heart. The new Lower Chapel, built 1889-1891, also contains a memorial -to Lord Wellesley in a stained-glass window, the gift of the late Mr. -A. Montgomery, who was once his private secretary. - -Two Eton Headmasters are commemorated by monuments on the right -towards the eastern end of the Chapel. These are Dr. Balston and Dr. -Hawtrey, the last person to be buried within the Chapel walls. On his -breast is a badge with the arms of Scotland and the motto _Nemo me -impune lacessit_ just showing. This badge recalls an old Eton usage[6] -now extinct. The most modern monument is a statue of Henry VI., put up -over the north door to the memory of the late Mr. J. P. Carter, for -many years one of the Assistant Masters. - -[SN: PINNACLES--OLD AND NEW] - -In 1876, owing to much of the Headington stone used by Waynflete -having become decayed, the whole of the exterior of the Ante-Chapel -was entirely refaced.[7] This, with other restorations, of necessity -impaired a good deal of its ancient charm. On the whole the renovation -was carried out with care, but it is to be regretted that the old -pinnacles were then entirely removed and new ones (designed in a highly -ornate style of Gothic for which there is no authority[8]) erected -under the direction of Mr. Woodyer. The old pinnacles had last been -repaired in 1698-1699. A curious circumstance connected with them is -that during their removal fragments of the ancient reredos--destroyed -in 1546-1548--were discovered to have been built into their fabric. -Whatever may have been the demerits of the old pinnacles, one or two -of them which had suffered least from the hands of time should have -been allowed to remain in place, so that future generations might -realise the original design which modern taste, or lack of taste, has -chosen to discard. - -One of the most interesting architectural features of the College -Chapel is the ancient holy water stoup on the right-hand side of the -door of the south porch. As may be seen in old prints, the service -bell was formerly in a sort of dovecot (irreverently called by some a -larder) placed on the roof of the porch. Here also hung the knell bell, -which, as long as the College Chapel remained the Eton Parish Church, -was tolled for all funerals. The service bell still in use, hanging in -the turret at the south-western angle, bears the inscription “Prayes Ye -Lord, 1637.” - -In a niche on the west wall of the Ante-Chapel, facing the street, a -statue of William Waynflete was placed in 1893. This was subscribed for -by some old Etonians connected with Sussex. The task of designing it -was entrusted to Sir Arthur Blomfield, who produced one of the very few -bits of commendable modern work in Eton. Indeed, this little statue, -beneath an elaborate canopy, may be called the only real artistic -improvement carried out within the last seventy years, during which -time so much labour and money have been devoted to what in some cases -amounts to mere wanton destruction. Of the new quadrangle and Lower -Chapel, built by Sir Arthur Blomfield 1889-1891, little need here -be said. On the whole, the architect has done his work well, and no -doubt, under the mellowing influence of time, the Queen’s schools will -assume something of that picturesque aspect which in some slight degree -already pertains to the New Schools completed by Mr. Woodyer in 1863. - -[SN: LOWER CHAPEL] - -A full account of the new Lower Chapel, its memorials and stained-glass -windows, is to be found in the admirable _Illustrated Guide to Eton -College_ written by Mr. R. A. Austen Leigh, who in this and other -works has done much which should gain for him the thanks of all -Etonians. Since the construction of the New Schools, Upper School, -which tradition has connected with the name of Wren, is only used as a -schoolroom for one division for the purposes of examination. Speeches, -I believe, are now to take place in the new Memorial Hall, and the -busts of celebrated Etonians will no longer look down upon the visitors -who flock to Eton on the 4th of June. The old staircase, from the -colonnade to Upper School, is one of the most picturesque portions of -the College. Here it was that in old days boys promoted from Lower to -Upper School were subjected to the ordeal of “booking,” being hit on -the head with books as they passed up the staircase. - -Within the last fifty years the town of Eton has suffered severely from -a picturesque point of view owing to the demolition and alteration -of many quaint old houses which formerly gave the place a charming -old-world appearance. The “Old Sun,” which was pulled down not very -long ago, contained some fine arched oaken beams, and the laths were -perpendicular and fastened with willow twigs. On the front wall used to -be a Sun Insurance plate of the eighteenth century, one of the earliest -issued by that Company. - -In that part of Eton given up to houses for boys, alterations have of -necessity been made in order to afford accommodation for increased -numbers. Some of the older houses have had extra stories added, whilst -entirely new ones have also been built. Of these latter somewhat -“barracky” erections it is perhaps best not to speak. - -With regard to the Eton Memorial, however, built for some unknown -reason in the Renaissance style, the writer can only say that in his -opinion a building less in keeping with the spirit of Eton it would -have been impossible to erect. Why the authorities should have selected -a design of this sort is difficult to understand. Surely some architect -might have been found to produce a building which would have harmonised -with the fine old brickwork which in the quadrangle and elsewhere -produces such a charming effect? To intrude a purely personal opinion, -those responsible for the maintenance of Eton School have within the -last seventy years committed three great artistic mistakes--the first, -the indiscriminating restoration of the College Chapel, entailing the -destruction of much admirable woodwork; the second, the renovation -of the College Hall, in which it is admitted a number of interesting -features were obliterated; the third, the erection of the huge -Memorial, the whole aspect and style of which is utterly out of keeping -with its surroundings. - -Closely associated with Eton is the adjoining Royal Borough of Windsor, -in which past generations of Etonians played so many wild pranks. -The houses which formerly fringed the walls of the Castle have long -disappeared, and on the other side of the road few ancient buildings -remain. The queer old theatre and gabled buildings near “Damnation -Corner” have been demolished within comparatively recent years. -“Damnation Corner,” it is curious to recall, received its name from the -fact that in the old “shirking” days it was extremely difficult for an -Eton boy to avoid a master coming quickly round the corner. - -[SN: A MONSTROUS ROOF] - -During the last fifty years the whole appearance of Windsor Hill has -been transformed, the hand of the restorer having not even spared the -venerable curfew tower--now for some forty-eight years disfigured by a -roof so monstrous in its ugliness that it stands forth as a surpassing -and convincing proof of our national lack of artistic taste. - -[SN: FUTILE PRATTLE] - -The hideous top, totally inappropriate in style, was put up by Salvin -in 1863, when the ancient bell tower of picturesque and suitable -appearance was demolished. The operations carried out at that date -were, of course, dignified by the name of “restoration”; as a matter -of fact the unwieldy addition to the tower had not a vestige of -archæological authority. It is much to be hoped that some day the -ancient appearance of the tower will be restored, for the huge, ugly, -and inappropriate slated roof constitutes an eyesore from almost every -point of vantage from which the Castle can be viewed. Within quite -recent years there could be seen, looming through an embrasure, the -muzzle of an old cannon, which, according to a local legend, had been -placed there by Cromwell in order to guard against any hostile move -from the direction of Eton. During a recent visit to Windsor the writer -was quite unable to locate either cannon or embrasure; presumably both -have gone. This old curfew tower--the oldest part of the Castle, and -said to have been built in the days of the Conqueror himself--has been -peculiarly unfortunate. When Salvin constructed his abominable top he -had the decency to leave the rest of the external structure alone, -and in the writer’s Eton days, thirty years ago, almost all the old -stonework and quaint little windows, cunningly contrived for bowmen to -shoot through, remained as they had been built. Since then there have -been two or three reparations; no doubt the decay of the stone made -some renovations necessary. In the last of these, however, during -which the whole of the exterior was refaced with an entirely different -kind of stone, the original design of the tower, which, like all the -work of the Normans, was very simple, has been tampered with, the -result being that its ancient charm has been completely impaired. So is -it that in this country, in spite of much meaningless gush and prattle -of education and appreciation of art, almost every fine monument is -by degrees vulgarised and destroyed. The curfew tower, it should be -added, was one of the few parts of the Castle left untouched by George -IV. in the very comprehensive remodelling of the whole stately pile by -Wyattville. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[4] See page 204. - -[5] Mr. Tucker in _Eton of Old_. - -[6] See pages 38-40. - -[7] See page 5. - -[8] See _The Architectural History of the University of Cambridge and -of the Colleges of Cambridge and Eton_, by the late Robert Willis, -M.A., F.R.S., edited and brought up to date by the late John Willis -Clark, M.A., Cambridge, at the University Press, 1886. - - - - -VII COLLEGE - - -Till the carrying out of the reforms initiated by Provost Hodgson in -1844 the treatment of the King’s scholars constituted little short of -a public scandal, rendered the more iniquitous because College was -the original Eton, and the lack of consideration and comfort shown -to boys on the Foundation was directly contrary to the wishes of the -Founder. No wonder was it that the number of those in College often -fell far short of the appointed seventy, sometimes sinking as low as -thirty-eight. In one year there were but six candidates for forty -vacancies. The prospective advantages which a Colleger might reasonably -expect at King’s College, Cambridge, were not enough to counterbalance -the discomfort and degradation of existence in the great dormitory -known as “Long Chamber,” besides which the expenses of a King’s scholar -were little less than those of the well-fed and comfortably housed -Oppidan, the cost of education on the Eton Foundation often falling -not very far short of a hundred a year--a most extravagant outlay -considering that a Colleger was cared for no better than a charity boy. - -[Illustration: A Colleger, 1816.] - -[SN: “THESE POOR BOYS”] - -Glancing over the records of the treatment meted out to those whom -Provost Hodgson rightly termed “these poor boys,” one wonders that the -masters, who were perfectly acquainted with the state of affairs in -College, made practically no protest. It must be remembered, however, -that at that time all of them without exception had been Collegers -themselves, and having come through the ordeal with comparative -immunity from harm, probably had some sort of idea that the hardships -and discomforts of life in College produced hardy and successful men. -What these hardships and discomforts were may be realised from the view -taken by an Insurance Company as to chances of life of any one who -had undergone them. In 1826 Dr. Okes, when applying for an insurance -policy, in reply to one of the questions put to him stated that “he had -slept in Long Chamber for eight years,” on hearing which the chairman -of the Board said, “We needn’t ask Mr. Okes any more questions.” -Existence in the ill-kept and insanitary dormitory in question was -calculated to promote only the survival of the fittest, and those who -grew up to be healthy men might well be accounted “good lives.” - -Whilst, as has been said, little protest was ever raised at Eton itself -against the deliberate misinterpretation of the statutes with respect -to the scholars, public opinion gradually became aroused, and many -old Etonians, notwithstanding the intense _esprit de corps_ which -has always been a characteristic of the school, joined in the chorus -of unanimous reprobation which demanded reform. About 1834 the Eton -authorities were violating not only the spirit but the letter of the -ancient statutes. - -[SN: BROKEN STATUTES] - -The statutes required that the fines and land-tax should be applied to -the common use (“ad communem utilitatem”), instead of which they were -appropriated by the Provost and Fellows to their own use. - -The statutes entitled the Fellows to £10 a year stipend, and 2s. a -week, or £5, 4s. a year, for commons, whereas they had increased their -stipend to £50 a year, and received in lieu of commons on an average -£550 a year each, or £10, 11s. 6d. per week instead of 2s. - -The statutes entitled the Provost and seven Fellows to allowances -amounting in all to £200 per annum, but in practice they received -nearly £7000. - -The statutes required that the scholars should be supplied with dress -and bedding; with all, in fact, “quae ad vestitum et lectisternia -eorundem aliaque iis necessaria pertinent.” Nevertheless, with the -exception of a coarse gown, the scholars received nothing appertaining -to dress from the funds of the College. - -The statutes provided ample allowances for breakfast, dinner, and -supper, with the use of certain fisheries. In practice breakfast was -omitted altogether, and for dinner the only kind of meat provided for -the scholars throughout the year was mutton, which even if good in -quality was not sufficient in quantity. - -According to the statutes thirteen servitors were to wait upon the -Provost, Fellows, and scholars in Hall, which arrangement had further -developed into the Lower boys waiting upon the Upper, who in their turn -performed the same menial offices for the Provost and his company on -the occasions of their dining in the College Hall. - -The statutes required that each scholar should be instructed free under -the most strict oath to be taken by the Head and Lower Masters. In -direct defiance of this each scholar was charged £6, 6s., the amount -having been gradually increased to that sum. - -The statutes allowed each Fellow a separate apartment, but such -accommodation had long ceased to be sufficient for them, and instead -they resided in spacious houses, free from taxes and the expense of -repair, with stables and coach-houses attached. - -The statutes enjoined that one room should be provided for every three -boys, free from any expense. In 1834 upwards of forty boys slept in -Long Chamber, whilst those who were lodged in the two adjoining rooms -paid a sum of money annually to the second master. - -The statute that any scholar during a short illness should be -maintained at the College expense (if longer than a month, to receive -a sum of money) was entirely ignored. - -Finally, the statutes were required to be read to the scholars -assembled in a body three times a year. This was never done; the -scholars, moreover, were not allowed access to them. - -It should also be added that the statute which forbade Fellows of the -College to hold benefices had long been treated with utter contempt, -they holding them to any amount. - -If, however, the Eton authorities had contented themselves with merely -breaking the statutes in the way of malversation of funds and the -like, no particular outcry would in all probability have arisen. It -was Long Chamber, and the state of affairs within its walls, which -excited such indignation amongst those who, denouncing it as a sort of -Bastille, clamoured for reform. Originally all the seventy scholars -seem to have slept in the long dormitory above Lower School, but after -1716 the number became limited to about fifty-two. In that year the -Lower Master, Thomas Carter, having given up his two rooms at the east -end, eighteen Collegers were located in the rooms in question, being -henceforth known as Carter’s Chamber and Lower Chamber. - -[SN: LONG CHAMBER] - -Long Chamber, about 172 feet long and 15 feet high, was in winter -warmed, or rather not warmed, by two fire-places which were put in in -1784; before that there were no fires at all. Along each wall was a -range of old oaken bedsteads which had been there for centuries, and -between every bedstead a high desk, with a cupboard beneath, for each -boy. The desk and cupboard, painted lead colour, contained all their -belongings. There was no system of lighting except candles, to hold -which no provision was made. The leaf of a book torn off, doubled, -and a hole cut in the centre, formed the only candlestick which the -Colleger had. If he wished to read in bed, the candle was removed -from the pasteboard candlestick and stuck against the back of the old -bedstead. Even if sleep overcame a boy reading in bed, and his candle -burnt down to the wood, no harm came of it, the bedstead being well -striped with charcoal, an evidence of the incombustible nature of the -old oak. [After Long Chamber had been done away with, some little -models of these ancient bedsteads were made out of wood black with age. -The Rt. Hon. Lewis Harcourt’s Eton collection contains one.] All that -happened was that it would not be long before he would be awakened by -the unpleasant smell of the wood, or by a good tweak of the nose from -his next-door neighbour, who would be angry at the annoyance. In winter -the boys shivered with cold, most of the glass in the windows being -usually broken. - -There were but a very few chairs for the Sixth Form, and the barrack -or prison (boys were locked into it at 6.30 in the evening), with the -exception of a table with a basin for the highest boys, was totally -devoid of washstands, Collegers having to perform such ablutions -as they might deem necessary at the old pump in the cloisters. The -walls and ceiling were full of the grime of ages, whilst the whole -place as a general rule was in a state of intolerable filth. Once a -year, however, some attempt was made to give Long Chamber a habitable -appearance, and the time-honoured processes to which it was then -subjected were generally sufficiently successful in making visitors who -saw it believe that all was well enough. For a week before Election -Saturday, which took place at the end of July, “rug-riding” was in full -force. A number of Lower boys were tied up in big rugs and dragged -with a rope by other fags up and down Long Chamber till the floor -shone like a mirror; the spaces between the beds were also scrubbed -to a corresponding glossiness. On the Thursday, waggon-loads of beech -boughs, cut in the College woods at Hedgerley and Burnham, were brought -in and the whole of Long Chamber decorated; the green rugs, edged -with gold and embroidered with the College arms, given by the Duke of -Cumberland in 1735, were then spread on the beds. A huge flag was hung -from the Captain’s bed and the whole aspect of the room transformed. -Nevertheless the dirt remained beneath. - -Except at Election time Long Chamber was not accessible to visitors, -and the King of Prussia himself was refused admission in 1842, on the -plea that that portion of the College was never shown. - -[SN: CARTER’S CHAMBER] - -Things in the two other rooms appropriated to the use of the King’s -scholars were not much better, and an extraordinary state of affairs -prevailed in Carter’s Chamber. Whenever the chimney there became at all -foul, the boys used to set fire to it, and, being very large, the roar -it made when blazing was tremendous, generally much to the annoyance of -the Provost, part of whose lodge was close by. The fires in question -were made with large beechen logs, placed upon iron dogs, and the -Collegers used to roast potatoes among the ashes. One of these logs -every Lower boy was compelled to saw up before he went to bed, with a -saw that had no edge. This was one of the most unpleasant features of a -Lower Colleger’s existence, for the thinnest logs were always chosen by -the biggest boys, leaving the heaviest for poor little fellows hardly -strong enough to lift them. Not infrequently would the latter dock -themselves of part of their rolls for breakfast in order to be able to -bribe another stronger boy to saw up their portion for them. - -As regards food, the old-time Colleger was disgracefully treated, no -breakfast at all being provided for him in College. Dinner in Hall -consisted entirely of mutton until about 1840, when Provost Hodgson -added roast and boiled beef, each one day in the week. Though the -mutton is said to have been of excellent quality, the manner in which -it was served made it often impossible for a young boy who had not -a robust appetite to get any dinner at all that he could eat. The -joints were served in messes, a leg or a shoulder serving for eight -boys, a loin or neck for six, the best joints going to the elder boys. -They were put upon the table, and the boys carved for themselves. The -captain of the joint cut his own portion liberally from the best part, -and passed it on to the next in seniority, who slashed away at it after -his own taste. A junior fared badly if the joint happened to be a loin -or a shoulder and he had not appetite enough for the fat and bones. The -knives and forks often ran short, and boys were occasionally obliged to -be content with the reversion of such adjuncts. On Sundays plum-pudding -of a peculiar construction, by some considered very palatable, made of -unchopped suet and unstoned raisins, made its appearance. Indifferent -beer was drunk by the Collegers out of painted tin mugs. On Founder’s -Day and Election Saturday half a chicken and pressed greens was -served to every boy. Beyond this the fare provided, as has been said, -consisted entirely and solely of mutton. In connection with this, -however, it is but fair to remember that not a few boys objected to the -beef which, at a yet earlier period, figured on the College menu. One -of these, according to Sir Dudley Carleton, was the “dainty-mouthed” -young Phil Lytton, son of Sir Rowland Lytton of Knebworth. Collegers -whose purses permitted were allowed to purchase more or less savoury -messes from the cook, one of whose most famed dishes was, for some -unknown reason, known as “blue-pill.” - -[SN: COLLEGE SERVANTS] - -Three of the Lower boys waited upon Sixth Form in Hall, handing them -their plates and pouring out their beer, one being specially detailed -to hold back the long sleeves of the gown on the Upper boy who carved -the joint. This custom of “servitors,” as they were called, perhaps of -a too menial kind, was not unwisely abolished some thirty years ago, -the staff of College servants having been increased. - -Many of the old College servants were characters like the original -Webber, who seems to have inaugurated the sock shop, which is now -Rowland’s, near Barnes Pool Bridge. Webber was College cook in the -early portion of the last century, in addition to which he manufactured -the birches then in much request. Owing probably to this, he incurred -a sort of curious unpopularity, a legend being started that he had run -away from the battle of Waterloo, therefore the usual taunt of the -Collegers, for whom he carved in the Hall, was, “Pass up to old Webber -that we want to see his Waterloo medal.” The story appears to have been -purely mythical. - -[Illustration: James Culliford, the last Chief Butler of College to -wear the livery of Eton blue, standing by the College Pump. _Reproduced -by permission of the Earl of Rosebery, K.G._] - -A great College functionary was the chief butler. The last man to -hold this office was Mr. James Culliford, who died in 1901, aged -eighty-nine. The illustration facing page 202 shows him in the -traditional uniform of Eton blue which is now no longer worn, its use -having been discontinued for no particular reason seemingly. The -veteran in question also appears in the group of College servants, of -whom the sole survivor is the little boy, Mr. Culliford’s son, who for -so many years has been known to Etonians as the manager of the famous -Eton tailor, Tom Brown. In this group (reproduced by the courtesy of -Mr. Culliford from a scarce old photograph in his possession) can also -be seen the last College constable, honest old Bott, who was such a -well-known figure in the days when, with a colleague (one of the same -group), he was responsible for the due maintenance of law and order. -In his long coat of Eton blue, with the College arms embroidered upon -his sleeve, and glazed top-hat, Bott was a sight which inspired tramps -and petty evil-doers of every sort with genuine awe, and the vast -majority of such folk took care to give him a wide berth. Bott had -done good service as a soldier, having, it was said, fought at Albuera -and Waterloo, though according to some his military service had been -confined to serving during the American War. In any case, the fine old -fellow was a typical Englishman of a robust age. - -[Illustration: - - Mr. J. Long (College Porter) - C. Westbrook (Cook) - J. Wagstaffe (Scullion) - H. Atkin (Brewer) - W. Runicles (Photographer) - Bott (Policeman) - W. Perkins (Policeman) - J. Culliford (Butler) - G. Culliford (Son) - -Old College Servants. _Photo lent by G. Culliford, Esq._] - -[SN: THREEPENNY DAY] - -On certain days, owing to the observance of ancient custom, the -Colleger’s lot sustained some amelioration. On February 27th, for -instance, the Provost or his Deputy presented every Colleger, beginning -with the lowest, with a threepenny piece. The origin of this custom was -that Provost Bost (1477-1504) left a sum which gave each Colleger -twopence, and Provost Lupton (1504-1535) left them the extra penny. -A doubtful tradition declared that a Colleger was entitled to half -a sheep, and that the College was merely giving him what was its -equivalent in money during the Middle Ages. An impudent young Colleger -who had heard of this tradition, being offered his threepence by the -Bursar, Mr. Bethell, a man of very uncertain temper, once calmly -said, “No, thank you, sir; I want my half sheep.” Bethell flew into -a passion, and exclaimed, “I’ll mention this matter to Dr. Hawtrey, -and have you flogged,” and in due course Branwell--so the “Tug” was -named--expiated his temerity at the block. Threepenny Day, I believe, -is one of the very few old Eton customs which is still maintained. - -Occasionally protests would be made in order to secure some slight -improvement in the dinner. The execrable quality of the beer in -particular was several times brought to the notice of the Fellows, but -beyond one of their number coming into Hall and looking at the cans -nothing was done. - -In comparatively remote times a discussion took place amongst the -authorities on the question whether it was necessary for the Collegers -to have their potatoes peeled or sent up in their skins. Two of the -Fellows, as it happened, though not related, bore the same name. One -was an advocate for the peeling system, declaring that the boys had -been treated “like hogs”; the other opposed it as an unnecessary piece -of refinement. In consequence they were afterwards distinguished by -the Collegers as “Hog R----” and “Peeli-po R----,” and the descendants -of both families, who were at Eton for many generations, always bore -the hereditary nicknames of “Hogs” and “Peelipos.” - -[SN: “PUT INTO PLAY”] - -Besides the squalor and discomfort amidst which the Collegers lived -there was much horse-play and bullying, and for the most part small -boys led a wretched life. Besides having to undergo various unpleasant -initiatory ceremonies, one of which consisted in swallowing an -unsavoury mixture of salt and water, their life was rendered wretched -by rough jokes. A bolster shaken down hard at one end could do a -lot of damage, knocking over candles and ink-pots, or bringing the -unsuspicious to the ground with a well-directed blow on the ankles from -behind. A “Jew,” as a new boy was called, was also apt to wake up in -the night to find a rope tied to his big toe, by which he was dragged -from his bed. The only chance to escape such nocturnal visitations was -to keep awake for some time, and, if he heard whispering, to creep out -of bed and under that of a neighbour till he was safe from danger. -Sometimes he would be “put into play” till he was sore all over. This -most disagreeable ordeal was as follows. Around one of the large -fire-places in Long Chamber two bedsteads were placed close together -on each side, and two at the end, forming an enclosure. The boy “put -into play” was placed in one corner, next to the captain, a certain -number of the Upper boys being seated on the bedsteads. At a given -signal the captain started him with a hearty kick, which generally was -sufficiently hard to propel him to the opposite side; from thence he -would be flung back quite as expeditiously. Bandied about like a human -shuttlecock, bruises would soon begin to make him sore all over, but -only when it was evident that he was in severe pain would the boy be -released and some shivering little spectator seized and made to take -his place. - -Another cruel and brutal College practice which prevailed throughout -the fortnight before Election was tossing boys in a blanket. Sometimes -an unpopular boy would be put in the blanket with a quantity of books, -when he was certain to be most severely bruised. The custom was, after -forcing the boy on to one of the small blankets, which was held all -round by the bigger boys, to repeat this line: - - Ibis ab excus_so_ missus ad astra Sa-_go_. - -At the end of the syllable _so_ a little shake was given, but at the -last _go_ he was sent quivering to the ceiling. A boy named Rowland -Williams was severely injured in one of these tossings. Hurled up to -the ceiling, in his descent he fell sideways on to a bedpost and was -completely scalped. Only by a most fortunate chance did he escape -death, sustaining concussion of the brain. His scalp, which hung down -his neck, was sewn on again, and by great good fortune he completely -recovered. - -A less dangerous though highly unpleasant ordeal to which new Collegers -were subjected was the ceremony known as “Pricking for Sheriff.” The -boy was laid across the lap of the chief executioner, face downwards, -and into a very tightened and thin surface of small-clothes the -assistant executioners ran pins, warning the victim that if he screamed -louder than his predecessor he would be elected Sheriff and fined a bag -of walnuts. - -At this time the relations between Collegers and Oppidans were not -very cordial, the Lower boys amongst the latter in particular often -rendering themselves peculiarly objectionable to the King’s scholars, -at whom they were wont to jeer. Sometimes some especially aggressive -little Oppidan would be caught and taken into Long Chamber, and either -soundly thrashed or caned, or else subjected to the blanket-tossing -process which has just been mentioned. When this was the case the -victim for some time after had good reason to remember his half an -hour passed amidst the “Tugs”--which term in those days was far more -opprobrious than is at present the case. - -[SN: THE GOWN] - -The exact origin of the word “Tug” has never been cleared up. The most -popular explanation has always been that it is derived from the Latin -word _toga_, a gown, and referred to the black gowns they wore, and -still wear, in school. It should here be added that up to 1864 this -indispensable appurtenance of a King’s scholar was made of cloth and -very heavy. In that year, however, the light material at present in -use was introduced, while the length of the gown was somewhat reduced. -The old-fashioned gowns contained pockets, which were often receptacles -for viands and dainties to be smuggled into Long Chamber. A parody of -Gray’s _Ode on Eton College_, written by a King’s scholar in 1798, -alludes to this:-- - - I know my gown when first it flowed - An awkward majesty bestowed, - When waving fresh each woolly wing - That worn-out elbows serve to hide, - Or else to hold unknown, unspied, - A loaf or pudding in. - -As far as the writer has been able to ascertain, the top-hat, or -in earlier times its predecessor, the cocked or three-cornered -one, has always been the head-dress worn by Collegers, though in -an illustration[9] representing the Iron Duke being cheered in the -quadrangle in the middle of the forties of the last century, the King’s -scholars are shown wearing or waving mortar-boards. These, it would -appear, existed only in the imagination of the artist. - -The allusion to worn-out elbows in the ditty given above is significant -as to the poverty-stricken appearance of the Collegers, most of whom -were then very sorrily dressed. Almost without exception they were boys -whose parents had but small means. As a matter of fact College was -never intended to be an educational refuge for rich or high-born boys, -and, as a highly competent critic has remarked, “A young aristocrat -in a serge gown is an anomaly not contemplated by the statutes of the -royal founder.” - -Before the reforms made in College in 1845 most of the King’s scholars, -it must be confessed, were more of the class intended by Henry VI. than -has since been the case. In latter years many Collegers have belonged -to well-to-do or even rich families, whereas the Foundation was -specially intended for poor boys. In the early part of the nineteenth -century a certain proportion of those in College were the sons of -Eton or Windsor doctors or solicitors, royal servants, or successful -tradesmen. Besides these there were sons of Eton masters and boys of -impoverished country squires. The former class of boys, however, were -in some way made to feel that they were not the equals of the sons -of gentlemen, and subjected to petty humiliations which did their -schoolfellows small honour. - -Besides being exposed to physical violence, small boys, especially if -they were clever, were sometimes made to do work for stupid big ones. -A certain lazy lout, however, was once well served out by his victim. -In difficulties as to the composition of a set of verses, the bully one -day got hold of a smaller schoolmate, and under the threat of a severe -licking got him to do the verses for him. When, however, the bully came -to showing up the lines which he had not done, and which he had not -even troubled to read, they were found to be so grossly indecent and -outrageous in tone that the master who looked at them at once declared -the writer should be flogged. At first the bully did not dare admit -that they were not of his own making, but eventually at the block he -admitted the fraud, with the result that the boy who had played him the -trick was also punished. It is to be hoped, however, that the bully -received the more severe thrashing of the two. - -When the celebrated Porson was a Colleger, one of his contemporaries -was Charles Simeon, known as “Snowball” Simeon, the ugliest boy in -College, who afterwards became an earnest Evangelical preacher. In -after life he looked back upon the doings in Long Chamber and its -lawless rowdyism with horror, and once told a friend that he would be -tempted even to murder his own son sooner than let him see in College -the sights he had seen. - -[SN: A RUNAWAY] - -Under such circumstances it is not surprising that small Collegers, -if they were sensitive boys, occasionally made determined attempts -to run away. One did so more than thirteen times, and became so -well known on the road that he was almost sure to be stopped before -he got far. Nevertheless he once got up to town in a very curious -manner. He slunk early, before morning school, into the yard of the -Christopher; the London coach was standing outside, and no one by, so -he was able unobserved to creep into the boot, trusting to luck, which -befriended him, for there chanced to be that morning no passengers, and -consequently no luggage to be stowed away. The runaway was therefore -driven without disturbance in his uneasy berth, which he only vacated -on the arrival of the coach at the White Horse cellars in Piccadilly. - -The general tone in College was somewhat rough and irreverent, as may -be judged from the following. Every Sunday morning at nine o’clock the -Collegers assembled in Lower School for prayers, the headmaster sitting -in the desk, and a praepostor standing up repeating the Confession -and a prayer or two out of the Winchester Prayer-Book. All joined in -the 100th Psalm, which sometimes, more especially towards the end of -the Half, was made the occasion of a not very seemly demonstration. -During the last Sunday the order went round that every one was to -sing his loudest, and on one occasion the noise was so terrific that -it could almost be heard in the playing fields. Keate, who was at -that time in the desk, did not, however, take any notice of this -irreverent outburst. He had been a youthful Colleger himself, and -probably considered that the whole thing was merely a too enthusiastic -performance of an old Eton tradition, which in his eyes excused a good -deal. - -In school work the Collegers then, as now, easily maintained an almost -unchallenged supremacy. Almost without exception the sons of poor -parents, accurately grounded and imbued with the idea that education -was a real preparation for life, they knew that they would have to make -their way in the world by their own exertions, for which reason to be -“a sap” in College was quite an ordinary thing. Besides this, sixty or -seventy years ago the very traditional customs which excluded a King’s -scholar from comparatively expensive amusements, such as the boats, and -made him a member of a separate football and cricket club, served to -protect a boy from drifting into various forms of fashionable idleness. - -At one time few boys went into College who had not previously been -Oppidans, and, till Provost Hodgson’s reforms made it possible for -every boy to have a separate cubicle room, Collegers used to have rooms -down town or in their tutor’s houses, where they could escape from fag -masters and the disorder of Long Chamber. In such rooms they could -work, wash, and eat in peace. - -[SN: TRONE’S] - -Up to 1864 King’s scholars had to wear their gowns out of school, -though they abandoned them before passing over Barnes Pool Bridge. A -sock shop in the High Street called Trone’s was almost exclusively -frequented by King’s scholars because they were allowed to leave their -gowns there when going into Windsor. Oppidans never frequented it, and, -curiously enough, as showing the persistence of traditional usage, -years later, when the shop had changed owners, though no one could give -any particular reason, it was supposed to be “scuggish” to pass its -doors. - -Whilst Long Chamber could never have been called an abode of bliss, it -had its pleasures, one of the chief of which was the rat-hunting, in -which Porson is said to have taken so much delight. If the Colleges -lacked food they never lacked game in the shape of rats, which fairly -swarmed about the ancient dormitory. Some of these animals which defied -capture became well known to the boys, who in a sort of way felt a -respect for one veteran--an immense, perfectly gray old rat, which was -supposed to be the ghost of King Henry VI., or at any rate to have been -in being from the very first foundation of the College. - -All sorts of food was constantly being smuggled in. According to -tradition, a sow was once captured and stowed away on the leads till -she had farrowed and provided roast sucking-pig in abundance. Hares -and other game surreptitiously caught in Windsor Park furnished many a -hearty feast. The Collegers were anything but particular, and on one -occasion, it is said, actually roasted and ate an unfortunate swan -which they had lured to its doom. - -A great College institution was Fire-place--a supper held before a -roaring blaze, carefully set going by Lower boys in one of the two huge -grates in Long Chamber, under the eyes of the captain of the room, who -enjoyed the privilege of granting an extension of revelling time (known -as a half-holiday) beyond the hour of ten, when boys were expected to -be in bed. Five bedsteads were run out in two parallel rows around -the Upper Fire-place, one facing the cheerful glow, and an impromptu -supper took place, the boys consuming such provisions as they had been -able to smuggle in. A certain amount of these were obtained from the -Christopher “on tick,” whilst a common dish was a grill made of scrag -ends of mutton and bones purloined from Hall. Songs followed this -supper, the proceedings, which terminated at eleven, being enlivened by -College songs roared in chorus. These were chiefly of a Bacchanalian -or nautical order; some also dealt with poaching. A favourite song was -“The fine old Eton Colleger--one of the Olden Time.” The last verse of -this ran:-- - - Now times are changed, and we are changed, and Keate has passed away, - Still College hearts and College hands maintain old Eton’s sway; - And though our chamber is not filled as it was filled of yore, - We still will beat the Oppidans at bat and foot and oar, - Like the fine old Eton Collegers, - Those of the olden time. - -[SN: JOHNNY BEAR] - -Not infrequently very palatable viands were obtained by the Upper boys -and real banquets held, the pleasures of which were enhanced by the -potations which “Johnny Bear” brought from the Christopher and pushed -through the bars of Lower Chamber, the usual receiving-room of all -smuggled goods, on the ground floor and adjoining the school-yard. The -Lower boy whose turn it was to watch for Johnny’s arrival had pretty -good cause to remember such visits on cold nights. - -The Headmaster’s servant, it should be added, was entrusted with the -duty of seeing that no Colleger got out at night. Strict fidelity -to this duty made him highly unpopular, for he would never consent -to be bribed. Principal and only locker-up and gaoler to the boys, -birch collector, and rod distributor, he was generally known by the -mythological appellation of Cerberus. - -Life in Long Chamber, like most unpleasant ordeals, had its -alleviations. Once a year, for instance, there was an impromptu -masquerade, concluded by a march round, for which Jobey Joel, an Eton -character who survived till a few years ago, supplied the music, and, -extraordinary as it may seem, theatricals flourished unchecked. Such -performances dated back to the early eighteenth century, since which -time they had been given with the full knowledge of the authorities. -In 1762, it is true, Dr. Barnard, who was then Headmaster, had tried -to stop them, bursting in upon a representation of _Cato_, and, much -to his disgust, finding that a long wig which he tore from one of the -actor’s heads belonged to the Vice-Provost; but no drastic measures -were taken, and theatricals continued to take place as before. Out -of Long Chamber, however, the drama was tabooed. Both Drs. Keate and -Hawtrey connived at the performances in Long Chamber, the latter -especially ignoring all theatrical preparations even when they were -right under his nose. Favourite pieces were _A Midsummer Night’s -Dream_, _High Life below Stairs_, and _Orlando Furioso_. For the -purposes of this last play, Anson--a powerful Colleger--once actually -smuggled a donkey into College, where it was stabled and fed till -brought out to carry Bombastes. The last play ever given in Long -Chamber was _A Night in China_, written by a Colleger named King, and -played in 1845. After this, however, some Collegers, amongst whom was -Frank Tarver, afterwards well known to several generations of Etonians -as French Master, indulged in theatricals at the back of Turnock’s -tailor’s shop in the town. - -[SN: MR. BOURCHIER’S ETON DAYS] - -Eton has furnished some capital recruits to the London stage--Charles -Kean, the brothers Hawtrey, Mr. Willie Elliot, and others, including -that excellent actor, Mr. Arthur Bourchier, who even as an Eton boy -was celebrated for his dramatic zeal. About 1882, with Bogle Smith, -Collet, Gilmor, and a few more, he organised the “Eton Strollers,” the -prologue for whose first play was written by the Hon. Arthur Bligh, a -boy of considerable literary and poetic taste, who, in collaboration -with Bourchier, wrote a drama which was sent to Irving for production. -“Do these boys play cricket?” inquired the great actor when he received -the manuscript; as a matter of fact both were very fair cricketers, -Bourchier being a good wicket-keep. - -Mr. Bourchier’s first theatrical _entrepreneur_ was Lord Kenyon, in -whose room at Cameron’s he made his _début_ in _Uncle’s Will_, in which -he acted with Johnson and Berkeley-Levett. When Mr. Cameron, who was -not sympathetic to theatricals, left Eton, Bourchier went to the Rev. -T. Dalton’s, where his aspirations received far greater encouragement; -indeed his Housemaster became imbued with such enthusiasm for -theatricals that a colleague once chaffingly inquired of him, “Is it -true that young Bourchier is going to bring you out on the Music Hall -stage?” Regular performances were now given in Pupil Room, for which a -small charge--generally a penny a seat--was made, the proceeds going to -the Eton Mission, for the benefit of which the whole company, including -Mr. Dalton (who gave a humorous recitation), gave an entertainment at -Hackney Wick. - -The exigences of the drama, however, occasionally clashed with -discipline. When, for instance, in _Still Waters Run Deep_, after the -lines, “Do you smoke?” “Yes, I’ll have a cigar,” two of the actors lit -up, Mr. Dalton from his place amongst the audience shouted out, “No, -you don’t,” and was only appeased by an examination of the cigars, -which proved to be dummies. On another occasion when a careless or -mischievous Lower boy had manufactured snow for the duel scene in the -_Corsican Brothers_ by tearing up a pile of “extra-works” which had -been lying on Mr. Dalton’s desk for correction, the latter became so -scandalised at seeing the duellists enveloped in a “cloud of equations” -that, after ejaculating, “One minute! This performance now ceases,” he -set actors and audience to the uncongenial task of putting the pieces -together. The most ambitious effort of the company was an elaborate -performance of _The Merchant of Venice_, in which Reggie Lucas (see -Chapter X.) took part. - -Bourchier was celebrated for his imitations of Masters, about the -most amusing of which was an impersonation of a certain squeaky-voiced -tutor after he had been cut over by an imaginary cricket ball. As luck -would have it, the latter, whilst playing in an eleven of Masters -against boys, one of whom was Bourchier, did happen to sustain a -painful injury, with the result that he proceeded to give an almost -exact reproduction of himself as portrayed by his imitator, who could -not help being convulsed with laughter as he led the sufferer off the -ground. Later on, the victim, who, of course, had no idea of the real -cause of this merriment, said to a colleague, “What hurt me more than -the pain was the brutality of the boy Bourchier.” - -[SN: “UNDER THE CLOCK”] - -In course of time Bourchier formed his imitations into a sketch, -entitled _Under the Clock_, which depicted a number of Eton Masters -at Lord’s, and before he left the late Mr. R. A. H. Mitchell arranged -that this should be heard by the individuals concerned, whom he posted -behind trees in Poet’s Walk whilst the author gave his performance -close by. They were all very much amused, and when it was over came -forward to congratulate the youthful aspirant to dramatic fame, whom -they shook warmly by the hand and wished him all success in his future -career. - -To return to the story of College--the pleasures as well as the trials -of Long Chamber came to an end in 1845, for in September of that year -the new buildings were opened and the old days of College became mere -memories of an obsolete age. The discomforts and hardships of Long -Chamber were then forgotten by most of the boys who had slept there. In -spite of the far better conditions they chafed at the lack of freedom -and the end of “Fire-place” with its suppers and choruses. The Chamber -itself, though not pulled down, was entirely remodelled, cubicles for -a limited number of boys being constructed and the whole place made -habitable and clean. - -Election Saturday, the glories of which have now departed for ever, was -a great day not only for those in College, whom it more immediately -concerned, but for the whole school. At two o’clock the Provost of -King’s College, Cambridge, attended by two examiners called “Posers,” -drove into Weston’s Yard. The arrival of his yellow coach, drawn by -four smoking horses, always produced great excitement. Meeting the -Provost of Eton, a kiss of peace was exchanged (abandoned in Dr. -Hawtrey’s days for a handshake). A speech was then made in Latin by -the captain of the school under the archway of Lupton’s Tower, its -main purport being the offering of congratulations to the Provost -on his arrival at the College. The rest of the programme was much -the same as that still gone through on the 4th of June--speeches in -the Upper School at eleven, banquet of dons in the College Hall at -two, processions of the boats in the evening to Surly Hall, with -fireworks off the Eyot on the return, and finally, sock suppers in -all the houses. The fun on Election Saturday, however, was always -more fast and furious than on the 4th of June, because the school was -to break up on the following Monday, and the boys who were going to -leave looked upon themselves as already emancipated. For this reason -turbulent spirits did not scruple to commit all sorts of extravagances, -being pretty sure that just preceding the holidays they would escape -unpunished. - -[SN: THE POSERS] - -On the Tuesday and Wednesday following, candidates for College were -examined, as well as scholars seeking election to King’s. The “Posers,” -or examining chaplains, were terrific gentlemen in the eyes of the -boys; whilst examination took place, Election-chamber was to most an -awful room, then rendered somewhat weird and uncanny by the light -filtering through an immense red curtain, let down at the large oriel -window, which imparted a sort of devilish appearance to the “Posers.” - -A very quaint old usage existed in connection with these “Posers,” -each of them being attended by a Colleger, who waited upon him in Hall -and elsewhere if required, for which the boy--quaintly called the -“Poser’s child”--received a fee of a guinea, selection for the office -by the Headmaster being regarded as being a sort of minor honour. -The existence of this curious custom, which of course died a natural -death with the “Posers” themselves, has generally, I think, escaped -mention in books dealing with Eton. It was brought to my notice by my -old tutor, Mr. H. W. Mozley (Newcastle Scholar, 1860), who in this and -other ways has given me valuable information which I here acknowledge; -he himself had been “Poser’s child” in 1859. - -The days following Election Saturday were always particularly -depressing and gloomy, and the poor King’s scholars had a melancholy -time. The gentlemen, as the tradespeople had the impertinence to call -the Oppidans, went home on the Monday, whilst Collegers had to wait -until the Thursday. All the shops were shut up, and scarcely any one -about. - -Collegers, like Oppidans, then remained at Eton longer than at -present--as late as 1874 there was a King’s Scholar, Tuck by name, -who was said to have been nine years at the school. In the days when -such a close connection existed between Eton and King’s, a Colleger -leaving to go to Cambridge used to go through the old form known as -“Ripping.” This was performed at the Provost’s Lodge. The two folds of -the Colleger’s serge gown were sewn together in front, and the Provost -“ripped” them asunder, pronouncing some Latin formula, after which he -congratulated the embryo scholar of King’s, and gave him good advice -as to his future career. The gown, it must be remembered, was then an -essential part of the Colleger’s equipment out of as well as in school. -Although the rule was not strictly adhered to, they were even supposed -to wear their gowns whilst playing games. - -[SN: ETON’S DIVORCE FROM KINGS] - -All the picturesque features of Election disappeared in the sixties, -when new statutes were substituted for those of the Founder, and -the relations between King’s College, Cambridge, and Eton entirely -changed. In 1861 William Austen Leigh and Felix Cobbold were elected to -King’s. With them ended the ancient succession of Eton scholars after -it had continued, with few if any interruptions, under the statutes of -Henry VI., for the period of four hundred and nineteen years, William -Hatecliffe (1443), afterwards Secretary to King Edward IV., and Felix -Thornley Cobbold (1862) being the first and last scholars. The right -of the latter to a scholarship at King’s was, it should be added, -disputed, as was that of William Austen Leigh, the Provost and Fellows -of the Cambridge College urging that the new statutes were already -in operation. This question, which never ought to have been raised, -inasmuch as the names of these boys were on the indenture before the -existence of the new statutes, was submitted to legal opinion and then -to the “Visitor.” It was eventually justly decided that the two Eton -scholars were entitled to scholarships at King’s College, with all -their rights, emoluments, and consequences, and with this terminated -the ancient and sisterly connection between the two Foundations. - -The new statutes provided that four scholarships at King’s should be -annually offered for competition to the scholars of Eton, tenable for -six years, value £80 per annum, with tuition, rooms, and commons free. -The injury done to the interests of Eton by the new arrangements was -very great, for four scholarships per annum did not amount to the -average of the old succession, which ranged from four and a half to -five, while the difference between a scholarship of six years’ tenure -and one which led to a Fellowship that might be held for life was so -great as to be difficult to calculate. The remarkable features in these -iniquitous changes were the earnestness with which they were pressed -by King’s, which seemingly was anxious to rid itself of its connection -with Eton--that is, as far as it could--and the weakness of Eton and -its dereliction of duty to itself and its scholars in acquiescing in -them without any attempt to obtain any mitigation or revision which -might certainly have been effected. Henry Norris Churton, the first -Colleger to be affected by the new state of affairs, declined to accept -the scholarship at King’s to which he was elected in July, but Richard -Durnford, elected in the same month, did accept, and thus became the -first Eton scholar who went to King’s under the new statutes. - -A few years later--in 1871--the repeal of the entire code of statutes -which had regulated Eton since the 21st December, 1443, did a good -deal more towards nullifying the wishes of Henry VI. The old statutes -laid down that there should be seventy _poor_ scholars--an important -clause which the new ones abolished. At present, directly contrary -to the Founder’s intention, there is nothing to prevent the son of a -multi-millionaire from competing for an Eton scholarship. - -[Illustration: Sixth-Form Bench. _Lithograph lent by the Earl of -Rosebery, K.G._] - -FOOTNOTE: - -[9] This appeared in the _Illustrated London News_ during the forties -of the last century. - - - - -VIII SCHOOL WORK - - -Whilst Eton has occasionally produced some very fine scholars--the -Marquis Wellesley was a case in point--it cannot be said that the -traditions of the school are very favourable to learning, which to a -large proportion of Etonians has seemed of less importance than the -acquisition of worldly wisdom. More than a hundred years ago De Quincey -noted the peculiar tone which prevailed amongst Eton boys, who showed -a premature knowledge of the world far exceeding that possessed by the -scholars at any other school. The graceful self-possession of the boys -attracted his attention, but he thought them lacking in self-restraint. -Such an accusation, however, could not justly be made in more modern -days, when a sort of genial unconcern has come to be regarded as one of -the principal characteristics of the typical Etonian, who, preferring -anecdote to argument, is profoundly convinced that amongst human -institutions his school stands easily first. - -With respect to most modern criticisms which have been levelled against -the system of education, it must be remembered that in their efforts -to teach, the masters are handicapped by one or two fundamental -difficulties not easy to surmount. - -Eton, in a much larger proportion than any other school, has contained, -and does contain, the children of rich parents, boys of good birth -and large expectations, most of whom realise very early in life that -there is no absolute necessity for them to work; consequently something -like a leaven of indolence permeates the school, the tone of which -it is, perhaps unjustly, said has of late years been impaired by an -increasing number of sons of millionaire parvenus, who are allowed -extravagant sums by parents anxious to forward the social success -of their offspring by any kind of means. Such parents for the most -part have no real wish that their boys should be educated at all, -and send them to Eton simply to form friendships and to be turned -into gentlemen; or perhaps merely because Eton enjoys the reputation -of being a fashionable school. Be this as it may, the number of -rich boys sprung from the commercial, or rather financial, classes -has undoubtedly increased, whilst foreigners now flock to Eton in -ever-swelling numbers. As a result tales, probably untrue, have been -circulated of wealthy boys achieving a spurious popularity owing to -their pockets being constantly replenished from home, whilst, according -to one incredible rumour, the sons of certain rich speculators, imbued -with an hereditary faculty for money-making, have, on occasions, not -hesitated to loan portions of their abundant funds at an extravagant -rate of interest. The writer, be it understood, does not for a moment -say that such a state of affairs really exists, but the fact remains -that such things have been whispered, of course with no increase to -the prestige of the school. It is not healthy for boys to be allowed -unlimited pocket-money, and men of moderate means--belonging to what -may be called “old Eton families”--do not care to expose their sons -to the contamination of mingling with schoolmates of alien blood -whose sole claim to consideration lies in their parent’s enormous -wealth. In addition to this, quite a number of foreign boys are sent -to be educated at Eton, which has occasionally not proved altogether -advantageous to the best interests of the school. - -[SN: MODERN ETON] - -Modern Eton as it is to-day may be said to have originated from the -recommendations of the Public School Commission, which began its work -in 1861, at which time a wind of change was blowing about old places -in England, with the result that many a weather-worn relic went down -before it. As a result of the labours of this body, the charm of the -school’s celestial quiet was broken, some of the evidence taken having -revealed an unsatisfactory state of affairs which seemed to call for -drastic change. It was, for instance, conclusively shown that the -masters had more on their hands than they could do, and some did not -make any scruple about complaining. “We are enormously overworked,” -said one. “There is no time,” said another, “for society, for meeting -each other, for relaxation, and no time, I may say, for private -reading, and I consider that prejudicial to the school.” In fact, as -Mr. Commissioner Vaughan put it, it seemed a characteristic of the -Eton system that “the masters did too much for the boys, and the boys -did too little for themselves.” The real state of affairs at Eton at -that time was that an immense deal of work was got out of the masters, -and little out of the boys. Since those days the number of masters has -swelled to the very adequate number of sixty-five or more, exclusive -of the Head and Lower Master, but the tutorial system, which has -at various times aroused a good deal of adverse criticism, remains -unchanged, and in all probability will continue to flourish as long as -Eton lasts. - -[SN: DEAD AND LIVING TONGUES] - -Half a century ago it was urged that the main mistake in the Eton -system lay in the retention of the dead languages as the staple of -school work, whilst the panacea put forward for the admitted ignorance -of Young England was the adoption by the majority of boys of what is -known as a “special education.” With some justice it was urged that as -a boy when he goes out into the great world is unlikely to read much -Greek, and even less likely to write much Latin verse, his school days -had much better be occupied in learning something which is practical -and useful. Whilst the classics are still the main feature of the -school curriculum, a boy may now, on having reached a certain standard -(usually attained about the age of 16-1/2), learn modern languages, -science, history, mathematics, or continue to study Greek and Latin, -according as he, or rather his parents, may decide. In addition to -this, the Army class provides an alternative course of study for those -about to enter upon a military career. - -An entirely new feature is that a number of boys going to Eton now -enter for the foundation examination, though without any idea of -becoming King’s scholars should they pass. In July 1910 three of the -nineteen scholars who passed into Eton entered as “Oppidan scholars.” - -With regard to the modern languages mentioned above, it is to be -hoped that the old Eton method of teaching has been discarded. In the -past the time set apart for French was too often merely a farcical -interlude, during which boys devoted all their energies to teasing the -master! The old classical system would be preferable if anything of the -sort survives, for, after all, even a slight knowledge of the classics -is better than an imperfectly assimilated smattering of a modern -tongue. In old days very thorough methods were adopted in connection -with Latin and Greek. One luckless lad in Keate’s division construed -_Exegi_, I have eaten; _monumentum_, a monument; _perennius_, harder; -_aere_, than brass. “Oh, you have, have you?” said the Doctor; “then -you’ll stay afterwards, and I’ll give you something to help digest -it,” and he did. On the whole, educational authorities are still -loth to exclude Latin and Greek. The Commission of fifty years ago, -after hearing much evidence, were of this opinion. The Commissioners -reported:-- - - We believe that for the instruction of boys, especially when - collected in a large school, it is material that there should be - some one principal branch of study, invested with a recognised and, - if possible, a traditional importance, to which the principal weight - should be assigned and the largest share of time and attention given. - We believe that this is necessary in order to concentrate attention, - to stimulate industry, to supply to the whole school a common ground - of literary interest, and a common path of promotion.... We are of - opinion that the classical languages and literature should continue - to hold, as they do now, the principal place in public school - education. - -There is certainly much to be said for Latin as an aid to the -acquirement of “exact expression,” but Greek is another matter -altogether. According to the writer’s own experience, the majority of -boys never obtained any real grip upon that defunct tongue, besides -which, for all but an infinitesimal number, in after life Greek, as Mr. -Andrew Carnegie has somewhat bluntly put it, “is of no more use than -Choctaw.” - -The old Eton system was largely composed of paradoxical omissions, -and by an extraordinary fiction boys were supposed to be thoroughly -acquainted with subjects such as modern geography and arithmetic, of -which, in reality, they knew nothing at all. - -[SN: MATHEMATICS] - -Within comparatively recent years mathematics had no regular place in -the curriculum of the school. It is true that there was an “extra” -master or two who was allowed to take those who liked to be taught and -charged, but he had no means of enforcing discipline, and, however -irritated he might be, had no right to complain to the Headmaster. In -Mr. Gladstone’s Eton days Major Hexter, who kept a boarding-house, -and was styled the writing-master, taught mathematics. Only the Lower -boys, however, went to him, and when they were certified as proficient -in long division the Major troubled them no more. When in 1836 the -Rev. Stephen Hawtrey came to the school as mathematical master he was -only allowed to give his lessons as “extras,” and to the first thirty -boys in the school, because Major Hexter was supposed to have a vested -interest in the ignorance of the remainder. The whole thing ended in -Mr. Hawtrey paying the Major a pension of £200 a year, so that the -latter’s opposition to the teaching of Euclid and algebra might be -withdrawn. - -Even after he had obtained a more or less regular position, Mr. Stephen -Hawtrey’s lot was none too happy, and this most kindly man passed many -irritating half-hours in the round theatrical-looking building which -some called the “Station House.” Those boys whose parents desired it -were entered on the books of this establishment, but the time spent -there was one rather of recreation than of study. Mischievous boys were -constantly turning off the gas or letting off squibs and crackers, -especially in November, which was a particularly merry season. -Besides this, the unfortunate master did not receive much sympathy or -commiseration from his classical superiors, being in a measure regarded -as an interloper and an enemy to versification. - -The last writing-master as provided for by the ancient statutes was a -Mr. Harris, who always resented not being allowed to wear a cap and -gown like the other masters. Highly tenacious of such privileges as -he could contrive to obtain, he was always well pleased when small -boys touched their hats to him in the street, punctiliously returning -such salutations with a grand sweep of the arm. A hater of steel pens, -one of his principal occupations was mending quills and trying their -nibs on his thumb-nail. He had always a quill behind one of his ears, -occasionally behind both; and, being a little absent-minded, would -sometimes, to the general delight, sally forth from school with his -hat on and a pair of fresh-mended quills sticking out underneath. Mr. -Harris taught only Lower boys, but big ones, whose bad hand-writing had -attracted attention, were sometimes sent to him to learn how to write -properly; this, needless to say, was looked upon as a great humiliation. - -The old Eton system could not, of course, fit a boy for a commercial -or business career--as a matter of fact it was never intended to do -so. The modern system, on the other hand, makes something more than a -pretence of equipping Etonians for any profession they may select, -though, considering the traditions of the school, this is no easy task. -The old idea was that, exclusive of the Collegers, a number of whom -were always fine scholars, it did not much matter if the boys were -taught Sanscrit or Chinese, the main purpose of an Eton education being -not so much to inculcate what was vulgarly called “book-learning,” as -to fit Etonians to take their place in the great world outside. - -[SN: “TARDY-BOOK”] - -Of late years, however, the authorities have made real progress in -their efforts to convert “an Eton education” into more of a reality. -The facilities for study at Eton have always been good, and within -recent years much has been done to improve them, with, it would seem, -satisfactory results. White tickets have been invented as a final -supreme punishment when yellow tickets have failed to make a culprit -realise his own shortcomings, whilst the quaintly named “Tardy-book,” -an institution of entirely modern origin, has been devised to strike -terror into those who make a practice of being late for school. - -The old haphazard methods which formerly prevailed have been discarded -in favour of more business-like ways, the school office, which -undertakes the distribution of much connected with the work of the -school, being a thoroughly workmanlike and efficient institution. In -its early days, however, a few things somehow got mislaid, which, -of course, furnished unscrupulous boys who had failed to do any -punishment with the plausible excuse that their lines had got lost -there. - -Much less idleness seems now to prevail, the boys being certainly -forced to work more than was the case in the writer’s day, when so many -of them, it must be admitted, learnt very little indeed, contriving to -go through the school with a really surprising lack of mental effort. -To such as these the only real time of danger was Trials, when they -were absolutely obliged to make some attempt at working. Most idlers, -however, took such an ordeal very lightly, occasionally supplementing -their defective memories by various ingenious contrivances. An expert -once, it is said, equipped himself as follows: Right waistcoat pocket, -Greek verbs; left waistcoat pocket, Latin verbs; breast pocket, crib to -Horace; right tail pocket, crib to Virgil; left tail pocket, crib to -Homer; finger-nails, important dates. His ingenuity, however, was all -wasted, for he was plucked. The amount of application and intelligence -needful to take a good place in such examinations was formerly quite -moderate. - -Cunning boys had all sorts of ways of avoiding work. Some could -calculate to a nicety when they were likely to be put on to construe, -and learnt only a particular bit. One master for a long time made it a -practice to call upon each boy in turn right through his division, with -the result that they confined themselves to learning only about a dozen -lines or so apiece. At last, however, the trick was discovered, and one -fatal morning the master caused consternation by putting on the first -boy at the end instead of the beginning. A general collapse ensued, boy -after boy standing dumbfoundered and speechless, instead of rattling -off his portion with glib proficiency. - -[SN: SUNDAY QUESTIONS] - -Thirty or forty years ago, it may safely be affirmed, any boy of -ordinary intelligence who had received a good grounding at a private -school could manage to make his way up to the higher forms without -once “muffing Trials,” and yet not increase his stock of learning in -the very slightest degree. He lived, as it were, upon a capital of -knowledge imbibed in the very different atmosphere of some hard-working -preparatory school. The enthusiasm for learning which inspired many -a boy fresh from such modest seminaries was too often quickly cooled -by the banks of the Thames. It was, indeed, admitted by not a few -that the longer a boy remained at Eton the more lazy he became. One -cheeky lad, indeed, being lectured for idleness by his tutor, who at -the same time eulogised the industry of a comparatively new comer, was -met by the answer, “Well, sir, I have been here three years and he -only one.” The tone, at least amongst the majority of the Oppidans, -was not encouraging to enthusiasm of any kind, besides which the frank -absurdity of certain portions of the Eton curriculum was calculated -merely to depress a boy gifted with even average intelligence. Sunday -questions, for instance, instituted by Dr. Goodford about 1854, usually -resembled nothing so much as a page of acrostics, the correct solution -of which, whilst involving a vast amount of trouble, conduced to -anything but a love of the Bible. As an aid to holy living, for which -purpose, I believe, they were supposed to be devised, no more pitiful -failure ever existed, the sole effects produced being unmitigated -boredom and much bad language. In modern days they may have been -improved, but in their original form these questions, a number of which -dealt with the genealogies of Hebrew kings, were a most unstimulating -exercise for the youthful brain. - -In many other respects the school-work was idiotically useless and bad, -a great part of it having seemingly been devised to entail a maximum -of drudgery with a minimum of useful information. Above all, it lacked -elasticity, little or no effort being made to encourage a boy in any -particular subject for which he exhibited aptitude. - -Some features of the curriculum might have been modelled upon the -ancient Chinese system. What could have been more ridiculous than to -make boys who could scarcely construe a simple sentence attempt to -turn out Latin verse? It would have been far better to teach greater -Eton--that is, the mass of more or less ignorant dunces--how to write -a good letter in their own language, or driven into their brains -some knowledge of modern geography, yet nothing of the sort was ever -attempted. - -The writing of Latin verse was one of the most time-honoured Eton -traditions which had to be undertaken by every boy who emerged from -the Lower Forms of the school, and every week a copy of verses was set -by the masters who took the divisions of the Fifth Form. These verses -had to be done by the boys as best they could, being submitted for -correction to the tutors, who got the verses into shape, eliminating -“false quantities” and all other mistakes, in the course of which -operation they themselves often composed a good deal of Latin poetry. -The revised copy was then returned to the boy, who wrote a “fair copy” -out of school, and afterwards showed up both copies to the Division -Master. The strain on the tutors was at times great, and unscrupulous -boys, with the additional help of a clever friend, would sometimes -go through the whole of their Eton career without in the least -understanding anything at all about verse-writing. - -[SN: “TUGS” AND “SAPS”] - -Such a state of affairs exerted a demoralising effect upon the minds -of earnest, well-meaning boys, who gradually came to see that certain -features of their education were entirely futile. Besides this, owing -to the general tone of the school, a large part of which regarded -school-work as being merely a sort of useless way of wasting time, -their estimation of the value of effort of all kind lessened, whilst -the conviction was forced upon them that no particular _kudos_ was to -be gained by conscientious study, which they came to look upon as the -peculiar appanage of “Tugs” and “Saps.” - -No feat of learning on the part of a King’s scholar ever aroused the -slightest surprise, it being generally assumed that “Tugs,” unlike -the rest of the school, having been born “Saps,” or always made to -work, could master every kind of learning with the greatest ease. The -Newcastle Scholar, always a boy of high intellectual attainments, -excited no interest amongst the mass of the school--the majority -indeed scarcely knew who had won it, and, if asked, would generally -reply, “Oh, some Colleger or other.” No aspirations to gain Balliol -scholarships or places in the class-lists disturbed the serenity of -the Oppidan’s mind. Such petty ambitions might excite the miserable -rivalry of boys at other schools, vain mortals toiling in the lower -world of scholarship, “vying with and outrunning and outwitting one -another.” In such contests Eton could afford to look calmly on, secure -in that “repose of character” which has for so many generations marked -her students. There existed, indeed, a sort of tacit understanding that -it was the business of the Collegers to do the intellectual work and -to win the school and University honours, whilst the Oppidans were to -prove victorious at Henley and, if possible, beat Harrow and Winchester -at cricket. A great portion of the school, assuming a natural licence -to be idle, had a deeply implanted conviction that reading was not in -their line, and at heart believed it was rather a slow thing to do. - -The general result of this unsatisfactory standard of course yielded -bad results. Calmly secure in the conviction that to be in the eight -or eleven was to have reached the highest pinnacle of boyish ambition, -those who excelled in athletics became naturally prone to undervalue -intellectual effort and attainments. - -[SN: GAMES, NOT WORK] - -To excel at games, not at work, was the ideal set before their -youthful eyes; no wonder that for one who persevered in conscientious -preparation of his school-work ten succumbed and became content to sink -lower and lower in Trials, till at last they just scraped through a few -places from the bottom. Admiration for athletics indeed was carried to -an almost absurd extreme. Whilst there can be no doubt that exercise -and an indulgence in manly games and healthful forms of relaxation -are excellent for schoolboys, they should be regarded from a sane -and proper point of view, and not held up as the sole end and aim of -human existence. Curiously enough, scarcely any great men have been -keen athletes during their youthful days, whilst a large proportion -of those who have excelled in the cricket field or on the river have -been utterly unheard of in after life, where capacity to propel a boat -through the water at high speed or drive a cricket ball to the boundary -counts scarcely at all. An entire absorption in games to the exclusion -of practically all other interests cannot be called a healthy feature -of education. Loafing, every one agrees, is a slovenly and demoralising -habit, but fanatical interest in cricket, football, or the river is bad -in another way, for though it may produce muscle, it may also, when -carried to an extreme, produce atrophy of the brain. - -In the rough old days, though sporting pursuits, like fighting, were in -high repute, games do not appear to have been taken very seriously at -Eton, where there was nothing approaching the modern spirit which makes -heroes of the eight and the eleven. In the eighteenth century, though -games were played, not a few of the more clever boys would appear to -have viewed them with something of good-humoured contempt. - - “I can’t say I’m sorry that I was never quite a schoolboy,” wrote - Horace Walpole; “an expedition against Bargemen, or a match at - cricket may be very pretty things to recollect; but, thank my stars, - I can remember things that are very near as pretty.” - -[SN: HOOPS] - -His friend Gray, though in his famous ode he touched upon the school -games, expressed no particular enthusiasm for athletics:-- - - What idle progeny succeed - To chase the rolling circle’s speed. - Or urge the flying ball? - -Gray, it should be added, originally wrote - - To chase the hoop’s elusive speed, - -for, extraordinary as it may appear to the modern Etonian, the hoop was -formerly in high favour with Eton boys. Trundling a hoop has long been -recognised as one of the best forms of exercise; indeed, the writer has -been told that the present Headmaster of Eton, in his day an athlete of -high distinction, being once abroad where no games could be played, -in order to keep himself fit purchased a hoop and took to trundling it -with great zest. - -As late as the early part of the nineteenth century, during the October -half, the majority of Lower School used to indulge in the somewhat -infantile delights of trundling a hoop with a stout stick. The Eton -hoop was made differently from the ones still used by children, being -formed out of a strong ash lathe with a remnant of bark upon its -surface. The inevitable collisions of hoops and their trundlers not -infrequently led to hostilities, and on several occasions regular -pitched battles occurred between Collegers and Oppidans. A famous -encounter once took place at the end of the wall near the Chapel door, -about twenty boys being on each side, one Saturday after four, big -boys in front, little ones behind. Thanks to their gowns, which they -adroitly twisted round one arm, the Collegers had the best of the -encounter, though the Oppidans were able to draw off without having -been definitely beaten. The contest excited great interest, a crowd of -people watching the battle, and though the masters were fully aware of -what was going on, no attempt was made to interfere. For some reason -or other, however, there was no more hoop-trundling till the following -year. - -[Illustration: - - _“Say Father Thames, for thou hast seen - Full many a sprightly race. - Disporting on thy margent green. - The paths of pleasure trace.” - GRAY’S ODE._ - -_From a scarce print in the possession of the Earl of Rosebery, K.G._] - -In long-past days another form of amusement, generally associated -with childhood--marbles--enjoyed an occasional popularity amongst -Lower boys, many of whom prided themselves on the variegated colours -contained in their collections, whilst for a time “Bandalore”--which, -as “Diabolo,” quite recently enjoyed a great vogue all over -England--quite captivated the school. - -Peg-tops were once in great favour, Weight, who kept a grocer’s shop -and was known as “Old Tallow Weight,” doing a brisk business in such -tops and the whip-cord necessary to spin them. The Rev. E. D. Stone -(see page 61) says that in his day, under Hawtrey, backgammon and -knuckle bones were popular in College. - -About 1770 the games[10] popular at Eton were “Cricket, Fives, Shirking -Walls, Scrambling Walls, Bally-cally, Battledores, Pegtop, Peg in the -ring, Goals, Hopscotch, Heading, Conquering Lobs, Hoops, Marbles, -Trap-ball, Steal-baggage, Puss in the corner, Cat-gallows, Kites, -Cloyster and Flyer gigs, Tops, Humming-Tops, Hunt the Hare, Hunt the -dark lanthorn, Chuck, Sinks, Store-Caps, Hustle-cap.” Of football, it -will be observed, there is no mention; nevertheless it was played, -though not in very good repute. Fives, of course, was then played -between the buttresses of the Chapel, the favourite time being before -eleven-o’clock school, when a ring of spectators would assemble to -watch good players. As every one knows, the pepper-box of the modern -fives court takes its origin from the stone termination of the steps -leading up to the Chapel door, which was copied in the first regular -fives court built at Eton in 1847. - -It would seem that the old Eton authorities, whilst not disapproving -of games, did not attach any very considerable importance to them. In -theory, indeed, boating on the Thames was forbidden, but in practice -even Keate tolerated the joys of the river, though he made violent -efforts to prevent any rowing before Easter, in order to prevent the -boys from catching chills. - -[SN: HOCKEY] - -In the ’forties of the last century foot races and the three-mile -steeplechase, with its almost impossible jumps and immersions, were a -source of considerable interest just before Easter. The winter games -were then football and hockey, the latter of which, however, only held -its ground for a time, during which it was patronised by many of the -swells. There was then a tradition, which still seems to exist, that -it had been from time to time forbidden as dangerous; nevertheless it -was played for years without either injury or any reprimand. The sticks -were not rough, but smoothed and artificially bent, with blades about -a foot long. There were two clubs, called upper and lower hockey; but -football gradually superseded it, and the game entirely disappeared -about the year 1853. With regard to the prohibition, a writer mentions -(in 1832) hockey and football as the chief winter games at Eton, and -says that more came away “hobbling” from the latter than from the -former, but speaks further on of a boy having in his room “an illegal -hockey-stick.” He observes that this fine old game had died out in -England, except at Eton and Sandhurst, and adds quaintly: “It is one of -the most elegant and gentlemanly exercises, being susceptible of very -graceful attitudes, and requiring great speed of foot.” - -As time went on, athletics began to exercise more and more influence, -till in the ’sixties they attained to much the same preponderant -position as they hold at Eton to-day. A few, however, viewed the -growing worship of skilfully trained brute force with unconcealed -dislike. In the early ’seventies of the last century a little magazine, -called the _Adventurer_, contained an article signed E. G. R. called -“Eton as it is,” which scathingly attacked the growing deification of -muscle rather than brain:-- - - “While in the world around us, for which we are here preparing - ourselves, a vast worship of intellect universally prevails, at Eton - it is the worship of the body which enslaves the whole community. - What, in our estimation, is mind, intellect, hard and successful - cultivation of the faculties? Nothing. What is cricket, rowing, - athletics, football? Everything. And our School is meanwhile being - degraded almost to the level of an Athletic Club.... Idleness holds - sway everywhere, and _such_ idleness! As a man who has never had - dealings with the Chinese can have but a faint idea of what swindling - is, so a man who has never been at Eton has but a poor conception of - what idleness is.” - -[SN: “POP”] - -This protest was not, however, well received by the school, the -_Adventurer_ being expelled from the rooms of “Pop,” which, curiously -enough, on its foundation in 1811 by Charles Fox Townshend as a -political and literary society, had only elected the captain of the -boats in order to show that the members _had no prejudice_ against -athletics. - -Its tone was distinctly Conservative. Fourteen years later, in Mr. -Gladstone’s day, only one member, a Colleger, was suspected of having -Liberal tendencies. Originally “Pop” was located in the upper room of -Mother Hatton’s “sock shop.” In 1846, when the house, together with -another, was formed into Drury’s, “Pop” migrated to the yard of the old -Christopher. The site of Drury’s is now covered by part of that huge -and incongruous building--the “Memorial Hall.” - -The early members of “Pop,” it is curious to find, were originally -known as the Literati, their first debate, held on February 9, 1811, -dealing with the question of whether the passage of the Andes by -Pizarro or the passage of the Alps by Hannibal was the greater exploit. -No political event within fifty years was permitted as a subject for -debate. Mr. Gladstone, who was elected a member in 1825, made his -maiden speech before this Society, the subject being “Is the Education -of the Poor on the whole Beneficial?” - -The future Prime Minister took great pains to improve himself as an -orator, going, it is said, to rehearse his “Pop” speeches in Trotman’s -gardens, on the site of which the old fives courts were afterwards -built. To the end of his days he continued to take great interest in -the “Eton Society.” His correspondence as to its records, in which -every speaker has written his speech, has been amusingly described by -Lord Rosebery, who on succeeding the great statesman in office one -day received a letter in which the Grand Old Man expressed himself -much distressed because during a recent visit to the rooms of “Pop” he -had seen a picture of a recent Derby winner over the chimney-piece. A -generation, wrote Mr. Gladstone, which had such depraved tastes could -not, in his opinion, be fitted to have the custody of the invaluable -records of the Eton Society, and he therefore begged Lord Rosebery to -address the authorities at Eton on the subject. The state of affairs -of which Mr. Gladstone complained, did not cause the recipient of his -appeal so much disquiet, for the Derby winner which hung over the “Pop” -mantelpiece was Lord Rosebery’s own horse, Ladas, which won the great -classic race in 1894. - -Lord Rosebery, who, even in his Eton days, was a most effective -debater, is another member of “Pop” who has risen to high distinction. -Retaining a singularly keen interest in everything connected with his -old school, he it was who made the most eloquent and witty speech at -the dinner in the Memorial Hall, where, on July 14, 1911, 400 Etonians, -the vast majority old members of “Pop,” met to commemorate the 100th -anniversary of the Society’s foundation. In the aforesaid speech he -very happily described “Pop” as being a noble companionship like the -Garter, not always given for merit, but a high companionship with -illustrious tradition to which anybody might be proud to belong. - -[SN: ETON VICEROYS] - -Though athleticism has now in a great measure dominated the “Eton -Society,” it must be confessed, as another distinguished old Etonian, -Lord Curzon, said at the same dinner, that neither title, means, nor -athletic distinction _per se_ ever enabled a man to get inside the -walls of “Pop.” There must be something else--he must be what the world -calls “a good sort,” and it is well that this happy state of affairs -still remains unchanged. On the same occasion Lord Curzon pointed out -that Eton had laid a vigorous hand on India, six out of the last seven -Viceroys having been old Eton boys, whilst that illustrious veteran -Lord Roberts was also an old Etonian. - -In the course of the nineteenth century the importance of the -captain of the boats has gradually grown, and at the present day his -personality dominates Eton. He occupies a unique position, being envied -and admired by the Upper part of the school and regarded as a sort of -superior being by Lower boys. - -When, about half a century ago, a Royal Commission was taking evidence -as to the state of affairs prevailing at Eton, it was elicited in -evidence that “the captains of the boats and the eleven were scarcely -ever distinguished in scholarship or mathematics.” One master indeed -declared that he had “not observed any boys, during a short experience, -distinguished both in intellect and athletic pursuits.” Young Lord -Boringdon, himself one of the “eight” for two years, was “afraid -that the crews of the boats were generally distinguished for want of -industrious habits.” Cricket the Commission pronounced to have been -found “hardly compatible with high scholarship.” Although the Collegers -formed the larger proportion of the oldest boys in the school, they -were seldom in the eleven, because they were unwilling to spare so much -time from the school work as was considered necessary for practice. - -In my own Eton days, thirty years ago, the captain of the school--head -of Sixth Form--was nobody at all in the eyes of the Oppidans. Few of -them indeed knew him by sight, and fewer still felt any curiosity to -do so. As far as I remember he enjoyed no particular privileges except -the right of presenting a new Headmaster with a birch tied up with -ribbon of Eton blue. The captain of the Oppidans held a slightly better -position, a sort of idea prevailing that there must have been something -extraordinary about him or he would not have risen so high in the -school, Oppidans as a rule not being generally considered very clever -or apt to work. - -[SN: “SWAGGERS”] - -Next to the captain of the boats in popular estimation came the -captain of the eleven, who in his own circle commanded a good deal -of attention, and of course stood infinitely higher than any boy -distinguished only for intellectual attainments. The members of the -eight and eleven followed after, together with a few other “swaggers,” -who on account of their prowess at football, rackets, running, fives, -and sometimes even rifle shooting, were regarded with a certain degree -of reverential awe. - -Of late years, however, a more satisfactory state of affairs has -prevailed, not a few prominent athletes and oarsmen having shown -considerable mental capacity. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[10] This list is the one given in _Nugae Etonenses_. - - - - -IX ROWING AND GAMES - - -The early history of Eton rowing is somewhat obscure, but it is -perfectly clear that the Oppidans have always had control of all rowing -arrangements. In former times, indeed, Collegers only boated below -Bridge, and were rarely seen above; indeed if they did go up stream -they were more than likely to be molested by Oppidans, who claimed that -part of the river as their own watery domain. - -[SN: THE BOATS] - -Though boating must have gone on at Eton ever since the foundation of -the College, there would appear to have been no attempt at a regular -organisation till the middle of the eighteenth century. In 1762 there -were three long boats, the “Snake,” the “Piper’s Green,” and “My -Guineas Lion.” Then, as now, a captain of the boats presided over the -crews. In the early days of Keate’s reign (1811-1814), however, there -seem to have been six boats--one 10-oar (the “Monarch,” as now), three -8-oars, and two 6-oars, later on changed to four 8-oars and one 6-oar. -At that time, as has been the case in later years, the “Monarch,” -though it stood first on the list, and took precedence of all the other -boats, was by no means the best manned, being, as has been the case -in later years, something of a refuge for swagger boys who might not -be exceptionally fine oars. For this reason, though it was scarcely -regarded with contempt, yet it could never either be looked up to as -affording a pattern for the other crews. A place in it, however, was a -good thing to be secured. - -In 1829[11] the Upper boats were the “Monarch,” “Britannia,” and -“Etonian”; the Lower, “Victory,” “Thetis,” “Defiance,” “St. George,” -and “Dreadnought.” The “Thetis,” it should be added, replaced the -“Hibernia,” which disappeared as the “Trafalgar” had done. In 1830, -however, one of the Lower boats was called the “Nelson.” At that time, -it should be added, the Lower boats were made up of Lower boys and -Fifth Form indiscriminately. The revival of the “Nelson” in 1830 was -due to a revolt of the Lower boys in a dame’s house against the Fifth -Form, which ended in the former putting a boat on the river in order -to escape compulsory cricket. The boats used were clinker built, and -either gig or wherry fashion, the eights mostly of the former. They -had rowlocks, but not outriggers, and must have been heavy as compared -with modern clinker-built eights. The oars were of the old type, square -loomed, with a button nailed on. - -The original practice in the Lower boats was to employ watermen (known -as “cads”) as strokes and steerers. Jack Haverley, for instance, who -in 1861 became the head waterman employed by the school, steered the -“Defiance” as late as 1830. Another old custom practised on great -occasions was for each boat to have in it some visitor to Eton. When, -as sometimes happened, the honoured guest chanced to be a demure -gentleman in black, he looked singularly out of place amidst the gay -costumes of the crew. In old-fashioned times this “sitter,” as he -was called, sat in the centre of the boat to keep it steady, but in -later years he reclined in the stern, usually with a large hamper of -champagne in front of him, it being the custom for a sitter to make the -boys a present of wine. In those far-distant days little check would -seem to have been placed upon the boys indulging freely in alcohol. -The writer’s uncle, who as Lord Walpole steered the “Etonian” in 1830, -often told of the glorious bowls of punch which he and his friends used -to consume. From the account he gave, the Upper boys at least were then -allowed in most respects to do pretty much as they liked. - -[SN: A TRICK] - -The authorities did not in any way interfere with anything connected -with boating, of the very existence of which, however, according to -a curious convention, they were supposed to be unaware. Dr. Keate -indeed carried the practice of ignoring rowing to such an extent -that when Eton beat Westminster at Maidenhead in 1831, he only heard -of it because the news of the victory was forced upon him. Dr. -Hawtrey, however, did recognise boating as an authorised institution; -nevertheless he did nothing to remove the absurd custom of regarding -boys going to the river as being out of bounds. In Keate’s day, as has -elsewhere been said, the river was really forbidden before Easter, -owing to an idea that the cold, chilly weather would produce illness -amongst the boys. Some mischievous “wet bobs,” taking advantage of -this prohibition, in 1829 played an amusing trick on the masters. The -weather just before Easter happened to be very bad, and “the water” -in consequence was forbidden. Nevertheless, the boats went up until a -grand capture of rebellious spirits was meditated by the authorities. -By some means this purpose became known, and the wags masked and -dressed up eight “cads” to represent Upper boys. They had not reached -Upper Hope before the scheme began to take effect. “Foolish boys! I -know you all. Come ashore,” sounded from one bank. “Come here, or you -all will be expelled,” re-echoed from the other. At last, after a great -deal of shouting and galloping, the masks were dropped and the joke -explained. - -[SN: SURLY HALL] - -In old days, on certain evenings chosen by the captain of the boats, -the Upper crews had regular feasts at Surly, known as “Duck and -Green Pea” nights, where there was much conviviality, the crews being -usually elated on the return journey, on which it was the custom to -pull leisurely at first. As, however, they passed Boveney Church -(there was then no lock) they drew in their oars, and the watermen who -pulled stroke were called on for songs, which they sang solo, the boys -joining in the chorus. After the watermen were dispensed with, the same -customs continued. This entertainment was kept up from Boveney to the -Rushes, and then the pulling was “Hard all!” for fear of being late for -Absence, or, as it was then called, for fear of being “out afresh.” -It was on the voyage up, however, that the rivalry between the boats -mostly took place; but whenever they rowed “Hard all!” silence was -kept, and each boat tried to make a race of it with the one in front or -behind. After the feast at Surly, songs were sung till the time when -“Oars” was called, when the crews rushed off to their boats in order to -get back before Lock-Up. The Lower boats, which only escorted the Upper -ones up to Easy Bridge above the Rushes, met them on their return and -took part in the procession down to the Bridge. - -These “Duck and Green Pea” nights afterwards developed into the “Check” -nights (supposed to be so called from the shirts of the rowers) which -Dr. Goodford abolished in 1860. “Check” nights took place on every -alternate Saturday after the 4th of June, at the end of the summer -half, and to the last the crews of the Upper boats maintained the -traditional fare of duck and green peas for which Surly Hall was -celebrated. The old place, which saw so many generations of Etonians -swallow copious libations of champagne, though it long survived the -abolition of “Check” nights, is now itself but a memory of the past, -having been pulled down in 1902. - -In former days, on such evenings as boat-racing had taken place, -Eton was very lively indeed, the crews on their way home stopping to -drink the winners’ healths at the Christopher, and then walking down -arm-in-arm until they reached the school, where a crowd had collected. -As in later times, the winners were “hoisted” and carried along by -the wall amidst cheers. Windsor Bridge was then the winning-post -of all races, the starting-point as a rule, it would appear, the -Firework Eyot, which in old maps figures as Cooper’s Ait. The races, -it should be added, were always for money, a good part of which in all -probability was spent in drink. - -The 4th of June and Election Saturday were celebrated by the Procession -of Boats in gala dress and by fireworks from the Eyot. Previous to 1814 -all the rowers in each boat had a fancy dress appropriate to the boat. -In after years the crews wore blue jackets with anchors embroidered on -the outside arm, clad in which they pulled all the way up to Surly. In -1828 checked shirts were introduced, and this fashion has continued -ever since. On special days the boats had tillers fashioned as -serpents, and garlanded with oak leaves, instead of the ordinary wooden -tiller or the rudder lines and yokes which they used in the races. On -the 4th of June and on Election Saturday the crews donned a special -costume, the main features of which were a dark-blue jacket with brass -buttons, hanging loose in front in order to show the distinctive -pattern of the shirt, over which the silken handkerchief worn round the -neck hung. Up to about 1828 the coxswains of boats on such great days -wore fancy costumes, but after that date every coxswain was dressed -as a naval officer, increasing in rank according to the precedence to -which his boat was entitled, and this custom is still followed on the -4th of June. A somewhat curious coincidence in connection with the -boats is that Lord Rosebery, Lord St. Aldwyn, and Lord Coventry in -their Eton days all rowed bow in the _Monarch_--the ten-oar which seems -always to have been one of the boats. - -The great event for Eton oarsmen was formerly the annual race against -Westminster, which in the early part of the nineteenth century excited -the greatest interest. The proceedings in connection with the selection -of the eight which was to try conclusions with the London school -provoked much the same interest and enthusiasm as that now evoked with -regard to the Eton crew to be sent to Henley. The series of contests -with Westminster seems to have commenced in 1829 with a race for £100 -a side. A regular course of training was always undergone, and for a -number of years the match was the great event of the summer half. As -time went on, however, it was discontinued, though revived in 1860 as -part of certain concessions made by the then headmaster, Dr. Goodford, -in consideration of the abolition of “Check” nights and “Oppidan -Dinner.” - -[SN: “OPPIDAN DINNER”] - -“Oppidan Dinner” was a survival of the eighteenth century, and -seemingly originated at the old Christopher. In later days, however, it -was held at the White Hart at Windsor, the number of boys sitting down -being usually about fifty, each of whom paid something like eighteen -shillings a head, which charge included wine. The time for this dinner -was at the end of the summer half, and those who took part in it were -members of the Upper boats’ eleven and Sixth Form and a few other Upper -boys. The captain of the boats managed everything, and sat at the head -of the long table in a room which stretched right through the inn, -one end looking out upon the castle. The dinner began at four in the -afternoon, an adjournment to Eton taking place for six o’clock Absence, -after which, about 6.30, the boys returned to the White Hart for -what was called “dessert,” though every one expected to drink rather -than to eat. The chief show on the table consisted of decanters and -glasses, all of a very cheap sort, it being well understood that few -would survive the wholesale breakage which almost invariably followed -the annual feast. Toasts were then given, the captain of the boats -rising first of all to propose “The Queen.” This was drunk standing, -amidst an accompaniment of cheers. “The Prince of Wales and the rest -of the Royal Family” followed, after which the boys waited eagerly for -the toasts which had more immediate reference to their own particular -interests and the songs which formed part of the evening’s programme. -The proceedings invariably closed with “Floreat Etona,” the drinking of -which was the signal for breaking up. This toast not unnaturally evoked -wild enthusiasm, and at one time it was the custom for every one to -fling their glasses down and dash them to pieces on the table. About -half-past eight the diners returned to Eton in very hilarious mood, -the captain of the boats and other popular athletes being generally -subjected to a very enthusiastic “hoisting.” - -[SN: CHANGES] - -The Eton authorities, though perfectly aware of this somewhat -Bacchanalian feast, never took any notice of it till it was abolished -in 1860. As, however, old drinking customs decreased, it became clear -that Oppidan Dinner was destined to disappear, and its existence was -threatened years before it was done away with. It was notorious that -as a result of this banquet a number of boys came to Absence in a very -fuddled condition, and the headmaster, when calling over the names, had -to keep his eyes well fixed on the list for fear of seeing behaviour of -which he would have been obliged to take notice. At Lock-Up time things -were worse still, and of the reeling crowd who surged down the High -Street some occasionally became so violent that it took six or seven -boys to get them to bed. - -The last Oppidan Dinner of 1859, however, was by all accounts the most -sober on record. Indeed an aged waiter at the White Hart was moved -almost to tears at the small amount which had been drunk. Those who -took part in it were of more serious disposition and mind than their -rollicking predecessors of former days, and most people agreed that the -dinner had become an anachronism. When, however, in the following year -R. H. Blake-Humfrey, captain of the boats, in unison with the present -Provost, Mr. Warre (who had then just come to Eton as a master), -concurred in its suppression, not a few were taken by surprise, whilst -many an old Etonian of the old school shook his head and murmured that -Eton was going to the dogs. - -In return for the abolition of “Oppidan Dinner” and “Check” nights, it -was agreed that the eight should be allowed annually to row at Henley, -whilst “boating bills” were instituted so as to put aquatics on the -same footing as cricket with respect to exemptions from six o’clock -Absence. It was also laid down that, on days in the summer half when -there was no five o’clock school, the crews of two eight oars should -be excused from “Absence” on condition of their undertaking to row to -within sight of Cookham Lock. The “strokes” of the two boats were made -responsible, on their words of honour, to see that the conditions -were fulfilled. In addition to this, the whole of the High Street, as -far as Windsor Bridge, was placed within bounds, so that boys going to -the “Brocas” or returning from it were no longer obliged to “shirk” -when they met masters. Finally the annual boat race with Westminster -was to be revived. That very year a race was duly rowed between Eton -and Westminster at Putney, in which Eton won very easily. There was, -however, nothing extraordinary about this, for since the old days when -Eton and Westminster had been rival schools the former had greatly -increased in size. Westminster had in reality barely a chance, for it -had been only with considerable difficulty that an eight had been got -together at all. Though some of the Westminster oars were good men, -the crews that rowed against Eton from 1860 to 1864 were entirely -outmatched in weight and strength. In addition to which, in 1861 and -1862 the Eton eight possessed a tower of strength in their captain -and stroke, Mr. R. H. Blake-Humfrey, who, it should be added, has, in -his introduction to the _Eton Boating Book_, given such a clear and -excellent account of the early history of Eton rowing. The race between -the two schools did not take place in 1863; instead, the Westminster -boys came down to Eton on Election Saturday and had supper with the -Eton crews in the meadow opposite Surly Hall. Rowing back to Windsor, -the visitors very nearly became involved in what might have been a -serious catastrophe, for the cox of the Westminster eight, not being -used to the river, steered the wrong side of the posts above Boveney -Lock, and but for the warning shout of the steerer of the Eton eight, -the Westminster boat would probably have gone over the Weir. The match -of 1864, in which Eton won by 27 seconds, was the last occasion upon -which the two eights met. Since then the schools have developed in -different directions, with the result that the old cordial relations -are now in all probability for ever at an end. - -Modern Eton has produced several famous oarsmen--notably Mr. S. D. -Muttlebury, whose first triumph was winning the “Lower boy pulling” -with S. S. Sharpe in 1881. The present boating colours are the Eight, -Upper Boat Choices, Upper Boats, Lower Boat Choices, Lower Boats, -the latter of which all adopted the old Defiance colour in 1885. For -this and other information I have to thank Mr. F. F. V. Scrulton, the -present captain of the boats. - -[SN: SWIMMING] - -Swimming has always been in great favour with Eton boys, but in old -days the authorities paid no attention to it, and no effort was made -to check boys who could not swim from risking their lives. There -appears, however, to have been some regular bathing-place as long ago -as 1529, for it is chronicled that in that year a boy was drowned at -“le watering place,” the site of which, however, is unknown. The first -teacher apparently was a Frenchman named Champeau, nicknamed by the -boys Slipgibbet, who about 1829 taught swimming with corks, which -state of affairs continued till all unauthorised teachers of natation -were swept away. Champeau, also playfully known as Shampoo, gave his -lessons at the spot opposite to “Athens.” The old Frenchman must have -been a competent teacher, for three miles was often accomplished by -some of his pupils, and headers off Windsor Bridge were not uncommon. -Nevertheless, fatal accidents intermittently occurred. In the early -part of the nineteenth century a boy was drowned close to Boveney -Meads, in the presence of many big schoolfellows, of whom not one could -dive to bring up the body, though it could be plainly seen by those who -stooped over the sides of the boats--fortunately at that time broad -of beam, otherwise more boys would probably have perished. Sixty or -seventy years earlier young Barnard (afterwards Dr. Barnard, Headmaster -and Provost) had only escaped a watery grave owing to the successful -efforts of his schoolfellow, Jacob Bryant, a delicate boy but a good -swimmer. In later years Bryant became a scholar and philologist well in -advance of his age. The average of deaths from drowning was once, it is -said, about one boy in three years. This bad state of affairs was ended -in 1840 when George Augustus Selwyn, with William Evans, organised -swimming and instituted the “passing” at “Cuckoo Weir,” which has now -become one of the regular features of a “wet bob’s” career. - -The Upper Collegers at one time bathed at the oak in the playing -fields, the Lower at a spot not far away, which bore the significant -name of “Deadman’s Hole.” Near by was the old wharf, done away with -in 1840, where the Collegers used to keep their boats. In those days, -however, they went but little on the river, preferring to concentrate -their energies in preparing for the annual matches at cricket and -football with the Oppidans. The rivalry was then very keen, and in -winter was even shown by fierce snowball fights, in which both sides -often suffered severely. It may seem strange that seventy boys could -face six hundred, but some of the biggest boys in the school were -Collegers, as they were not superannuated until they were nineteen. - -About 1828 the annual matches, both at cricket and football, between -the Oppidans and Collegers were done away with. They were always the -most stoutly contested games of the year, and put both parties on their -mettle far beyond the excitement of any other match. A good deal of -bitterness was sometimes displayed, and now and then a smack on the -head or a designed “shin” were given and received; but, on the whole, -these matches did something to draw Oppidans and Collegers together, -and their abolition is to be deplored, though, in the present age, the -great excess of Oppidans would, it must be confessed, have rendered -their continuance difficult. - -[SN: ST. ANDREW’S DAY] - -Of all the various contests which formerly took place between Collegers -and Oppidans the annual match at the wall on St. Andrew’s Day alone -survives, and has lost none of its interest, though the two elevens are -chosen from seventy Collegers and from close on a thousand Oppidans. In -reality the chances of victory are in a great degree equalised owing to -the fact that whilst the Collegers have every opportunity of playing -the game during the whole of the time--usually about six years--during -which they remain at Eton, only a small number of Oppidans play at -all till within two years of their leaving school. It would here be -superfluous to enter upon any detailed description of the game. [SN: -THE “WALL”] Suffice it to say that it is played within a narrow strip -of ground some twenty feet wide and close up against the old wall built -in 1717, the goals being the tree with a white mark at the end towards -Slough, and the door of Weston’s Yard at the Eton end. The origin of -this peculiar form of football is very obscure. Mr. E. C. Benthall, -K.S., Keeper of the Wall in the present year, 1911, who has most -obligingly furnished me with some interesting information, believes -that it originated from “passage football,” and doubts if it was ever -played very seriously till about one hundred years ago, at which time -it was an entirely different game from what it is now. In spite of its -quaint terms, it would seem to be of no great antiquity, at least in -anything like its present form. The wall itself dates from 1717, but -about the earliest record of any regular game there dates from the -first decade of the nineteenth century, at which time any one who -chose seems to have been allowed to play, with the result that there -were usually eighteen or twenty a side. It was then practically the -only form of football popular at Eton, though occasionally something -approaching to the modern “Field Game” was played in the open. Till -1841, however, such forms of relaxation were discouraged by the -masters. Nevertheless, on the piece of grass between the path and the -river in Lower Club the Collegers, up till about 1863, played a variety -known as “Lower College.” This was probably a link between the field -and wall games, for it had “shies” and “goals.” In early days the wall -game was played on a much wider strip of ground than is at present the -case. The bully was not its essential feature, and the ball was often -run down the whole length of the wall. Sixty years or so ago matches of -Dames _v._ Tutors were occasionally played, and during one of these the -ball somehow was pitched right on the top of the wall, along which it -ran for some eight yards before coming to a dead standstill on the top. - -The rules were then, of course, more elastic than those now in use, and -since they were drawn up in 1849 the game has undergone various minor -changes, including the curtailment of the space at the wall to its -present limits and the toleration (about 1851) of “furking” the ball -back in calx. - -At one time considerable savagery seems to have been displayed by the -rival teams, in consequence of which Dr. Hawtrey once suspended all -play for three weeks, and in 1851 it was actually proposed to abolish -the annual match on St. Andrew’s Day on account of the ill-feeling -which was said to be engendered between Oppidans and Collegers. Of late -years, however, the historic contest is remarkable for the good-humour -shown by both sides. A quaint figure at the annual match from 1847 -up to 1888, the year before he fell ill, was old Powell, whose -old-fashioned velveteen coat and high top-hat were survivals of another -age. During his long superintendence of the wall he had seen many -generations of Collegers and Oppidans contending for goals and shies. -After ten years of confinement and suffering he died in 1899. - -The wall game is as different from any other form of football as it is -possible to imagine. To one unacquainted with its intricacies, nothing -can be more curious than the bully close up against the wall, and the -efforts of those forming it to prevent kicks sending the ball out--that -is to say, beyond the line marked as the limit within which play takes -place. The rules really amount to a sort of complicated creed, which -has been handed on from one generation of Collegers to another. A -good deal of the game is mystifying to a spectator unacquainted with -its intricacies. A “calx bully,” for instance, is highly difficult to -explain, whilst the necessary preliminaries for a “shy” at goals are -often, owing to the confusion of the struggle, visible only to the -umpire. The summit of a wall-player’s ambition is to throw a “goal,” -which feat, in the annual St. Andrew’s Day match, has only been -accomplished three times within the last hundred years--in every case -by a Colleger. W. Marcon threw one in 1842, when College won by a goal -and 19 shies, 17 of which were got by H. Phillott in rapid succession. -H. J. Mordaunt, captain of the eleven in 1886, threw another in 1885, -when he hit the door just at the bottom. [SN: A HISTORIC GOAL] The name -of this fine athlete, the writer (who knew him at Eton) is informed, is -still a household word in College, where his goal is held in greater -reverence than that scored in 1909. Mordaunt’s was an unaided effort, -whilst the latter seems to have been rather lucky. Nevertheless, Finlay -and Creasy deserved the greatest credit for their presence of mind. In -1858, it should be added, a throw by Hollingworth was disputed. - -Though of all pastimes the wall game is least adapted for summer, -time-honoured usage prescribed--and after a discontinuance for four -years now once again prescribes--that at six o’clock on the morning of -Ascension Day a mixed team of Collegers and Oppidans should meet at the -“Wall.” The origin of this custom I have been unable to ascertain. Like -the game played on the last evening of last summer half, it probably -took its rise from boyish enthusiasm. - -In connection with the wall game, the name of James Kenneth -Stephen--the gifted J. K. S., who in his prime was so unfortunately -snatched away by death--will never be forgotten. Captain of the College -team in 1876-1877, he was a great supporter of “noster ludus muralis,” -as he has left on record in his “Quo Musa Tendis,” one stanza of which -runs-- - - There’s another wall with a field beside it, - A wall not wholly unknown to fame, - For a game’s played there which most who’ve tried it - Declare is a truly noble game. - -College, it is pleasant to know, seems unlikely ever to forget this -true son of Eton, for on the evening of St. Andrew’s Day each of the -wall team in turn drinks “In piam memoriam, J. K. S.,” every raising of -the cup as it is passed around being followed by a cheer. - -A brilliant young contemporary of J. K. S. who played at the wall in -1880 is happily still left to us. This is Mr. A. C. Benson, whose fine -intellect and delightful achievements in the fields of literature have -rendered his name well known to that greater public which joins with -Etonians in admiration of his work. - -College may well be proud of having produced two such men as these. - -Till the middle of the fifties in the last century the wall game was -also played at the red brick wall in front of the boys’ entrance to the -house which about 1790 was built overlooking the Timbralls. For nearly -a quarter of a century after play had ceased to take place there, the -calces marked in chalk could still be discerned. The field game is a -rather modern institution. As has before been said, ordinary football -does not seem to have been very popular amongst Etonians of a hundred -years ago, though in the last century it gradually rose in favour. A -curious character of other days was old Strugnal, who was celebrated -for tightening the bladder of a football by means of blowing through a -piece of tobacco pipe placed in his mouth. On the whole, the annals of -Eton football, a primitive form of which in the eighteenth century was -known as “goals,” with the exception of some exciting house matches, do -not possess any great interest. - -[SN: CRICKET] - -Cricket, unlike football, was popular at Eton over two hundred years -ago, having been played as early as 1706, and in high favour in -Horace Walpole’s day. About the first great Etonian cricketer was the -eighth Lord Winchilsea, who afterwards became chief patron of the -famous Hambledon Club. At one time he made an attempt to introduce an -innovation by increasing the stumps to four, but the change was never -popular, though in the match between the Gentlemen and Players in 1837, -in order to equalise the contest, the latter undertook to defend four -stumps instead of three. In 1751 three matches for £1500 were played -between the Gentlemen of England and Eton College, Past and Present; -the former won the stakes, winning two out of the three matches. The -players were dressed in silk jackets, trousers, and velvet caps. In -1791 Lord Winchilsea made 54 runs in a contest between Old Etonians -_versus_ the Gentlemen of England. This was played at old “Lord’s,” -where Dorset Square now stands. In the same year the school beat the -Maidenhead Club by four wickets. Keate was one of the seven Collegers -playing, and scored 0 and 4, while in the second innings Way “nipped -himself out” for 11. Five years later a match seems to have taken place -against Westminster on Hounslow Heath, in defiance of the Headmaster’s -strict orders; it resulted in the defeat of Eton and the flogging of -all the Eleven! - -In those days there was a good deal of jollity in connection with the -cricket in the playing fields, and the boys were allowed to do many -things which would be thought very reprehensible to-day. Up to about -1827, for instance, a beer tent used to be allowed when cricket matches -were played. Two or three years later Eton cricket for some reason or -other admittedly deteriorated, a disastrous state of affairs which -was thus explained by one of the “cads” who used to hover about the -shooting fields: “Lord, sir, they never has won a match since the beer -tent got the sack, and never will no more.” This tent, where “beer -and baccy” were the order of the day before it gave offence to the -higher powers, was kept, at every match, by the veteran Jem Miller -for the accommodation of the “cads,” Broconalian Club, and other -loungers, and loudly and lustily did they cheer the boys with their -stentorian lungs. It was from this tent that one of the best bowlers -and batters Eton ever produced--in after years a prominent divine at -King’s--was encouraged by the deafening shouts of “Goo it, my dear -Harding; goo it, my dear boy,” when he scored 86 runs off his own bat -against Messrs. Ward, Vigne, Tanner, and others of the Epsom Club. It -was on this memorable day, too, that he made a tremendous hit over the -shooting-field trees, high in the air, of course, when a bargeman from -the tent, lost in amazement at the hit, thundered out, “There she goes -for Chessy [Chertsey] Church, by Jingo!” it being a prominent mark on -the river for the bargees. - -[SN: “WATER BOILS,” “MAKE TEA”] - -According to all accounts, cricket in those less strenuous days was -not taken any too seriously. Boys did not change their clothing to -play it, though they did so for football. Once during a match in Upper -Club a fight was reported to be going on in the playing fields, and -in a few minutes gentlemen, spectators, and cricketers not actually -playing scampered over Sheep’s Bridge, eager to witness the contest. -Formerly tea in Upper Club was made by fags. The well-known cries of -“Water boils!” “Make tea!” originated during this now obsolete state of -affairs. - -Though all Bacchanalian gaiety had disappeared from the playing fields -by the middle of the last century, a somewhat free-and-easy spirit -still prevailed, and on the occasion of school matches there was -usually a good deal of fun, especially when Billy Boland--a celebrated -character and _bon vivant_ of the past, who was supposed to have been -the original of Fred Bayham in Thackeray’s novel of _The Newcomes_--was -present. He it was who once, after lunch during a cricket match between -the school and I Zingari, presented Dr. Hawtrey, the then headmaster, -with the Freedom of the Club in a deal box, and wound up a mock speech -with the toast: “Floreat Etona et vivat ‘Nitidissimus’ Hawtrey!” This -was peculiarly appropriate, for with his velvet-collared coat the -Doctor was the smartest of men and wore the best-varnished boots in the -world. - -[SN: THE FIRST MATCH AT LORD’S] - -The first regular match played by Eton against a public school appears -to have taken place in 1799, when an Eton eleven met Westminster at -old Lord’s. On this occasion Eton in their innings made only 47 runs. -Westminster then went in and scored 13, when the stumps were drawn, -with five wickets to fall. The match was said to be “postponed,” but -there is no account to be found of its ever having been resumed. Next -year Eton had an easy victory, making a score of 213 in one innings, -against Westminster’s 54 and 31. Curiously enough, the Collegers -at that time constituted the strength of the eleven and made the -biggest scores. Benjamin Drury, afterwards an assistant master, Joseph -Thackeray, and Thomas Lloyd, elder brother of the bishop, were the -bowlers. Poor Lloyd, who beat the Westminster innings off his own bat, -died after the holidays from the effects of a chill which he caught -during the match. This would seem to have been the last match with -Westminster. - -The first Eton and Harrow contest took place in 1805 at Lord’s, when -Eton won in a single innings. On this occasion Byron made 7 and 2 for -the beaten school. Eight of the winning eleven (among whom was Lord -Stratford de Redcliffe) were King’s scholars. After this no authentic -record exists of any match till 1818, when Harrow beat Eton. Apparently -the whole thing was rather a fiasco; only two of the best Eton men -were present at Lord’s, the rest of the eleven being made up of such -Etonians as could be collected on the ground. In the following year, -however, Eton beat Harrow in one innings; in 1822 Harrow beat Eton. In -1832 Eton scored a great triumph, beating Harrow and Winchester each -in one innings. The match of 1841 was remarkable for the great innings -of Emilius Bayley, who made 153, up to then the highest score ever -achieved by any player in a public school match. Oddly enough, however, -that same year Eton was beaten hollow by Winchester. In 1846 Eton -repeated the great performance of 1832 and again vanquished Harrow and -Winchester each in a single innings. One of the eleven on this occasion -was J. W. Chitty (in after life the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Chitty), who -played four years for Eton, in the last of which--1847--he was captain -of the eleven. - -A great character well known to Eton cricketers of the forties was -M’Niven minor, who, Mr. Coleridge declares, in his interesting -recollections, was in Sixth Form, the football team, and the eight, -as well as in the eleven. Commonly called “Snivey,” this fine athlete -seems to have been very notorious for his wild eccentricities and -oddities of dress, which, however, in nowise impaired a universal -popularity. - -During the fifties of the last century Eton cricket was not in a -very flourishing state. The smart thing was to be in the boats, and -“dry-bobs” were rather looked down upon till 1860, when a strenuous -effort began to be made to end the long series of reverses which -the school had sustained in its annual matches against Harrow. The -engagement of a professional cricketer and improvements in Upper Club -aroused great interest, and so much excitement was the result that -when in that year Eton made rather a good fight at Lord’s, all sorts -of absurd rumours were born of the indignation provoked by defeat. It -was said, for instance, that Daniel, the Harrow captain, was really a -professional in disguise--this was because he wore whiskers and a straw -hat! - -[SN: “POCKETS”] - -In 1861, when the late Mr. R. A. H. Mitchell, who afterwards as a -master did so much for Eton cricket, was captain, the match was -unfinished, and only in the next year did Eton score its first victory -against Harrow since 1850. The finish (like that of 1910) gave rise to -much excitement, and feeling ran very high, both sides indulging in -merciless chaff. The report that the Harrow headmaster--Dr. Butler--had -shortly before issued an order that all side-pockets were to be sewn -up, with a view to prevent slouching, gave the Eton boys an opportunity -of which they were not slow to take advantage, and accordingly the -ground resounded with yells of “Pockets” throughout the day. The hero -of the day was A. S. Teape, whose bowling did so much to win the match, -at the close of which he was accorded an enthusiastic ovation. A large -proportion of the spectators were quite carried away by excitement, and -several fights took place between members of the rival schools, whilst -two well-known Eton and Harrow “cads,” both pretty well “sprung,” -started a little mill on their own account, much to the amusement of -the onlookers. Probably the encounter was a prearranged affair, for -the old rascals took good care not to hurt each other, and reaped a -considerable harvest by sending the hat round afterwards. One of the -winning team that year was Mr. Alfred Lubbock, the great Eton cricketer -who became captain in 1863, in which year he made the magnificent score -of 174, not out, against Winchester. Every old Etonian should read -the book written by him some little time ago, one chapter of which -was contributed by his son, Mr. Robin Lubbock, K.S., a member of the -eleven of 1896-1897. A young man of high promise, he most unfortunately -met with an early death through a sad accident in the hunting-field. -The names of Lubbock, Lyttelton, and Studd will always be associated -with the history of Eton cricket. For six successive years--1861 to -1866--there was always a Lubbock in the eleven, whilst three Lytteltons -(one of whom was the present Headmaster) played at Lord’s in 1872, and -three Studds in 1877. - -[SN: A CURIOUS “RAG”] - -In former days there was often much rowdiness after an Eton and Harrow -match, which, for some unknown reason, seemed to send a certain amount -of hot-blooded youngsters almost mad. In the early eighties of the last -century the present writer witnessed a curious development of this -spirit. Returning to Eton in the evening after the match was over, -he found himself in a railway carriage filled with a number of boys -he did not know, together with one old Etonian, apparently a newly -joined subaltern of some cavalry regiment. For a little time after -the train had started the party more or less calmly discussed the -match, but all of a sudden the old Etonian, who was in a most excited -state, began to smash up the carriage, tearing down the hat-racks and -breaking the windows, in which work of destruction he was cheerfully -seconded by his companions, who eventually, when the train came to the -bridge over the river near Windsor, threw most of the cushions and -all the advertisement placards, which they had wrenched off, into -the river. The writer was the more struck by this scene on account of -the party not in any way suggesting that he should join in it; and as -a matter of fact, reading a paper and smoking (nearly every boy then -smoked when going to or leaving Eton), he sat undisturbed upon the -only cushion not thrown out of window. He was a very small boy at the -time, and the wreckers, who were big ones, treated him throughout with -great courtesy. The damage, owing to the great crowd of boys returning -to Eton, was apparently not discovered by the station officials on -the arrival of the train at Windsor, nor was anything heard of it -afterwards by the school, though the writer has reason to believe -that some other carriages were also wrecked on the same train. In all -probability the authorities, aware of the impossibility of detecting -the offenders, preferred to let the whole matter rest. It was a curious -instance of the passion for destruction which occasionally takes -possession of youth. - -The first match between Eton and Winchester seems to have been played -in 1826, when Winchester won. Afterwards, up to 1854, it was played -at Lord’s. Success was pretty evenly divided till 1845, when a tie -produced great interest and excitement. In that year the late Provost, -Dr. Hornby, was a member of the Eton team. In old days the Winchester -boys played in tall white beaver hats, but the Etonians wore straw. In -1856 the match was played at Winchester, neither school being allowed -to come to town, and since then the elevens have met on the Eton and -Winchester ground alternately. - -Sixpenny, which appears to have taken its name from the Sixpenny Club, -founded for Lower boys by G. J. Boudier, 1832-1838, captain of the -eleven, an Etonian who is said to once have thrashed a bargee three -times his own size, was formerly a much-coveted Lower boy colour. It -was, however, done away with in 1898, but Upper Sixpenny is still an -important cricket colour for Uppers who are also Juniors, as it is now -the first colour a young cricketer can obtain at Eton, where, if you -once get a name as a promising bat, bowler, or field, it is difficult -to lose it, whereas if a boy does not start well, little attention is -afterwards paid to him. - -A curious modern Eton cricket institution is “Second Upper Club,” -nominally the second game in the school, but in reality consisting of -Upper boys who are distinguished in the school, mostly in some other -line than cricket, though a number of quite good players also belong. A -few years ago some of the games played by Second Upper Club degenerated -into huge “rags,” ending with an early adjournment to little Brown’s, -whence, after a huge tea had been partaken of, every one went off to -bathe. - -[SN: AGAR’S PLOUGH] - -A feature of modern Eton is “Agar’s Plough,” just across Datchet Lane, -well laid out for the purposes of the school games. This large tract -of land was saved from the speculative builder by purchase in 1895, and -here, eight years later, for the first time was played the Eton and -Winchester match. As a cricket ground Agar’s Plough possesses several -advantages over the historic Upper Club, known in the distant past as -the Upper Shooting Fields. One of the chief gains is, of course, the -absence of big trees to confuse the light. Whether, however, Upper -Club is discarded for school matches or not, it will always remain a -hallowed spot in the recollection of old Etonians who as boys knew it -in its summer glory. Full of picturesque associations and shaded by -stately elms planted in the days of the Commonwealth, the beautiful old -ground has seen many a generation of Eton boys pass o’er its pleasant -sward of green. Besides Agar’s Plough modern Eton possesses other -facilities for games undreamt of in less luxurious days. Amongst these -are the new racquets courts near the gasworks which in 1902-3 took the -place of those down Keate’s Lane. - -At the present day there is no tennis at Eton, but a tennis court -appears to have existed between 1600 and 1603, though, curiously -enough, its site has never been ascertained. Near the new racquets -courts thirty-eight new fives courts have been built since 1870. - -The excellent game of fives, which has now attained a comparatively -widespread popularity, originated in the spaces between the Chapel -buttresses being utilised for play. The one next the flight of steps, -with its so-called pepper-box, is the model from which all modern -fives courts are built. The first of these were constructed at Eton -in Trotman’s gardens in 1847, and enjoyed great popularity in their -early days. Since, however, the number of fives courts has been largely -augmented, the old courts seem to have fallen into great disrepute. In -the writer’s day, although such new courts as existed were naturally -the most in request, boys still ran to obtain one of the old ones. It -was a rule that no court could be considered taken unless there was -some one actually upon it, to claim it by the right of occupancy. The -consequence was that they always became the reward of the swift, or of -those who were let out of school earlier than the rest; keen struggles -ensued, and the stream of runners flying down Keate’s Lane day after -day testified to the eagerness of spirit which could prompt boys to -exhaust themselves merely to obtain the chance of getting a game. It -was then the custom for the boy first in a court to mark his right of -possession by putting down his hat in it. The original fives court -between the buttresses of the Chapel had been long unused, though there -was sometimes a knock-up between Lower boys waiting to go into school. - -[SN: COLOURS] - -Colours at Eton, except those of the eleven and of the eight, which -in some form or other probably existed as far back as the eighteenth -century, are of modern origin. The parti-coloured scarlet and Eton blue -shirt of the field only dates from 1860, and the dark blue and red of -the wall from 1861. A year later saw the birth of house colours. About -the same time a great craze for wearing colours on every possible -occasion made itself felt. In old days boys had been supposed to shirk -masters when in change clothes, but now a tendency to run into an -opposite extreme produced an agitation in favour of greater laxity -regarding dress. The authorities, however, rightly deeming that Eton -should retain its old traditions as to tall hats and the like, stood -firm, every reasonable concession having long before that date been -granted. Only quite recently indeed have boys been allowed to answer -their names at Absence in change clothes, an innovation which many an -old Etonian, mindful of the ancient traditions of the school, must -surely deplore. - -This chapter cannot be concluded without some reference to the Eton -Hunt, as the beagles have sometimes been facetiously called. The -pack in question would appear to have first been started about 1840 -under the auspices of Anstruther-Thompson, in after life one of the -best-known and most popular Masters of Hounds in England. For some -years later its existence was rather precarious, at times resembling -that of a contemporary College pack which was once declared to consist -of a single long-backed Scotch terrier. From the earliest days of the -hunt, however, there appears to have been some attempt at a regular -organisation. The whips, for instance, had E.C.H. on the buttons of -their coats, which Dr. Hawtrey (Edward Craven), who of course knew of -the existence of the hunt, though he did not recognise it, interpreted -as a delicate compliment to himself. At one time the Collegers and -Oppidans each had a separate pack of their own, but these were -amalgamated in 1866. - -[SN: HYSTERICAL SENTIMENT] - -Drag hunts were formerly rather popular with the followers of the -Eton beagles, and sometimes very good runs were enjoyed. One of the -“cads” about the wall, known as Polly Green, an active fellow who used -to go across country uncommonly well, afforded very good sport. At -that time the beagles had not been recognised by the authorities, and -were kept more or less secretly a good way out of bounds, in a small -kennel at the corner of the Brocas near the river. Eventually, however, -the pack became known to every one, including the masters, who, with -great good sense, far from discouraging it, gave it encouragement -and approval, and thereby raised the character of the sport whilst -increasing its popularity in the school. In 1884 the mastership of Lord -Newtown-Butler--now Major the Earl of Lanesborough--was particularly -successful, this gallant and popular Guardsman having ever been the -incarnation of geniality and good-natured fun. There is no need to deal -here with the absurd agitation of so-called humanitarians for the -pack’s suppression. Suffice it to say that the greatest credit is due -to the present Headmaster for having refused to listen to the voice of -hysterical sentimentalism. May his successors be equally firm! - -FOOTNOTE: - -[11] Those interested in this period should not fail to read _Eton in -1829-1830_, a translation of a boating diary written in Greek by Thomas -Selwyn. The translator and editor, the present Provost of Eton, Dr. -Warre, D.D., M.V.O., well known to several generations of Etonians as -Assistant and Headmaster, did more than any one else to improve Eton -rowing. - - - - -X YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY - - -The old type of Eton Masters and Fellows is now practically extinct, -but thirty or forty years ago quite a number of them were still -flourishing. Not a few were quaint and eccentric figures both in their -appearance and their ways. About the quaintest of all was the Rev. F. -E. Durnford, universally known as “Judy,” who was Lower master from -1864 to 1877. He has been aptly described as “a sort of Ancient Mariner -in academic garb,” for he had a strange weather-beaten aspect, the -result, no doubt, of having for many years battled with successive -hordes of impish Lower boys--“nahty, nahty boys,” as he called -them--much of whose time was occupied in giving the good old man all -the trouble they could. Mr. Durnford, though he could never master the -pronunciation of French, was somewhat fond of interlarding Gallicisms -in his discourse, which, of course, never failed to arouse unbridled -merriment. He himself was perfectly aware of his imperfections as a -linguist, and would at times attempt to allay such outbursts by the -somewhat pathetic remark, “Ah, boys, it’s my misfortune, not my -fault.” He was a very good-natured old man, whose main failing perhaps -was being inclined towards an excess of leniency, in which respect his -successor, the Rev. J. L. Joynes, erred far less. - -[SN: “OLD JIMMY”] - -This pedagogue, though the most kindly of men, would stand no -nonsense. Many will remember him in Lower School, with the picturesque -interior of which, full of old woodwork cut with the names of vanished -generations, his personality accorded so well. He had rather a peculiar -voice, and pronounced words like “tutor” and “nuisance,” “tootor” and -“noosance.” Rather a better preacher than most of his colleagues, -his sermons in “old Lower Chapel” were sometimes marked by a certain -originality which caused them to be listened to with interest and -attention. In his school days “Jimmy Joynes,” or “old Jimmy,” as he was -affectionately called, had been captain of the College team at the wall -and a fine fives player, and as a master he continued to take great -interest in the latter game, giving a cup to be played for by the house -over which he presided before becoming Lower Master. In the latter -capacity, though an extremely kind-hearted man, he could, as was well -known to the boys under his charge, be severe enough upon occasion, and -the writer well remembers seeing him administer what was considered a -tremendous flogging to a delinquent, who afterwards had a distinguished -military career. This consisted of some thirty-two cuts laid on with -two birches, to the great astonishment of a number of Lower boys -present at the execution. The victim, a boy of great pluck, was little -disturbed by this castigation, though it was very much more serious -than most of the many floggings he had suffered before. As a matter of -fact, it was only the swishings of the Lower master which inflicted -any real physical pain, the few strokes which the Head, Dr. Hornby, -administered being generally more in the nature of a formal reproof -than anything else--at least that was the experience of the present -writer, who well remembers that on retiring from the torture-chamber -next Upper School he reflected that if one was to be flogged at all, -the thing could not be conducted in a more pleasant and dignified way. - -[SN: DR. HORNBY] - -In his relations with the boys Dr. Hornby was ever a great gentleman, -as the following incident, which occurred during the writer’s Eton -days, will show. Two of the sons of a celebrated potentate were then -at the school, and Queen Victoria took the warmest interest in them; -the eldest, in particular, was a great favourite of hers. One day, -owing to some untruthfulness in connection with work, this young -Prince was complained of, and though he might have got off by claiming -“first fault” owing to forgetfulness, was soundly swished. At the -same time he received a severe, though kindly lecture, in which the -“Head” pointed out how such behaviour would pain his parents and the -Queen, were it ever to reach her ears. Curiously enough, that very -evening Dr. Hornby happened to be dining at Windsor, and as usual his -Royal hostess did not fail to make particular inquiry as to how her -protégé was getting on. What was the surprise of the young Prince -during the following morning to find himself once again summoned to the -“library,” and as he wended his way to the grim scene of correction, -he wondered what he could have done to be whipped again so soon. All -unpleasant anticipations were, however, quickly dispelled. In those -gently modulated tones which so many old Etonians will remember, Dr. -Hornby described how, on the previous evening, a certain great lady had -asked after her favourite Eton boy, and desired to be informed as to -how he had been getting on in the school. “I told you yesterday,” Dr. -Hornby went on to say, “that one lie always leads to another, and I am -sorry to say in the present instance this adage has not failed to hold -good, for,” added he, “I am ashamed to say that, instead of telling Her -Majesty of the disgraceful behaviour for which but a few hours before -I had been obliged to punish you, I said that you were getting on very -well. Under these circumstances I feel sure that you will do all you -can to give no further trouble, and so, by causing my words to come -true, make amends for the falsehoods which we have both of us uttered.” -The kindly admonition made a considerable impression upon the culprit’s -mind. Nevertheless, he could not help being amused when the next -Sunday, in Chapel, he heard the Doctor take as his text, “All men are -liars.” - -In appearance Dr. Hornby was the absolutely perfect type of an Eton -Headmaster. Immaculately dressed, and of fine presence, he possessed a -natural dignity which even impressed boys totally lacking in reverence -for all other institutions of the school. His voice, low and not -unpleasant even when delivering a stem admonition, was essentially the -voice of an English gentleman of the fine old school. It was a real -pleasure to hear him call “Absence,” owing to the dignity which he -imparted to this tedious duty. Curiously enough, this Headmaster, who -in his latter years, at least, might have been called the incarnation -of the best kind of Eton Conservatism, had on his appointment been -regarded as a Radical. The first Oppidan, I believe, ever chosen -Headmaster, he had succeeded Dr. Balston in 1868, when the latter had -relinquished the post from disapproval of the various innovations and -changes which resulted from the recommendations of the Public School -Commission, the labours of which extended over seven years. - -The growing worship of athleticism was in some measure responsible -for the appointment of the new Headmaster, though Dr. Hornby, besides -having been in the eleven, was also a fine scholar. When he first came -to Eton the school, used to the patriarchal sway of his predecessor, -who had strictly followed the traditions of the past, were rather -inclined to regard him as a dangerous reformer, but before long it was -realised that such Radical proclivities as the new Headmaster possessed -were not very likely seriously to impair the traditional round of Eton -life, and the school gradually subsided into a tranquil consciousness -that nothing outrageous would be perpetrated under the new “Head,” who -long before his retirement grew to be far more Conservative than some -of his subordinates; indeed, during his tenure of the Headmastership, -which lasted sixteen years, four Assistant Masters are said to have -left Eton owing to Dr. Hornby disapproving of some of their ideas. One -of these exiles was young Mr. Joynes, whose socialistic tendencies -obviously unfitted him for the post of an Eton master; another, Mr. -Oscar Browning, whose clever and genial personality is so well known to -numbers of old Etonians. - -[SN: DR. BALSTON] - -Dr. Balston remained at Eton as Vice-Provost, and I remember that -we regarded him with a good deal of sympathy as having preferred to -resign rather than to yield to meddling on the part of the governing -body, then still looked upon as rather a new-fangled affair. During -his short term of office he had refused to sanction any alterations -at all. Possessed of an unlimited respect for old traditions and -ways, his conception of a Headmaster was that he should exercise a -sort of dignified and patriarchal sway, whilst carrying out a solemn -trust to maintain things as they had always been. Whilst Head he had -borne himself with unbending dignity, being almost never seen out of -academic dress, in which, it was said, he even went to bed. The same -story, I believe, had been current in the days when Dr. Goodford, -familiarly known as “Old Goody,” ruled the school. Some indeed declared -that a gown and cassock were all he wore. As Provost, however, the -latter was seen about Eton in ordinary costume and invariably carrying -an umbrella. A quaint, queer figure this survivor of a past era looked -with his hat at the back of his head and hands covered with unbuttoned -black gloves much too big for him. - -At that time the old Fellows who were still alive used to preach the -most lengthy and incomprehensible sermons in Chapel, but in that line -Dr. Goodford easily held his own against all. Owing to a peculiar -intonation, his mouth always seemed to be full of pebbles, and it was -practically impossible to make out one sentence of the vast number -which trickled from his lips. Nevertheless we rather liked the good old -man, whose curious sing-song induced sleep rather than irritation. Dr. -Goodford’s entry into Chapel with the aged verger, who on account of -the silver wand he bore was called the “Holy Poker,” was a thing which -many Etonians will recall to mind. - -Amongst the Assistant Masters of some thirty years ago, about the -most conspicuous figure, owing to a long flowing beard, was the Rev. -C. C. James, for some reason or other known as “Stiggins.” He enjoyed -no great measure of popularity out of his house, where, it should be -added, he fed his boys better than almost any other tutor or dame. At -one period of his career he had narrowly escaped being thrown over -Barnes Pool Bridge by a riotous party of boys, and though no one seemed -to know the exact reason of this, with later generations it undoubtedly -led to his being regarded with a certain rather unjust suspicion. - -[SN: “BADGER HALE”] - -A far more sympathetic figure was the Rev. E. Hale, known to the boys -as “Badger Hale,” probably on account of his hair bearing some remote -resemblance to the coat of that animal. Besides being a cleric, Mr. -Hale was an officer of the Eton Volunteers. He was of great girth, and -when in uniform presented a really stupendous appearance, in which the -boys took great delight. At that time the Volunteers were perhaps not -taken so seriously as is the present Officers’ Training Corps, with its -more workman-like appearance and ways. Though there were occasional -field-days, the principal evolution of the 2nd Bucks was to march, -headed by its band, to the playing-fields. Founded in 1860, by the late -’seventies it had abandoned a good deal of its splendours, blue worsted -cord having taken the place of the original silver lace, whilst the -colours presented by Mrs. Goodford had ceased to be carried, the Eton -Volunteers being at that time a rifle corps. Now, however, that it has -become the Officers’ Training Corps, they have once more been taken -into use. The silver bugle given by Lady Carrington is presumably still -carried. - -[SN: DR. WARRE] - -The chief support of the Corps has always been its present Honorary -Colonel, the Rev. E. Warre, now Provost of Eton, who for many years -took a most active part in striving to maintain its well-being -and efficiency. Few have done so much for Eton as he; his whole -life, indeed, has been devoted to furthering the best interests of -the school. As an Assistant Master he was the avowed champion of -strenuousness and efficiency, whilst opposed to old ways and traditions -tending towards a slack state of affairs. A strong and dominating -personality, he was intensely popular with the boys in his own house, -but a good part of the school regarded him with a certain amount of -suspicion as entertaining revolutionary ideas, which it was said were -only kept in check by the firmness of Dr. Hornby, who in the last days -of his Headmastership was looked upon as the staunch defender and -champion of old Eton ways. In the minds of ultra-conservative Etonians -Dr. Hornby stood for Conservatism, as Dr. Warre did for change. Such -an estimate was not altogether without foundation, for after Dr. -Warre had succeeded to the supreme control of the school, a number -of alterations, some of them, no doubt, quite necessary, were made. -The general feeling amongst Eton boys at that time was Tory in the -extreme, and though we knew scarcely anything about him except that he -had flogged a good deal, I am sure that a great many of us would have -been delighted to hear that Dr. Keate, having returned to life, had -been entrusted with the task of reorganising the school with a view to -getting it back into the condition of the good old days. - -On the whole the reforms made by Dr. Warre during his Headmastership -seem to have produced satisfactory results. Most of them dealt with -alterations in the scholastic curriculum of the school, all the old -customs open to criticism, such as “Oppidan Dinner,” having long -disappeared. Without doubt, under his rule the boys were made to work -harder than before, whilst its tone gained in manliness and vigour. At -the same time the traditional spirit of Eton remained unimpaired, and -before his retirement Dr. Warre, like his predecessors, had come to be -considered a bulwark of Eton Conservatism. - -The Headmastership of the school would appear to have a sobering -tendency upon even the most advanced reformer, who at the end of -his term of office has generally lost his enthusiasm for innovation -and change. The present Headmaster is a case in point. When he came -to Eton a few years ago many were full of gloomy forebodings as to -the reforms he was about to make. Mr. Lyttelton was known to hold a -number of advanced views--rumour indeed declared that he would try -and force vegetarianism upon the boys and would make them wear Jaeger -underclothing, for which material he was declared to have a marked -partiality. On assuming office, however, he somewhat allayed these -fears by giving an address in which he announced that he was not -going to stop tap, interfere with clothing, or abolish the beagles, -to which he had been declared hostile. As a matter of fact, nothing -could have been more loyal than his behaviour in this latter respect, -for, far from discouraging the Eton Hunt, he has defended it against -the ridiculous attacks of various faddists and cranks. It is, however, -to be regretted that an agitator was two years ago allowed to address -the school on the subject of unemployment from the Chapel steps in the -school-yard. The vast majority of the parents of Eton boys do not wish -their sons to be taught Socialism, and the school-yard, so closely -connected with the old traditions of Eton, is the very last place where -any theories of this kind should be permitted to be aired. As a matter -of fact, the address, which under no circumstances could have done -good, merely provoked giggling. Nevertheless, it must be admitted that -in permitting such an innovation the Headmaster was merely animated by -that new spirit of philanthropy and altruism which seems to have found -a more useful form of expression in the Eton Mission, now, according to -all accounts, doing excellent work in Hackney Wick. - -[SN: INCREASE OF INTERFERENCE] - -All things considered, Mr. Lyttelton has been a more successful -Headmaster than many old Etonians expected, and has not made any -violent effort to interfere with the traditions of the school. Life -at Eton, however, without doubt is now more strenuous than of yore. -Leave has been greatly curtailed, having to be taken at an appointed -time. Besides this, of late a tendency seems to have arisen to exercise -more control over the boys in minor matters, as to which in former days -the authorities never thought of interfering. From time immemorial it -has been the privilege of members of “Pop” to sit on the low wall by -the trees, planted in 1753, especially on Sunday; a recent regulation -forbids any boy, whether belonging to “Pop” or not, from sitting on the -wall on Sunday. The reason for such a vexatious interference with an -old Eton custom is difficult to divine. A more reasonable exercise of -influence by the Headmaster has been his attempt to get the boys when -in Chapel to abstain from keeping their hands in their pockets when -standing up during the service. Such a practice is not forbidden, but -an address on the subject by Mr. Lyttelton is said to have produced a -great effect. - -On the whole the masters of to-day would appear to possess more -influence with the boys than was the case in the past. Now, as then, -the most popular are those who are gentlemen--that is, using the -word in its best and proper sense. At the present time, owing to the -increased worship of athletics, proficiency at games is a powerful -factor in a master’s popularity, and genial eccentricity is also apt to -cause him to be liked; but fads, on the other hand, are not attractive -to boys, which makes it all the more remarkable that the present -Headmaster--a professed vegetarian--should have attained a fair measure -of success in presiding over the school. No doubt his fine record as an -athlete has had a good deal to do with this. - -In the ’seventies of the last century the attitude of Eton boys towards -the “Beaks” (they are, I understand, called Ushers now), whilst not -actively hostile, was for the most part one of tolerant indifference. A -few of the masters, however, were on fairly intimate terms with certain -of the Upper boys, but the majority of the school knew and cared little -about those responsible for its education. Respect for constituted -authority has never been a salient characteristic of Eton boys, and -amongst the junior members of the school at least “drawing the beaks” -was then considered quite a legitimate form of amusement. A previous -generation, according to all accounts, found a never-failing source -of delight in lawless doings of this sort, whilst even Sixth Form -occasionally took advantage of the good-nature of Dr. Hawtrey, the most -urbane Headmaster, it is said, who ever wielded a birch. - -Like his subordinates, he seems to have been not infrequently exposed -to attempts at “drawing” by his division. These, however, he generally -treated with good-humoured contempt. During one eleven-o’clock school -they once all became suddenly absorbed in the contemplation of the rose -from which was suspended one of the chandeliers of Upper School, and, -nudging one another, indulged in mysterious whispers, which eventually -caused Hawtrey to look up and ask, “Why, whatever is the matter?” -“First of April, sir,” was the reply, but the Headmaster remained -unmoved, and merely murmuring, “Silly boys,” bade one of them proceed -with their construing. - -[SN: “SOMEONE MUST BE LAST”] - -Dr. Hawtrey did not believe in forcing learning upon boys, and was -never unduly severe with laggards. “Somebody must be last,” was a -favourite consolatory remark of his when any derisive titter at the -last name in an examination met his ears. During his tenure of the -Headmastership there was much ease and freedom, for it was not in his -nature to be a martinet. - -Full of good intentions and over-politeness to the boys, it was no -wonder that this pedagogue, a veritable prince amongst schoolmasters, -was very popular in the school. Whatever a boy said he professed, if -possible, to believe, and although his confidence was often misplaced, -this course had a salutary effect in fostering and cultivating a -gentlemanly spirit. At the same time his very figure was a caution to -evildoers, for he had a droop in his right shoulder which was supposed -to have come from a frequent and vigorous use of the birch. Among the -Lower boys he was generally called “Plug,” from some peculiarity in -his countenance, but the swells, by way of refinement, reversed the -name and used “Gulp” instead. The same kind of satirical humour led -to their ungallantly christening his two old sisters “Elephantina” and -“Rhinocerina.” These ladies had a sedan-chair in which they went to -parties--one of the last sedan-chairs probably used. Dr. Hawtrey had -a great liking for velvet collars, fine clothes, perfumes, and gold -chains; one of the school beliefs was that “Hawtrey stood up in £700,” -the stiff figure at which his boys assessed his studs, sleeve-links, -watch and chains, gold pencil and rings. - -Boys are wonderfully astute judges of whether a master will stand -nonsense or not, and having discovered that a man cannot keep order, -are apt to bring the art of ingenious torment to a high pitch of -perfection. Old Etonians will recall the self-control and good-temper -shown by certain masters who had not the knack of making their -authority felt. Their divisions indulged in every kind of disorder, -such as breaking out into applause at some casual comment, and at a -prearranged moment commencing to stamp and sometimes even to sing. -The keyholes of their class-rooms were filled with small pebbles or -india-rubber, whilst various substances were put amongst the papers -upon their desk. The writer well remembers the astonished look on the -face of a certain master when, crawling laboriously towards him upon -his desk, there appeared a poor ink-soaked tortoise, which, to the -intense delight of the division, had at last accomplished the feat -of climbing out of the ink-pot, where it had surreptitiously been -deposited just as school commenced. - -[SN: “NASCITUR NON FIT”] - -Another master, who was very short sighted, was always having jokes -played upon him just under his nose. On one occasion it was declared -he had continued to dip his pen in the open mouth of a particularly -torpid toad, substituted for his inkpot, till the reptile, irritated -and aroused, jumped right in the middle of his face. Yet other masters, -without being particularly severe, kept order without any difficulty -at all, the boys instinctively realising that they would stand no -nonsense. Of the perfect schoolmaster, indeed, as of the perfect poet, -it may be said, “Nascitur non fit.” - -To those men who by nature and disposition were unable to make their -authority felt, school hours must have often been a time of veritable -torment. Generally well-meaning men of gentle nature, when they did -punish they almost invariably punished wrong or in an ineffectual -manner, their usual practice being either to set some tremendous -“poena,” which they afterwards revoked, or settle upon the wrong boy, -to whom in the end they were obliged to accord something very like -an apology. In a few rare instances the perfectly legitimate loss of -temper by a master led to very grave consequences. Goaded to fury by a -long course of deliberate insubordination, some tortured tutor would -at last turn upon a pupil and box his ears. Physical chastisement -by a master in any form whatever was then strictly forbidden, the -infliction of corporal punishment being reserved for the Head and Lower -Masters alone. The boys were perfectly aware of this, and instances -occurred of grave consequences attending a well-deserved blow. One -master, I believe, was more or less compelled to leave the school -because he had hit a particularly impertinent boy with a book, and -several instances of masters receiving reprimands occurred from time -to time. By the irony of fate, the most unsuccessful masters were -sometimes the cleverest men, who, however, had begun badly and obtained -a reputation which caused them to be tortured by successive generations -of boys. Of one of these unfortunate pedagogues it was said that -during school hours the first rank of his division talked, the second -whistled, and the third sang. - -[SN: AN UNFORTUNATE MASTER] - -One of the most ludicrous jokes ever perpetrated upon any Eton master -was played some ten years ago. At that time several new masters, not -all of whom were Etonians, had been appointed, more or less, I believe, -upon probation. One of these, who taught modern languages, though a -clever man, was of too confiding and gentle a disposition to cope with -the boys, and during school hours a scene of great disorder became -the almost invariable rule. Paper darts flew all over the class-room, -and every kind of queer noise was heard, though the poor man was -always unable to bring the offenders to book. Finally, on the 5th of -November a regular pandemonium prevailed, fireworks being exploded -in all directions, even under his very nose, with the result that he -was driven into a state of rage merging upon despair and determined -to adopt stringent measures. On the next occasion, however, when the -same set of boys came to take their lesson in the language of Molière, -what was his surprise to observe that, contrary to all his former -Eton experiences, the greatest decorum prevailed, his remarks and -comments being listened to in respectful silence, whilst occasionally -subdued murmurs of admiration greeted the expounding of some difficult -sentence. At the end of that school it had been his intention to -address a few words to the boys referring to the scandalous scene of -the previous week, but in face of their changed attitude he felt that -it would be churlish to show any undue severity, and merely spoke in a -tone of surprised regret, adding that he was much pleased to observe -such improved behaviour. Upon this a boy, who on previous occasions had -been one of the worst offenders, stepping forward, enquired, “Sir, may -I say a few words?” Permission being accorded, the youth made a stately -little speech, in which he said that any outbursts of indiscipline were -deeply deplored by the whole division, for whom he had been deputed -to speak. “They were merely,” added he, “playful ebullitions--proofs, -he might add, of the great popularity of a master whom they all -respected and loved. The fact was, his friends had been carried away by -enthusiasm, which in future would be kept within due bounds, and now -he hoped the whole incident might be forgiven and forgotten. Meanwhile -he had been requested to crave a favour, the granting of which he felt -sure no one acquainted with Eton tradition would care to refuse. It -was,” he continued, “an ancient custom of the school, when a master -attained to an unusual degree of popularity, for his division to be -allowed the honour of hoisting him, and that honour he and his friends -now sought from their beloved pedagogue.” The master, though rather -surprised, felt very much flattered and pleased at having, as he said -in a neat little speech of reply, so quickly gained the confidence and -love of his young friends, and at the end of school was carried round -the new schools, finally being deposited upon the cannon which all -Etonians know so well. As his delighted boys went off to their houses -they gave him a final cheer, which filled him with joy. On his way home -he met one of the older masters and told him of the demonstration, -adding, “Oh, I do so adore your quaint customs!” The astounded old -Etonian held his peace, but at the end of that half the newcomer had to -betake himself elsewhere, it being clear that the Eton boys were too -much for him. - -[SN: ESCAPADES] - -The old lawless spirit which had prompted so many poaching expeditions -and illicit rambles in the eighteenth century still lingered in the -writer’s day, when six or seven boys established a regular club, where -they could smoke and play nap, in a room over a Windsor toy-shop. One -of the chief organisers--now a Peer who has filled several important -public appointments--always took care to provide a rope-ladder by -which the party might escape in the event of a raid. Some of the -Windsor billiard-rooms were also occasionally frequented by a few -older boys, some of whom had a regular arrangement which ensured them -the exclusive use of the table on certain days of the week. As far as -the present writer’s experience went, no serious harm resulted from -these sternly prohibited escapades. Nevertheless, afternoons passed -in the consumption of much tobacco and some alcohol did no good to -health. The authorities, whenever any rumour of such breaches of the -school discipline reached their ears, did everything in their power -to set matters right. The wonder was, considering how alert were some -of the masters, that more of the culprits were not caught. The writer -remembers three--one of whom was his friend Mr. Douglas Ainslie, now -a well-known poet and critic--who had a very narrow escape indeed. On -such afternoons as they indulged in surreptitious visits to a certain -hostelry, these boys used to get into their house after Lock-Up through -the room of a small fag, who received careful instructions to look out -for their return behind the drawn blind of his window, by which access -could be contrived from the street. The signal agreed upon was a pebble -thrown gently at the glass. For a time this arrangement worked well -enough, but one winter’s evening the party, on reaching their house, -were dismayed at obtaining no response. One of them--in after life a -gallant officer of Highlanders who fell fighting at the head of his men -in South Africa--by climbing up and breaking a pane of glass, managed -to effect an entrance; his companions followed, and what was their -surprise on relighting the light, which had fallen over in the scuffle, -to find, cowering in the corner of the room, a beautiful little girl, -who was fairly frightened to death! When at last reassured, this -child explained that she was the sister of the owner of the room, who -had gone out to borrow some tea-things from a friend. Needless to -say, under such circumstances, the Lower boy got no hiding for his -delinquency. - -In addition to his traditional duties, a master, it seems, now has -to mark in the boys in his class-room. Formerly this was done by a -praepostor, one being attached to every division. His office dated -from the foundation of the school, when he appears to have possessed -considerable authority, being indeed a sort of monitor. In modern -times, however, praepostors merely had to mark in all the boys in -the division to which they were attached under three heads, “Leave,” -“Staying out,” and “ab horâ” or “Late.” After every school all the -praepostors assembled in the colonnade and handed in their bills to -the Headmaster. As a rule the office of praepostor, undertaken by -every boy in turn, was popular, for such an official escaped most of -the school hours, was never put on to construe, and passed a good deal -of his time chatting to boys reported sick, whom he had to go and -see. Some boys disliked it, however, and by arrangement passed the -praepostor’s book on. The whole institution was a curious survival -of a past age. Well does the present writer remember standing as -praepostor by the side of Dr. Hornby calling Absence in the school-yard -and thinking that the ancient office would not last very much longer. -Within recent years his forebodings have been justified, for at present -but one praepostor (of the Headmaster’s division) exists, the work of -marking in being undertaken by masters in school and the boys at the -end of the benches in Chapel. - -[SN: ROOMS] - -Thirty or forty years ago life in an Eton house remained much as it -had been in the eighteenth century, the boys, provided they did their -work, being left pretty much to themselves, though some housemasters -interfered to prevent boisterous sports, such as football in the -passages. The rooms, though often very small, were, it must be said, -not uncomfortable, and quite a number of boys prided themselves upon -their taste in decoration. Some even had pianos in their rooms, a -privilege which was highly valued and seldom abused. The furniture of -the rooms generally varied but little. For the most part it consisted -of a shut-up bed, a “burry” (bureau) washstand, which also closed -up, and sock cupboard. In this the owner kept his tea-things and such -delicacies as he could afford. A favourite form of decoration was a -mantel-board covered, according to Victorian taste, with stamped plush -and brass-headed nails. In the summer term there was some competition -in the matter of fire-ornaments and flower-boxes. The former were -generally appalling in their vulgarity, their main feature being a -profusion of extremely garish ornament, mostly tinsel and sham gold. -Almost every boy had a few pictures, generally of a sporting kind, -even though he himself had never taken part in sport. The Eton print -shops must have done a fine trade in oleographs and poorly reproduced -representations of famous runs and steeplechases. Some few brought -comparatively good pictures with them from home. The writer remembers -a set of Eton prints in a boy’s room which at the present day it would -be extremely difficult to procure at all. The books were, of course, -mostly connected with work, a crib or two being generally hidden away -in case of a raid. On the whole an Eton boy was extremely comfortable, -for he could have pretty well anything he or his parents could afford -to pay for, while there was scarcely one who did not boast an arm-chair. - -On the whole, the long-suffering boys’ maids, as they were called, -did their work very well. As a rule, it should be added, they were -middle-aged women, not remarkable for beauty. One housemaster, -indeed--Mr. Walter Durnford, formerly a popular figure at Eton, and now -Vice-Provost of King’s--according to current report, used, with perfect -justice, to pride himself upon the extreme ugliness of his maids. Be -this as it may, the boys of his house, which was next to the writer’s, -were often to be seen peering through their windows in order to catch a -glimpse of one of our maids, of whose good looks we were quite justly -proud. - -[SN: FAGGING] - -Fagging, though probably more arduous than to-day, entailed little -hardships on the smaller boys. Thirty years ago a fag’s duties -consisted in laying his fagmaster’s breakfast, procuring chops, steaks, -kidneys, or sausages from a sock shop, making toast, and poaching eggs. -He had to attend at tea-time again, but then as a rule was not called -upon to do anything in particular, his appearance at that hour being -more or less a matter of form. Besides this, a fag had to carry notes -and render other similar services when required to do so, while obliged -to answer to the call of “Lower boy” shouted by any one in Upper -Division. It should be added that the qualification as to place in the -school entitling boys to fag has gradually been heightened. Formerly -the whole of the Fifth Form could fag; but about three decades ago that -privilege was withdrawn from the Lower Division, and I believe the -number of fagmasters has been further lessened since then. This was not -on account of the privilege of fagging having been abused, but merely -because the number of Upper boys had grown too large in proportion -with those of the Lower. With the institution of breakfasts provided -by housemasters and eaten by the boys all together, fagging has shrunk -to a mere nothing. The most irksome part formerly was being obliged to -answer the call of “Lower boy,” when every one “fagable” was obliged -to rush at headlong speed to the caller, the last to arrive being the -one who had to perform the particular service required. In College, I -believe, “Here” was called instead of “Lower boy.” Also, at one time, -it would appear that any boy able to call out “Finge” before the rest -could claim exemption from taking notice of the call. I must, however, -add that I never heard anything about this when I was at Eton. Another -College shout was “Cloister P!” on hearing which the lowest boy within -call had to fetch a canful of excellent drinking water from the famous -old pump in the Cloisters, at the spout of which, in a rougher age, -many generations of Collegers had performed their ablutions. Owing -to the dearth of Lower boys in College for a long time past, it has -been the custom that every newcomer, irrespective of his place in the -school, should fag for a year. - -In the distant past cricket fagging existed, and must have pressed -very heavily upon small boys, who were liable to be waylaid by Fifth -Form boys coming out of school. Cricket fagging then included bowling, -and was an irksome infliction which was just as well done away with. -Another disagreeable form of fagging which has now long been extinct -was crib fagging, which consisted in a small boy being obliged to read -out a crib to an assemblage of big ones. As a rule, on these occasions -another fag would be posted in the passage outside in order to give -time for the crib to be secreted should there be any chance of the -tutor making his unwelcome appearance. Towing boats up to Surly was the -most severe form of fagging. This was abolished by Keate some eighty -years ago. - -[SN: NO BULLYING] - -It is much to the credit of the Eton system that amongst the Oppidans -(the state of affairs in old Long Chamber was different) there seems -never to have existed any bullying. During the investigations of the -Commission in 1861 all the evidence tended to show that small boys -underwent no ill-treatment or persecution whatever. In the writer’s -opinion this in a great measure accounts for the independent and -buoyant spirit which has ever been a characteristic of Etonians in -after life. Many sensitive boys educated at schools where bullying -has prevailed have felt the results of it in a tamed and often broken -spirit. - -[SN: “ORDERS”] - -One of the peculiarities of Eton in old days was that unless a boy -supplemented his dietary by the purchase of provisions from the shops -in the town he would often have to go hungry, and even thirty years ago -in most of the houses the old Eton traditions as regards feeding were -in full force. All the boys received was a loaf, pat of butter, and -pot of tea for breakfast. Luncheon they all had together with their -dame in the large dining-room; this was a fairly substantial meal. Tea -taken in their own rooms exactly resembled breakfast, besides which -there was a very light supper in the dining-room, at which attendance -was optional. Almost without exception, of course, this somewhat meagre -fare was supplemented by the boys themselves, who purchased appetising -dishes from the sock shops at a reasonable price. An Eton custom at -that day, which probably still exists, was for the boys to have what -were called “orders” at one of these shops. This “order” consisted in -an agreement with a shopkeeper to supply a boy with provisions to a -certain amount every day, the boy’s father or mother having previously -paid a sum in advance. The arrangement was, of course, intended to -prevent the boy from finding himself bereft of all luxuries after the -pocket-money given him when he left home had been exhausted; but, as -a matter of fact, in the case of the more extravagant boys it almost -invariably missed its mark, for, getting round the shopkeeper, they -would persuade him to allow the anticipation of their “order,” with the -result that whilst during the first fortnight of the half they revelled -in every sort of delicacy, their breakfasts and teas during the -remainder of the school time were unenlivened by any toothsome dishes. -The most popular sock shops were then Harry Webber’s (now Rowland’s) -and “little Brown’s,” the door of which the writer, on a recent visit -to Eton, found shut. - -The system of “orders” extended to other things besides sock shops, -a dame or housemaster having the power of giving them for clothes or -any other necessary. A boy applying for one of these signed permits -was supposed to be able to prove that he was really in want of the -article he wished to procure, and, the order being handed to him, was -recognised by a tradesman as a valid voucher that the sum for which it -stood would be included in the boy’s bill at the end of the half. On -the whole this arrangement worked well, but occasionally unscrupulous -boys, by arrangement with some not over particular tradesman, would -obtain some other article which was really anything but a necessary. - -Dames were sometimes easy about granting “orders,” and not a few boys -prided themselves upon their adroitness in obtaining anything they -liked, and some of them managed to run up comparatively large accounts -with their housemaster’s or dame’s permission. An even more extravagant -and reckless kind of boy would contrive to persuade some tradesman -(generally a London one who knew something about the circumstances of -his parents) to allow him to run up bills without any “order” at all, -the understanding being that these should be paid when the boy had left -school or came of age. One such case the writer well remembers, the -perpetrator being a very dissipated youth celebrated throughout the -school for always being in trouble with the authorities. This boy was -a great dandy as regards dress, and it was currently reported that -he never wore the same pair of trousers twice. This, of course, was -an exaggeration, but he certainly had a wonderful stock of clothes. -On leaving Eton he had accumulated debts to a considerable figure, -and his after career was anything but a success, for after attempting -various forms of occupation, including amateur newspaper reporting, he -was last heard of keeping a little store in South Africa. An account -of the curious professions adopted by Eton boys would fill a volume. -On the whole, however, the majority do well, as, after all, is only to -be expected, considering that in the first instance their parents must -have been possessed of considerable funds in order to send them to Eton -at all. - -[SN: IMPISH MISCHIEF] - -Some tutors, unable to keep order in their houses, were the victims -of all sorts of unpleasant jokes. One of the most mischievous and -dangerous of these was to stretch a string across a passage and then -set to work to create such a noise as would be sure to attract the -tutor’s attention, with the result that when he arrived upon the scene -he would be tripped up. Another diversion of a somewhat similar sort -was to pile a number of iron coal-scuttles just at the top of a flight -of stairs, and, after creating a great din, kick them down upon the -ascending tutor, who would seldom be able to discover the organiser -of the outrage. A more amusing trick was the following. A small Lower -boy, having, with his own consent, been tied up in one of the huge -dirty linen bags, was placed in the middle of a passage and told to -keep perfectly motionless till he felt a slight kick, when he was to -rise at his assailant and hold on to his legs, calling out the name -of some big boy well known to all. This being done, all the occupants -of the passage would set to work to make sufficient noise to produce -their tutor’s appearance, upon which complete silence would prevail. -Nine times out of ten the tutor, walking down the passage to ascertain -the reason of the disturbance, seeing the dirty linen bag, would try -and kick it on one side, with the result that, rising at him, it -would clutch him by the leg and cause him to execute a multitude of -undignified gyrations, to the delight of boys peeping through doors -just ajar. When, finally, the small boy had been extricated from the -bag, it was very difficult to punish him, for he would invariably -plead that he had been tied up against his will, and in pinching his -assailant’s legs had been merely acting in self-defence against some -one whom he had good reason to suspect was a persecuting schoolfellow. - -Throwing bits of coal out of the window at passers-by or shooting with -a catapult used to be favourite pastimes with boys of a past age. -Fierce battles were sometimes waged in the winter evenings between -the boys in adjacent houses, when they would bombard each other with -pea-shooters or squirts charged with ink or water. Occasionally this -warfare involved onlookers in the street below. The writer remembers a -great disturbance caused by an angry policeman whose helmet and uniform -had been liberally bespattered with ink. - -Some of the houses contained broad and lengthy passages, on each -side of which were ranged boys’ rooms, a favourite amusement for the -occupants of which was standing by the open doors and awaiting the cry -of “Slough; change here for Staines, Windsor, Datchet,” when every boy -would slam his door in turn down the passage with a view to produce the -effect of a train about to start. Immediately after the completion of -this manœuvre the boys would at once fly to their “burries” (bureaus), -at which they would be found hard at work when the infuriated tutor or -housemaster arrived to discover the cause of the disturbance. In some -cases the unfortunate man would ignore the first performance of this -ingenious form of torture, but a second and louder slamming seldom -failed to bring him in hot haste from his private quarters. To punish -for this kind of thing was exceedingly difficult, for the boys were, of -course, at liberty to shut their doors, and collusion was not easy to -prove. - -A number of boys spent their time experimenting with electricity and -chemicals, and the writer well remembers a friend having his face -severely injured by the explosion of some dangerous compound mixed -together in a flower-box. On another occasion the same boy (now a -well-known sporting peer) occasioned a serious panic. Having inserted -some detonating composition amongst the bricks of the railway arches -over which trains run into Windsor, he contrived to make it explode -just before the Royal train bearing Queen Victoria passed. It was a -time when Ireland was in a very disturbed state, and there was much -dread of some outrage. Consequently the Windsor and Eton police were -convinced that the explosion had a political origin, and every effort -was made by means of detectives to find the perpetrator. It was, -however, never discovered that he was an Eton boy. - -[SN: HOAXING THE PRESS] - -About thirty years ago, Eton boys were seized with a craze for hoaxing -the London Press, and some extraordinary letters appeared in various -papers. The most extraordinary of all was one bearing the signature -of an Eton master which described the writer’s remarkable experiences -in the country, where he had witnessed a conflict between a cow and a -partridge, in which the cow, after a prolonged chase, had eventually -captured and devoured the bird. The master eventually wrote an -indignant denial, but he was never able to discover who had taken his -name in vain. - -The greatest practical joke ever played at Eton was the colossal -hoax perpetrated in the early eighties of the last century upon the -somewhat ingenuous editor of a newly-started London magazine, who had -been struck with the idea of increasing its attractions by publishing -authentic news of public-school life. Not unnaturally he began with -Eton, and, setting to work to secure contributors at that school, -obtained some really astounding information, which afterwards went to -the making of an extremely scarce little book called _Eton as She is -not_. More recently an amusing account of the whole affair appeared in -the _Cornhill Magazine_ at the end of an excellent article on “College -at Eton.” At first the editor’s correspondents merely furnished him -with accounts of local events, all of them pure invention; but, -emboldened by success, they soon went on to describe some interesting -old customs. The first was chronicled thus:-- - - A curious custom takes place here on certain days in College Dining - Hall, called “Passing the Green Stuff.” The second fellow at the big - fellows’ table suddenly says, “Pass me that Green Stuff,” referring - to a dish of mint placed on the table; then the fellow opposite him - stands up, and says “Surgite” (arise), on which all the other fellows - get up from their places and run the fellow who “broached” (_i.e._ - asked for) the green stuff round the School Paddocks, shouting out - such military commands as “Quick march! Right turn!” etc. They then - return to dinner, when a “grace-cup” is partaken by all except him - who “broached” the green stuff. - -[SN: “SLUNCHING” THE PADDOCKS] - -In the next number readers were informed that at Eton Prisoner’s Base -is a great success, and the Paddock is almost always deserted for the -Cloisters. The following then appeared:-- - - Another curious custom at Eton is “Slunching the Paddocks.” On a - certain day all the Collegians and Oppidans are provided with a - coarse sort of pudding, which is put to the following use. After - dinner is over they all go to Weston’s and School Paddocks and throw - their pudding all over them. This is “Slunching the Paddocks,” the - pudding being called “Slunch.” It is supposed to be derived from the - fact that when Queen Elizabeth visited Eton College “she lunched” - (s’lunched) in College Hall, and the students sprinkled the paddocks - with dry rice in her honour. - -In the number published on March 5, 1884, a purely imaginary list of -the officials of the various school departments was given. There were -the Captains of the “Broach” and the “Slunch,” the two College boats; -the Captain of Cricket Tassels, R. J. Lucas;[12] Captain of Fives -Tassels, Havager Boroughdale; Captain of the Musical Department, R. -A. S. Berry-Young; Captain of the Curling Club, T. T. Vator; Captain -of the Spelican Team, Tute Goodhart; Captain of Ushers, J. Goodwin; -Steward of the Paddocks, H. Beecham Wolley; Choragus, C. Wofflington. -This was followed in the next number by the news that the Spelican team -had played their first match of the season on March 11 against the -Dorney Dubes. The Collegian Brigade, an admirable corps, which marched -out as far as Brocas Hedges, was later on described as having met -with a catastrophe, for “a bull loose in Weston’s Paddock, which they -passed through on the way, attacked the line, and a boy named Swage was -knocked over and slightly bruised.” - -This went on for six months, when the Editor wrote and expressed -a desire to come down to Eton and see the place for himself. He -was duly shown a hockey match between B. Wolley’s “Field Mice” and -Flenderbatch’s “Jolly Boys,” the match being played with tassels on the -caps and all, which so impressed him that he returned to London and -wrote an account of what he had seen, giving at the same time a new and -original version of the School Song, addressed to “Pulcra Etona” and -praying among other things that: - - Slunna fluat, - Semper ruat - Capti fundamentum. - -“Slunna” is slunch, “capti fundamentum” is sound Latin for prisoner’s -base. In high good temper he added that “our Eton correspondence is -supplied by a gentleman who is a universal favourite in College, and -the Editor is pleased to state that he has received letters from -Etonians all over the world, signifying their approval of his reports.” -He was disillusioned soon after, and no more space was devoted to Eton -and the strange doings of its students. - -Though at that time something of the old-world spirit still lingered, -there survived few of the quaint “characters” who had once been fairly -numerous at Eton. The ever-gentle, suave, and urbane Giles of Williams’ -(afterwards Ingalton Drake’s, and now Spottiswoode’s) will, however, -be remembered by many. How this good-natured man managed to book the -orders at the beginning of a school-time and keep his temper is a -mystery which will never be solved. He had, I remember, a red-headed -assistant, who, though a shade more inclined to frivolity than Giles -(who was scholastic gravity itself), seemed to have been born to serve -out broad rule and derivation paper without being ever in the least -perturbed by the chatter of crowds of Lower boys. - -[SN: SOLOMON] - -Another grave-looking character of this period was Solomon, who all -day long stood in a minute room at the back of Brown’s, the hosier, -ironing hats. Solomon’s appearance and demeanour did not accord ill -with his appellation. He was a white-headed old man who always wore a -paper cap somewhat resembling the traditional head-dress of a French -cook. Standing in his shirt-sleeves gently working his iron over -the nap of ill-used “toppers,” his favourite topic was the Turf, of -which surely no more ardent votary ever lived. All day long he would -discuss with the various boys who streamed into his little workroom the -chances of the horses entered for the next classic race. Solomon was -essentially an old-fashioned turfite in his ideas, and knew nothing of -starting-price jobs or other new-fangled manœuvres. He was, however, -acquainted with the form of all the more prominent race-horses, and in -his conversation laid gentle stress upon the value of a judgment which -no one wished to dispute. In spite of the old man’s ardent affection -for racing, I cannot help thinking that during his long life he had -seldom seen any races run. On this subject, however, it was best -to hold one’s peace. Though Solomon’s sanctum was the scene of such -eternal confabulations as to the great question of first, second, -and third, I cannot remember that much betting arose from it. As far -as my memory serves me, the majority of Solomon’s visitors remained -purely academic in their patronage of racing. Perhaps this was owing -to the fact that the Lower boys, of whom his ever-changing audience -was for the most part composed, had very little money, and preferred -to spend what they had in substantial dainties rather than risk it in -speculations of a visionary kind. I do not recollect Solomon doing any -serious betting for boys, but have a vague idea he occasionally put -shillings on. I was therefore surprised when told some years ago that -the old man had been driven out of his place owing to the action of the -College authorities, who objected to him as demoralising the boys by -assisting them to bet. I can only hope that this report was untrue, for -in my day, at least, his influence was quite harmless. - -[SN: BETTING] - -In the sixties, I believe, there used to be a school Derby lottery -every year, the winner of which generally got about £25. The -arrangements for this seem to have been placed in the hands of a -well-known character about the “wall” named “Snip,” but he had died or -disappeared long before my day, and the only lottery I remember was a -tiny private affair, the tickets of which cost sixpence or a shilling. -In connection with this subject it is said that of late years betting -amongst the boys has become a serious evil. If this is the case, the -school must have undergone a considerable change in its ideas within -the last quarter of a century. In the late seventies and early eighties -there was practically no betting at all amongst the boys, chiefly for -the reason just given, but also because there existed a widespread -idea that any attempt at speculation would eventually lead to loss of -money. A good many boys, no doubt, who had a love for the Turf looked -forward to gratifying a taste for speculation in time to come, whilst -others told extravagant tales of Turf triumphs during the holidays, but -few took racing seriously, their interest being limited to flocking to -the post-office to hear the first news as to the winner of any great -race. A salient proof that at that date no real betting existed was -the sensation caused amongst us by the rumour, based on truth, that -a new boy (the son of the Maharajah Duleep Singh, whose arrival at -Eton created some sensation), on being spoken to by a member of the -eight in the school-yard, had offered to bet him a fiver against a -certain horse, which wager had been accepted. This was the largest -wager we ever heard of as being made at Eton, and it was looked upon as -extraordinary. - -On the other side of the High Street, opposite to the establishment -where Solomon ironed hats and gave forth his wisdom, a younger rival -also doctored battered “toppers.” As far as I can remember, he was a -far rougher individual than the racing sage, and possessed a tendency -towards familiarity which was not universally popular. He and Solomon -both resembled each other in one respect, which was their taste for -plastering every available inch of their walls with cuts and paragraphs -from cheap papers of a comic order. - -A curious character amongst the sock shopkeepers of that period was an -old Italian confectioner, who owned rather a spacious shop with very -little in it up the High Street, on the right-hand side going from Eton -towards Windsor Bridge. This worthy, who was always attired in a cook’s -dress--white cap, apron, and all--made and sold most excellent ices, -which procured him a fair amount of custom from the Eton boys in spite -of the fact that his shop was considered rather “scuggish.” According -to common report, the proprietor had once been employed at Windsor -Castle, where his skill as an ice-maker had won the favour of Queen -Victoria, with whom for a time he had become a particular favourite. -One day, however, the Queen had caught him administering a thundering -thrashing to his wife, in consequence of which she had very rightly at -once turned him out of his post. This story, though resting upon no -credible evidence, was generally believed by Lower boys, and some of -them made a practice of infuriating the old man by hurling taunts at -him as they were going out of his shop. “What a pity, ‘Cally,’ you got -kicked out of the Queen’s kitchen!” they would call out, and the little -Italian never failed to fly into a great rage at their chaff. Indeed, -on more than one occasion he was said to have pursued boys into the -street with a knife in his hand, but this in all probability was mere -exaggeration. Nevertheless he had a violent temper, and for this reason -was constantly being drawn by mischievous boys. - -[SN: A POPULAR INSTITUTION] - -A more improving occupation than chaffing tradesmen was reading -books and papers at Ingalton Drake’s, the bookseller, who afterwards -took over Williams’, where all the school books were sold. This -establishment, owing to the good nature of the proprietor, was -constantly thronged with a crowd of boys, who, seldom making any -purchase, spent a good deal of time turning over the leaves of new -books just fresh from London. The _Times_ could also be read there. -As a matter of fact, the boys were very careful not to hurt or dirty -the books they took up or touched, and I do not think the owner of -the establishment had reason to regret his kindliness, which was the -means of many Etonians acquiring an insight into branches of knowledge -which the school curriculum made no attempt to include. Many a pleasant -and not uninstructive half-hour was passed here by boys to whom -cut-and-dried lessons made no appeal. - -[SN: HOISTING] - -The Eton traditions of three decades ago were not very many in number, -most of them being concerned with minor points of dress, things which -were to be done and were not to be done, and the like. Except hoisting, -few old usages survived, though, no doubt, the opinions of many -long-past generations still influenced the boys in their unwritten code -of what was “scuggish” and what was not. Hoisting, I believe, still -survives, though a very few years ago undue exuberance on the part of -the boys nearly caused its abolition. At that time (1904-1905) the -whole school would assemble along the wall on the evening of the School -Pulling, which always takes place after Lord’s, and await the arrival -of the members of “Pop,” who from Tap would walk arm-in-arm across the -whole street to opposite their Club Room in the building of the old -Christopher. They would then seize the winners of the School Pulling, -and, according to traditional custom, run up and down along the wall -with them, the whole school shouting at the top of their voices. If the -eleven had won at Lord’s, or the eight at Henley, its members were also -hoisted one by one. In the case of the School Pulling, the winners, -after being hoisted, were taken to some prominent upper window in one -of the houses which all could see, and water solemnly poured over their -heads, the jugs and crockery being eventually thrown out into the -street. This latter generally occurred just before Lock-up, all the -boys being still out in the street. The end was that “Pop” canes were -produced, arms linked, and everybody systematically driven into his -tutor’s house. The ceremony of hoisting was not very popular with the -public, for, in consequence of the noise, passing carts and carriages -generally went by a good deal quicker than the drivers wished, and -horses became alarmed, whilst no bicyclist was allowed to remain on -his bicycle, every one who passed being booed or cheered. Thirty years -ago the ceremony proceeded much in the same way, though there was more -consideration shown to the drivers of horses which looked likely to -become alarmed by noise; also the crockery-smashing ceremonial did -not exist, and would have been resented had any attempt been made to -institute it. - -Like another custom of modern origin, “Lock-up Parade,” this very -undesirable addition to hoisting has now been forbidden. Lock-up -Parade, which did not exist in the writer’s Eton days, took place in -the Summer Half, just before the hour of Lock-up, when the boys walked -backwards and forwards within very narrow limits to the strains of -musicians stationed outside “Tap.” - -[Illustration: Eton College from the River. _From an old coloured -print._] - -Tap is, if possible, more flourishing than ever, being, as of old, -crowded on summer evenings. At such a time whilst the wet bobs on their -way home from the Brocas fill it to overflowing, a number of swagger -dry bobs also put in an appearance. In addition to the traditional -refreshments procurable at Tap, chops, steaks, bread and cheese, beer -and cider, coffee, chocolate, cakes, fruit, and other good things of -the same kind may now be got there, with the result that it is also -much frequented after twelve, though, of course, not by Lower boys, -who are still excluded as of old. A modern Eton fashion is the giving -of a breakfast under a tent in the garden of Tap during the summer -term. This is a very “swagger” affair, most of “Pop” putting in an -appearance. A few years ago, when some of the members of the Eton -Society were more than usually vivacious in disposition, the return -from Tap in the evening just before Lock-up was occasionally very -noisy, top-hats flying about in all directions, and passers-by finding -it difficult to proceed on their way without being playfully held up. -At present, however, the summer evenings are once again peaceful as of -yore--a happy state of affairs which should delight every true lover -of Eton, for it is beneath the rays of a setting sun that the tranquil -charm of the old red-brick walls and weather-beaten buildings makes -itself especially felt. [SN: SWINBURNE’S LINES] At this time of year -is it, more than any other, that the crowning glory of the place--the -playing fields fringed by the silver winding Thames--present such a -superb scene of placid beauty, whilst College close by whispers from -its towers “the last enchantment of the Middle Age.” No wonder that, in -spite of altered ways and habits, the spirit fostered by such stately -surroundings still remains alive-- - - Still the reaches of the river, still the light on field and hill, - Still the memories held aloft as lamps for hope’s young fire to fill, - Shine, and while the light of England lives shall shine for - England still. - -It is to be hoped that these lines, written by the last great Etonian -poet to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the foundation, will be as -applicable to the school five hundred years hence as they are to-day. -May those yet to come continue to bear the torch of Eton, handed down -from distant generations, bravely aloft, whilst never ceasing to keep -before their eyes the duty of delivering it to their successors, its -flame bright and brilliant as of old. - -FOOTNOTE: - -[12] Captain of the eleven 1883-1884, Unionist member for Portsmouth -1900-1906. In more recent years Mr. Lucas has become known to many as a -writer with a particularly pleasant style, who is also possessed of a -gift for delicate versification. - - - - -INDEX - - - Abingdon, Lord, 77 - - Absence, 77, 259, 261, 283 - - _Adventurer_, the, 246 - - Agar’s Plough, 280, 281 - - Ainger, the Rev. A. C., 121, 127 - - Ainslie, Mr. Douglas, viii, 305 - - Albert, Prince, 148 - - Alford, Lord, 88 - - Allen, Anthony, 136 - - Allestree, Provost, 14 - - Angelo, Miss, 64 - - Ante-Chapel, 5, 187 - - Army class, 231 - - Athletics, modern admiration for, 241, 242 - - Atholl, Duke of, 41 - - Austen Leigh, Mr. R. A., 191 - - Austen Leigh, William, 225 - - - “Bacchus verses,” 163, 164 - - Badge-giving, 38-40 - - Balston, Dr., 189, 290-292 - - Barnard, Dr., 21, 22, 218, 264 - - Barnes Pool Bridge, 52, 205, 293 - - Bayley, Emilius, 275 - - Beagles, the, 283-285, 296 - - “Beaks,” 298 - - Bear, Johnny, 217 - - Benson, Mr. A. C., 166, 270 - - Benthall, E. C., K.S. (Keeper of the Wall, 1911), 266 - - Bethell, Mr., 150, 207 - - Betting, 323 - - “Bever,” 166 - - Bircham, Mr. F. T., 90 - - “Bishop,” 114 - - Blake-Humfrey, Mr. R. H., 261 - - Blandford, Lord, 41 - - Bligh, the Hon. Arthur, 219 - - Block, the, anecdotes concerning, 89, 90, 92 - - Blomfield, Sir Arthur, 190 - - Boating song, the Eton, its history, 121, 122 - - Bogle Smith, 219 - - Boland, Billy, 274 - - Bott, College constable, 206 - - Boudier, G. J., 280 - - Bourchier, Mr. Arthur, organises theatricals at Eton, - anecdotes, 219-221 - - Brinsley Richards, Mr., 24, 85 - - Brocas, 104, 262, 284, 327 - - Brown, Tom, Eton tailor, 206 - - Brown’s, little, 312 - - Browning, Mr. Oscar, 291 - - Brownlow North, Mr., 97 - - “Brozier,” 62, 63 - - Bryant, Jacob, 264 - - Bryant or Brion (sock cad), 109 - - Bulkeley-Johnson, Mr. Vivian, viii - - Bullying, anecdote of, 59 - - “Burry,” 62 - - Butler, Dr., 277 - - Byron, 75 - - - “Cally,” 325 - - Campbell, Lord Archibald, 41 - - Captain of the boats, 249, 250, 261, 263 - - Carnegie, Mr. Andrew, his opinions concerning Greek, 232 - - Carrington, Lady, 293 - - Carter, the Rev. W. A., 4, 39 - - Carter’s Chamber, 200, 203 - - Carvings, elaborate, upon old organ case of Eton Chapel, 178 - - Castle (inn), 142 - - Champeau, French swimming instructor, 263, 264 - - Chapel, 5; - its architectural history, 173-175; - so-called restoration, 181, 182; - old woodwork and organ loft, 175, 176; - new stalls, 182; - present condition, 184-186 - - Chapel sock, 41, 42, 175 - - “Check nights,” 256, 257 - - Chitty, Right Hon. Lord Justice, 275 - - Christopher, the, 53, 57; - anecdotes concerning, 110, 119, 257 - - Christopher yard, 213 - - Churton, Henry Norris, declines scholarship at King’s, 226 - - Cloister Pump, 162 - - Cloisters, 159, 161 - - Cobbold, Felix Thornley, last Eton scholar under old statutes, 225 - - College buildings, account of alterations and restorations in, 156-191 - - College, horse-play in, 208-210 - - College in past days, 196-218 - - Collegers, their food in old days, 203-205 - - Collet, 219 - - “Colours,” 282, 283 - - Colours of “boats” at present day, 263 - - Costume, old Eton, 34-36 - - Coventry, Lord, 258 - - Cradock, Zachary, 15 - - Craven, Lord, 40 - - Creasy (the historian), 125 - - Creasy, 269 - - Culliford, James (chief butler), 205; - his son, 206 - - Cumberland, Duke of, 16, 18 - - Curfew tower, vulgarisation of, 193, 194 - - Curraghmore, 89 - - Curzon, Lord, 127, 249 - - Cust, family of, 182 - - - Dalmeny, Lord, 170 - - Dalton, the Rev. T., favourable to theatricals, 219, 220 - - Daniel (captain of Harrow eleven), 276 - - “Deadman’s Hole,” 265 - - Deeson, architect and “restorer” of Chapel, 182, 183 - - De Foix, 12 - - De Quincey, 227 - - Douro, Lord, 76, 137 - - Drury’s, 247 - - Duleep Singh, the Maharajah, 323 - - Dupuis, the Rev. G., a Vice-Provost, 28, 29, 150 - - Durnford, the Rev. F. E. (Judy), 286 - - Durnford, Richard, first Eton scholar to go to King’s under - new statutes, 226 - - Durnford, Mr. Walter, 309 - - - East window, 185 - - Educational system at Eton, reflections upon, 227-242 - - Election Chamber, 159, 160, 223 - - Election Saturday, 84, 202, 222-224, 257, 258 - - Elizabeth, Queen, relics of her visit to Eton, 8, 167, 319 - - Elliot, Mr. Willie, 221 - - “Estaminet,” the, 116 - - Eton and Harrow match, 275-279; - incident after, 278, 279 - - Eton Mission, 296 - - Evans, Miss, 64 - - Evans, Mr. William, 41 - - - Fagging, 59, 309-311 - - Fight, a fatal, 96, 97 - - Fighting, anecdotes concerning, 92-98 - - Finlay, 269 - - Finmore (Dr. Hawtrey’s servant), 91 - - “Fire-place,” 216, 217 - - Fives, 244; - first regular court, 245, 281, 282 - - Floods, 105 - - Flowers, Jimmy, 104 - - Font, new, 186; - old, 187 - - Football, 244, 245 - - Foote, his remark at the Castle Inn, 142 - - Fourth of June, 222 - - Fox, Charles James, 22, 169 - - Frampton Court, viii, 175 - - Frescoes in Chapel, 179, 180, 181 - - “Furking,” 267 - - - Games popular in 1770, 240 - - George the Third, 30-33 - - Giles, 320, 321 - - Gilmer, 219 - - Gladstone, 57, 127, 169, 170, 233, 247, 248; - as an Eton boy at Montem, 137 - - Godolphin, Provost, 89, 173, 176 - - Goodall, Dr., 26-29, 68, 72, 95, 187 - - Goodford, Dr., 85, 86, 91, 117, 237, 256, 292 - - Gown, changes concerning, 210, 211, 215 - - Gray, 242 - - Green, “Polly,” 284 - - Grieve, an Eton boy burnt to death, 45 - - Groves, Barney, 104 - - - Hale, the Rev. E., 293 - - Hall, Jack, 103 - - Hall, the College, 15, 140; - remodelling of western end, architectural history, 162; - drastic restoration in 1858, 163; - present condition, 165 - - Harcourt, the Rt. Hon. Lewis, vii, 127, 128, 201 - - Harding, 80, 273 - - Harris, Mr., 234 - - Harrow, 240 - - Hatecliffe, William, first Eton scholar (1443), 225 - - Hatton, Mrs., her “sock shop,” 247 - - Haverley, Jack, 254 - - Hawtrey, Dr., 40, 41, 58, 65, 66, 81, 84, 87, 95, 111, 118, - 143, 149, 150, 160, 255, 267, 274, 288-290; - his monument in Chapel, 189 - - Hawtrey brothers, 219 - - Hawtrey, Mr. John, 51 - - Hawtrey, Mr. Stephen, 233 - - Heath, Dr., 25 - - Henley, 240, 263 - - Henry VI., 3, 5, 212, 225, 226 - - Henry VIII., 6, 7 - - Hexter, Major, 233 - - Hill, Mr., saves old Eton organ case, 177 - - Hoaxes, 100, 317; - an elaborate modern one, 317-320 - - Hockey, 245, 246 - - Hodgson, Provost, 150, 196, 197, 203; - his reforms in College, 215 - - Hoisting, 326, 327 - - Hoop, its former popularity at Eton, 242, 243 - - Hoppie (sock cad), 110 - - Hornby, Dr., 11, 65, 87, 92, 105, 169, 279, 288-290, 291, 294, 307 - - - _Illustrated London News_, 140, 211 (_note_) - - Ingalton Drake’s, 320, 325 - - - James, the Rev. C. C., 292 - - Jesse, Mr. J. H., 88, 89 - - Jobey Joel, 110, 219 - - Johnson, William (afterwards William Cory), anecdotes of, 119-123 - - Joynes, the Rev. J. L., 87, 287, 288 - - Joynes, young Mr., 291 - - - Keate, Dr., 35, 50, 57; - anecdotes of, 68-82, 102, 116, 214, 219, 231, 252, 255, - 281, 282, 294 - - Keate’s Lane, 281, 282 - - Kenyon, Lord, 219 - - King’s, 132, 134; - arms of, on old Eton organ case, 178, 223; - dissolution of ancient bond with Eton, 225, 226 - - Kintore, Lord, 97 - - - Ladas, 248 - - Lanesborough, Lord, 284 - - Langford, Lord, 39 - - Layton’s, 59 - - Leaving Books, 64, 65; - Money, 65, 66 - - Lectern, ancient, 187 - - Leveson-Gower, Lord Ronald, 41 - - Levett, Berkeley, 219 - - Levi (sock cad), 109 - - Lewis, Dr., 90 - - Lock-up, 93, 305, 327 - - Lock-up Parade, 327 - - Lomax, 137 - - Long Chamber, 158, 172, 197; - description of, 200-202; - remodelling of, 221-222 - - Long Glass, 66, 67 - - Long-morning, 60 - - Lord’s, 276, 279, 326 - - Lord’s (old), 274 - - Lorne, Lord, 41 - - Lotteries, 322, 323 - - “Lower College” (obsolete form of football), 267 - - Lower School, 8, 170-172 - - Lubbock, Mr. Alfred, 277 - - Lubbock, Mr. Robin, 278 - - Lubbock family, 278 - - Lucas, Mr. Reginald, 220, 319 (_note_) - - Lupton’s Chapel, 13, 185 - - Luxmoore, Mr. H. E., 185 - - Lyte, Sir Henry Maxwell, 3, 180 - - Lyttelton, the Hon. and Rev E. (Headmaster), 295-297 - - Lyttelton family, 278 - - Lytton, Phil, 204 - - - M’Niven minor, 276 - - Malim, William, 6, 7, 134 - - Map-making, 49 - - Marcon, W., 269 - - Memorial Hall, 191, 192, 247, 248 - - Miller, Jem, 272 - - “Missis” (sock seller), 110 - - Mitchell, Mr. R. A. H., 221, 276 - - Monckton, George (afterwards Lord Galway), 41 - - Montem, 33; - description of and anecdotes, 129-156; - waving the flag at, 144, 149; - costumes worn at, 145, 146; - last celebration, 148, 149; - abolition, 150; - relics of, 152, 156 - - Montem poet, 152-156; - odes, 153 - - Mordaunt, H. J., 269 - - Moultrie, John, 3, 40, 41 - - Mowbray Morris, the late Mr., 2 - - Mozley, Mr. H. W., 223 - - Muttlebury, S. D., 263 - - - Naylor’s, Miss, 125, 127 - - Newcastle scholar, 223, 240 - - Nicknames, 60-62 - - Noblemen, 38, 41 - - Noblemen’s stalls (torn down at restoration of Chapel), 175, 182 - - - Officers’ Training Corps, 293 - - Okes, Dr., 197 - - Oppidan Dinner, 259-261 - - “Oppidan scholars,” 231 - - “Oppidans’ Museum,” 115 - - “Orders,” 313, 314 - - Organ case, description of old, 176; - its history after being discarded by Eton authorities, 177, 178 - - Organ screen, modern, 184 - - - Pass, Charley (sock cad), 108 - - Pepys, 15, 164, 172 - - Phillott, 269 - - Pinnacles, rebuilding of old, 189, 190 - - Plumtre, Mr., 150, 173 - - Poaching, 101 - - Pop, 77, 119, 247-249, 297, 328 - - Porson, 213, 216 - - “Poser’s child,” quaint usage, 223 - - “Posers,” 222, 223 - - Powell, Jem, 102, 103 - - Powell, well-known character at the Wall, 268 - - Poyntz, Stephen, captain of Montem in 1706, lines by, 136 - - Praepostors, 6, 9, 306, 307 - - “Private Tutors,” 41; - nickname for “cads,” 102 - - Private Tutors, 105 - - Prose, 46 - - Protestant Etonian martyrs, 7, 8 - - Provost’s Lodge, 160 - - _Punch_, 149 - - - Rackets, 281 - - Rattee, contractor for “restoration” of Chapel, 183 - - “Ripping,” quaint usage, 224 - - Roberts, Lord, 170 - - Rosebery, Lord, vii, 127, 171, 248, 258 - - Rouse, Provost, 13 - - Rowing, notes upon history of, at Eton, 252-263 - - Rowland’s (sock shop), 205 - - Rugeley, chapel at, 178 - - Rushes, the, 122, 256 - - - St. Aldwyn, Lord, 258 - - St. Andrew’s Day, 38, 265, 268, 269 - - St. Thomas, Dominican Monastery of, 177 - - Salt Hill, 130 _et seq._; - present condition of, 156 - - Salvin, architect, 194 - - “Saps,” 239 - - Savernake, Lord, 83 - - Savile, Sir Henry, 9, 10 - - School Magazines, 25, 26, 41 - - School Pulling, 326 - - Scrulton, F. F. V. captain of the boats, 1911, 263 - - “Scug,” 62 - - Second Upper Club, 280 - - Selwyn, George Augustus, 264 - - Selwyn, Thomas, diary of, 253 - - Seymour, Berkeley, 136 - - Sharpe, S. S., 263 - - Sheep’s Bridge, 273 - - Shelley, 94, 95, 123, 169 - - Sheridan, Mrs., viii - - Shirking, 52, 53 - - Shore, Jane, 5 - - Simmonds, Mr. Robert, viii - - Sir Galahad, picture in Chapel, 185 - - Sixpenny, 97, 280 - - Sixpenny Corner, 97 - - Slang, 62 - - Smoking, 17, 305 - - “Smut,” 117 - - Snape, Mrs., 63 - - “Snip,” 322 - - Sock, 62 - - Sock cads, 106-110 - - Solomon, 321, 322 - - Spankie (the celebrated sock cad), 106-109 - - Spode, Mr. Josiah, 177 - - _Sporting Magazine_, account of Etonian in 1799, 99-100 - - Spottiswoode’s, 320 - - Stafford, Lord, 39 - - Stage coachmen, 113 - - Statutes, their violation about 1834, 198-200 - - Statutes, new, 225, 226 - - Stephen, J. K., 166, 270 - - “Stiggins” (see Rev. C. C. James), 292 - - Stockhore, Herbert, the Montem poet, account of, 153-156 - - Stone, Mr. Christopher, 62 - - Stone, the Rev. E. D., 61, 244 - - Stratford de Redcliffe, Lord, 94, 275 - - Street, Mr. G. E., architect, 184 - - Strugnal, 271 - - Studd family, 278 - - Sunday questions, 237 - - Surly, 222, 256, 257 - - Sutherland, Duke of, 39 - - Swimming, 263, 264 - - Swishing, 9, 82-88 - - - Tap, 66, 326-328 - - Tapestry formerly in College Hall, 165 - - Tarver, Mr. F., 219 - - Teape, A. S., 277 - - Theatricals at Eton, 218-221 - - Thompson, Theophilus, 136 - - Threepenny day, 206, 207 - - Timbralls, the, 270 - - Townshend, Charles Fox, 77, 78, 247 - - Training Corps, Officers’, 26, 293, 294 - - Trials, 24, 47, 236, 241 - - Trotman (sock cad), 109 - - Trotman’s gardens, 247, 282 - - Tuck, a Colleger, 224 - - “Tug,” supposed origin of term, 210 - - Tutorial system, 229, 230 - - Tutors, private, 41 - - - Udall, Nicholas, 7 - - _Under the Clock_, dramatic sketch given by Mr. Bourchier - when at Eton, 221 - - Upper Club, 273, 276, 281 - - Upper School, 168 - - “Upper Sixpenny,” 280 - - “Ushers,” 298 - - - Vaughan, Mr. E. L., 156 - - Verses, Latin, 49, 238, 239 - - Victoria, Queen, 33, 150, 324 - - Volunteers, 293 - - - Wall game, notes upon, 265-270 - - Walpole, Horace, 111, 112, 242; - Sir Robert, 16, 19; - Lord Walpole of Walterton, 16; - Lord Walpole, 254 - - Warre, Dr. (Provost), 253 (_note_), 294, 295 - - “Water boils,” “Make tea,” 273 - - Waterford, Lord, 88, 89 - - Watts, 185 - - Waynflete, William of, 4, 190 - - Webber, College servant, 205 - - Webber’s, Harry, 312 - - Wellesley, the Marquess, 126, 127, 169, 227; - his memorials in old and new chapels, 187, 188 - - Wellington, the great Duke of, 59, 94, 105, 125, 169, 211; - as a boy at Montem in 1781, 136, 137 - - West, Rt. Hon. Sir Algernon, a survivor of the last Montem, viii; - his experiences, 144 - - Westminster, 258; - boat races with Eton, 262, 263; - cricket matches, 274 - - White (Dr. Hornby’s servant), 92 - - White Hart (inn), 259 - - Wilder, the Rev. John, 162, 165, 181, 186 - - Williams’, 325 - - Winchilsea, Lord, 271, 272 - - Winchester, 5, 181, 240, 275, 277, 279, 280 - - Windham, William, 26 - - Windmill (inn), Botham’s, 142, 156 - - Windsor Fair, 53-55 - - Windsor races, 56 - - Woodyer, Mr. (architect), 189, 191 - - Wotton, Sir Henry, 10-13 - - Wren, Sir Christopher, 175, 176 - -THE END - -_Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_. - - * * * * * - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Footnotes have been moved to the end of each chapter and relabeled -consecutively through the document. - -Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned. - -Changing headers on odd numbered pages in the original publication have -been formatted as sidenotes and moved to near the topics they reference. - -Punctuation has been made consistent. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have -been corrected. - -p. 164: ζωή transliterates into English as zôê and κλέος transliterates -as kleos (Or ζωή short or κλέος long.) - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Floreat Etona, by Ralph Nevill - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FLOREAT ETONA *** - -***** This file should be named 53769-0.txt or 53769-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/7/6/53769/ - -Produced by deaurider, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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