These heroes of the "free and easy" system say,-"We have received boys from nearly all the great classical schools of England, and we certainly have not found them superior, even in classical acquirements, to average boys of the same age who have been brought up in our own school." And yet these same gentlemen admit that, in the Latin and Greek classes, "they have not felt themselves at liberty to deviate very widely from the ordinary modes of proceeding; and, indeed, that, except as regards the lower classes, the deviation is but slight." How, then, is it that the average of the Bruce Castle boys are equal to the first talent from the best classical schools? The reason is obvious,the air of the twenty-acres park sharpens both the appetite and the wits of the scholars; and the exercises of swimming in the New River, and kicking shins in the play-ground, as a physical developement of nature, tend to "call forth the energies, both mental and physical," of the inmates of this Tottenham Academy!

We have been accustomed to fall into a vulgar error, which can only be justified by its being a general one, viz. that of imagining that the public schools of Harrow, Westminster, Eton, Rugby, Tunbridge, the Charterhouse, and so forth, had produced youths whose future fame gave evidence of the soundness of their early education. But in all this we have been mistaken, since the authors of this sketch of a free-and-easy education assure us (page 34), that

It is a fact well known to all conversant with the proceedings of classical schools, that while only a comparatively small number of the pupils become sound scholars, many make little or no progress, and some even sustain an injury in their intellectual powers so great as to amount almost to stultification."

days are these, then, for the fathers and mothers of families, when, "at Bruce Castle, rather more than five miles from London, and about a quarter of a mile west of the high road to Hertford, standing in a park containing nearly twenty acres of land, and with the surrounding country open and salubrious," the happy youths of England are no longer exposed to the contaminating, degenerating, demoralising effects of studying Latin and Greek at a public school, but are led into the ways of purity and virtue by family classics, lectures on garden pumps, and conversations on the " mutiny of the Bounty," Miss Edgeworth's "Patronage," Washington Irving's "Sketch Book," and "Wilson's account of the Pellew Islands."

The "miscellaneous exercises" at a Radical school must undoubtedly be very diverting. Being unable to introduce " pure science into the school, the authors of the Concise View confess, with tears in their eyes, they have turned their attention to popular sciences. The little boys are lectured to on "minnows, tittlebats," and "roach" from the New River; and the professor makes this "little" class all gudgeons. "Sometimes an afternoon is employed in a little botanical excursion," when "horti sicci” are made, both "neat and little," of dried chickweed, wild parsley, and ground ivy; whilst, alas! the hands of the urchins bear ample proof that their studies have conducted them amongst blackberries and stinging nettles.

Then there is "a little museum," in which house-sparrows and fieldsparrows, house-mice and park-mice, with one little white mouse, form the chief attractions, except "some of the principal bones of the human body," with which the little boys, no doubt, decline having as little to do as possible, having always a fear of death, ghosts, and hobgoblins before their eyes. The authors of the Concise View maintain, however, "that their young pupils "do not share the idle terrors unhappily so common at their age" so that we may hope to find more bone-grubbers" than one in the times in which we live, who will, in this respect also, imitate the immortal Radical bone-grubber of Thomas Paine.

66

The "voluntary labour" of the pupils is a profitable portion of this Radical association. The pupils are encouraged not to play, not to amuse themselves, not to devote their leisure hours to tops, marbles, cricket, bat and ball, leap-frog, and so forth, but to "voluntary labour," for which they receive personal or transferrable tickets, which purchase holydays and pay fines. This is true papistical science. As the Papists pray the souls of their friends out of purgatory with a certain number of prayers and pounds sterling, so the lads at Bruce Castle purchase themselves and their friends out of scrapes, by working hard in play-hours in the "carpenter's shop" of the establishment, especially by the use of "the turning lathe."

But now we arrive at the GOVERNMENT OF THE SCHOOL! This is the most important feature in the whole system, and supplies the key to all the rest. Here we have an "imperium in imperio," or one government existing within the jurisdiction of another, a state of things always incompatible with the power and security of the superior tribunal, and frequently producing confusion, and sometimes bloodshed.

But let us look at the PLAN.

"With a view of obtaining the assistance of the boys themselves in the enforcement of the laws by which they are governed, and of convincing them of the justice and necessity of laws generally, we admit our pupils to a considerable share in the government of the school."

How is this effected? By universal suffrage.

"The boys choose a committee, and we intrust this committee with important powers, both legislative and administrative. Subject to our veto, the committee can enact new laws, fix the penalties for different offences, and revoke the decrees of its officers."

These young scamps dispose of 60l. per annum (the book fund), fix the powers of the teachers and the committee; and "codify and print" the laws and regulations! Then they raise "subsidies," out of which the conductors of the school take care that all expenses of repairs shall be made. Indeed, Mr. Hill admits

that " some rather heavy payments" have sometimes to be made; that ordinary subsidies have been found in

adequate; and that much resistance has been made to this most peculiar system. Still" public inquiry" (at Bruce Castle) has taken place, new laws have been passed from time to time; and now all the lads, whether good or bad, mischievous or otherwise, have to contribute towards the fund for paying for all damages, trespasses, and injuries committed on the premises.

The system of " circles and guardians" is borrowed from Mr. Fellenberg's institution at Hofwyl. A circle is composed of ten boys, and at

its head is a guardian. "Monitors,"

and "classes" are words discarded at Tottenham, and a "jury court" is established to administer punish

ments.

The "rewards and punishments" at Bruce Castle partake of the character of the whole system. We are told at the outset, that when a lad requires a flogging, and will not get on without it, Mr. Hill and his five resident teachers request the boy's friends to withdraw him from their charge. Their school is not the place for such an individual."

"Hobs! Bobs! and buttercups!" we could not help exclaiming, as we read this consummate specimen of nonsensical palaver. We are told in that book which is all wisdom, that "he who spareth the rod spoileth the child ;" and our houses of parliament, our bar, our church, our medical schools, our colleges and universities, can shew thousands of lads who will acknowledge that to the floggings of their boyish days they owe much of their present love of order, obedience, and truth.

In this republican establishment there is a class of "purists," who are expected to report on themselves, record their own faults, and praise their own good doings. These young chaps are called "Franks;" and to be very frank with them, we cannot conceive of a worse course than that pursued, if frankness of character be really desired.

But we now arrive at the regulations of the school, with regard to boxing matches and pugilistic combats; or, to adopt the phraseology of Bruce Castle, "affairs of honour." We cannot dare to deprive our readers of even one line of this portion of the Sketch before us :

"One of our regulations may appear, at first sight, to be somewhat at variance with our other principles. We can assure our friends, however, that its results prove the contrary. The regula tion to which we refer is this: WE ALLOW, under certain restrictions, that absurd mode of deciding affairs of honour' which is so common among boys in general; and which we cannot reasonably expect to see wholly eradicated in them, so long as their elders set an example of folly, similar in kind, but infinitely worse in degree

་

It is

now sixteen years since it was rendered penal for any one (except an officer appointed for that purpose) to be present at a battle. It was further ordered that no battle should take place except after a notice of six hours, and a payment of marks.

By these regulations, time is given for the passions to cool, an oppor tunity is afforded for effecting a reconciliation, and a complete check is put on the desire for display, often the sole cause of the disturbance. We consider the effect on the minds of the spectators is the worst part of the transaction."

This is, in our opinion, the most deplorable portion of the whole system. The only excuse for pugilism is momentary excitement; but here is a system which allows of six hours to intervene between the injury committed and the deliberate warfare; which admits of notice of fighting, the payment of marks, and even the appointment of an officer to superintend the conflict.

But we must draw our reviews to a conclusion.

There are two modes of education pursued by those who profess to enlist among the public instructors of

the youthful mind; and by their results, rather than by their names, we judge them.

The one mode produces good boys and great men; the other mode supplies us with bad and swaggering boys, and ignorant and little men. The one mode, or system, is based on morals and religion; the other on the miserable schemes of appealing to the judgments and hearts, forsooth! of young rebels at a boarding-school. The one produces such men as Bacon, Hale, Locke, Newton, or Scott, Eldon, and Wellington; the other supplies us with demagogues in the senate, sharpers in trade, quibblers at the bar, charlatans in medicine, and Manchester conventionists in divinity. The lads of the Christian and oldfashioned school of hard study and sound learning are respectful to their teachers, boyish in their habits, youthful in their conduct, and tractable and artless in their lives; whilst, on the other hand, the freeand-easy system of schooling supplies us with many such boys as the one who, when asked by his mother whether he would like a glass of port wine or one of sherry, replied, " rll take a glass or two of sherry first, and then stick to port for the rest of the evening."

If the authors of the concise view were not old and incorrigible offenders in Radical teaching, we might venture to give them some advice; but with twenty years' sins on their heads, we should expect to hear them say, "You waste your time,-piscem natare doces."

shares to a pretty good profit, went abroad speaking every thing that was evil both of the Company and the director.

Mr. Highmore now became secretary and actuary, Mr. Abednego was first clerk, and your humble servant was second in the office at a salary

of 2001. a-year.

How unfounded

were Mr. Roundhand's aspersions of the West Diddlesex appeared quite clearly at our meeting in January 1823, when our chief director, in one of the most brilliant speeches ever heard, declared that the half-yearly dividend was 47. per cent, at the rate of 81. per cent per annum, and I sent to my aunt 1207. sterling as the amount of the interest of the stock in my name.

My excellent aunt, Mrs. Hoggarty, delighted beyond measure, sent me back 107. for my own pocket, and asked me if she had not better sell Slopperton and Squashtail, and invest all her money in this admirable

concern.

On this point I could not surely do better than ask the opinion of Mr. Brough. Mr. B. told me that shares could not be had, but at a premium ; but on my representing that I knew of 5000l. worth in the market at par, he said-Well, if so, he would take a fair price for his, and would not mind disposing of 5000l. worth, as he had rather a glut of West Diddlesex shares, and his other concerns wanted feeding with ready money. At the end of our conversation, of which I promised to report the purport to Mrs. Hoggarty, the director was so kind as to say that he had determined on creating a place of private secretary to the managing director, and that I should hold that office with an additional salary of 501.

I had 250l. a-year, Miss Smith had 707. per annum to her fortune. What had I said should be my line of conduct whenever I could realise 3007. a-year?

Gus of course, and all the gents in our office through him, knew of my engagement with Mary Smith. Her father had been a commander in the navy and a very distinguished officer; and though Mary, as I have said, only brought me a fortune of 70l. a-year, and I, as every body said, in my present position in the office and the city of London, might have reasonably looked out for a lady with much more money; yet my friends agreed that the connexion was very respectable, and I was content, as who would not have been with such a darling as Mary? I am sure, for my part, I would not have taken the lord mayor's own

daughter in place of Mary with a plumb to her fortune.

Mr. Brough, of course, was made aware of my approaching marriage, as of every thing else relating to every clerk in the office; and I do believe Abednego told him what we had for dinner every day. Indeed, his knowledge of our affairs was wonderful.

He asked me how Mary's money was invested. It was in the three per cent consols-23331. 6s. 8d.

"Remember," says he, "my lad, Mrs. Sam Titmarsh that is to be may have seven per cent for her money at the very least, and on better security than the Bank of England: for is not a company of which John Brough is the head better than any other company in England?" And to be sure I thought he was not far wrong, and promised to speak to Mary's guardians on the subject before our marriage. Lieutenant Smith, her grandfather, had been at the first very much averse to our union. (I must confess that one day finding me alone with her, and kissing, I believe, the tips of her little fingers, he had taken me by the collar and turned me out of doors.) But Sam Titmarsh, with a salary of 250l., a promised fortune of 150l. more, and the right-hand man of John Brough of London, was a very different man from Sam the poor clerk, and the poor clergyman's widow's son; and the old gentleman wrote me a kind letter enough, and begged me to get him six pairs of lamb's-wool stockings and four ditto waistcoats from Romanis', and accepted them too as a present from me when I went down in June-in happy June of 1823— to fetch my dear Mary away.

Mr. Brough was likewise kindly anxious about my aunt's Slopperton and Squashtail property, which she had not as yet sold, as she talked of doing; and, as Mr. B. represented, it was a sin and a shame that any person in whom he took such interest, as he did in all the relatives of his dear young friend, should only have three per cent for her money, when she could have eight elsewhere. He always called me Sam now, praised me to the other young men (who brought the praises regularly to me), said there was a cover always laid for me at Fulham, and repeat

edly took me thither. There was but little company when I went; and Mac Whirter used to say he only asked me on days when he had his vulgar acquaintances. But I did not care for the great people, not being born in their sphere; and, indeed, did not much care for going to the house at all. Miss Belinda was not at all to my liking. After her engagement with Captain Fizgig, and after Mr. Tidd had paid his 20,000l., and Fizgig's great relations had joined in some of our director's companies, Mr. Brough declared he believed that Captain Fizgig's views were mercenary, and put him to the proof at once, by saying that he must take Miss Brough without a farthing, or not have her at all. Whereupon Captain Fizgig got an appointment in the colonies, and Miss Brough became more ill-humoured than ever. But I could not help thinking she was rid of a bad bargain, and pitying poor Tidd, who came back to the charge again more love-sick than ever, and was rebuffed pitilessly by Miss Belinda. Her father plainly told Tidd, too, that his visits were disagreeable to Belinda, and though he must always love and value him, he begged him to discontinue his calls at the Rookery. Poor fellow! he had paid his 20,000l. away for nothing! for what was six per cent to him compared to six per cent and the hand of Miss Belinda Brough?

Well, Mr. Brough pitied the poor love-sick swain, as he called me, so much, and felt such a warm sympathy in my well-being, that he insisted on my going down to Somersetshire with a couple of months' leave and away I went, as happy as a lark, with a couple of bran new suits from Von Stiltz's in my trunk (1 had them made, looking forward to a certain event), and inside the trunk Lieutenant Smith's fleecy hosiery, wrapping up a parcel of our prospectuses and two letters from John Brough, Esq., to my mother, our worthy annuitant, and to Mrs. Hoggarty, our excellent shareholder. Mr. Brough said, I was all that the fondest father could wish, that he considered me as his own boy, and that he earnestly begged Mrs. Hoggarty not to delay the sale of her little landed property, as land was high now and must fall, as the West

Diddlesex Association shares were (comparatively) low, and must inevitably, in the course of a year or two, double, treble, quadruple their present value.

In this way I was prepared, and in this way I took leave of my dear Gus. As we parted in the yard of the Bolt-in-Tun, Fleet Street, I felt that I never should go back to Salisbury Square again, and had made my little present to the landlady's family accordingly. She said I was the respectablest gentleman she had ever had in her house: nor was that saying much, for Bell Lane is in the rules of the Fleet, and her lodgers used commonly to be prisoners on rule from that place. As for Gus, the poor fellow cried and blubbered so that he could not eat a morsel of the muffins and grilled ham with which I treated him for breakfast in the Bolt-in-Tun coffeehouse; and when I went away was waving his hat and his handkerchief so in the archway of the coach-office, that I do believe the wheels of the True Blue went over his toes, for I heard him roaring as we passed through the arch. Ah! how different were my feelings as I sat proudly there on the box by the side of Sim Ward, the coachman, to those I had the last time I mounted that coach, parting from my dear Mary and coming to London with my DIAMOND-PIN!

When arrived near home (at Grumpley, three miles from our village, where the True Blue generally stops to take a glass of ale at the Poppleton Arms) it was as if our member, Mr. Poppleton himself, was come into the country, so great was the concourse of people assembled round the inn. And there was the landlord of the inn and all the people of the village. Then there was Tom Wheeler, the post-boy from Mrs. Rincer's posting-hotel in our town, and he was riding on the old bay posters, and they, Heaven bless us! were drawing my aunt's yellow chariot in which she never went out but thrice in a year, and in which she sat in her splendid cashmere shawl and a new hat and feather. She wayed a white handkerchief out of the window, and Tom Wheeler shouted out huzza, as did a number of the little blackguard boys of Grumpley, who, to be sure, would