Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-08-25

ailoat. The proportions Of the iu.-
posture are SO gigantic that they affect
honest simple folk with veneration.
like some sculptured deity in Elcphan-
Ia. Look at the prices; two hundred
and fifty pounds a year for child at
Eton two hundred at Harrow a hum
dred and fifty pounds at Rugby. There
are more Than fifteen hundred bows at
those three schools-manv of them
maintained there with extreme diff
Guilty. How many Of their fathers.
think Won. will ever see their money
back can tell you to Il nicely. Thir.
~ seven and half. sir, exactly. That
Is the proportion of those boys wbo
| obtain fellowships at the uni, ersity.'
but in other ways: Z" pleaded House
wife
There is no other way, sir. hy which
a classical education can enable lad
to rcccup himself Scholarships are
mere noihings. They are the insight
dcant prizes by which the conductor,
of this huge lottery lure the public IN
to their tolls: the fortunate drawers
get little back Of their own money.
and that is aiI. y
well, didn't get . scholarship
myself" said Housewife. modcsily :"
but always understood it WAS =
great as-istauc, 10 a iai. Sixty
pounds year is nice little sum"--
"les; especially when YOU have
/ subscribed One hundred ant iillN
/ pounds per annum tur ten years for
! the chance of getting it. Now. what
did You get, ny dear sir, ont Of this
wellmeant legacy Of your excellent
/ parent-out of this tir-t-rate education
for which he paid such a fancy price 2
well. upon my life" said House
wifc. lit is rather difficult to say.
There is nothing tangible on which
one can lay ones finger. We must con
Y slider the indirect advantages"
I'VE must. indeed replied the Pro-
! fcs,or dryly you mean The civiiiziug
/ effect, AMI the immense assistance
which the knowledge OF the dead Ian
guagc- afford, ia the study of modern
+, tongues"
That's il" cried Housewife, de-
ligh,edly: its the Tone and the
4 Roots
lets take them il their proper
order, my good sir. did YOU get the
roots Z"
Housewife moved uncasiIy in his
chair. .'les. of course did." said hc
dOggedly.
"lou were then among the most
fortunate" said the Professor. cy"iag
him keenly. The proportion Of those
who come from the pubic schools with
any real phlological"-
II don't know exactly what you
medn by the roofs interposed House
wife. pcevishly.
''it was your own expression. my
COOL sir. not mine. am quite sure
You don't know what you mean by il !;
and the possession of 1.-The tone" ouIht.
| think--ifyon will forgive me for say
ing so-to have preven ed you imply
my that lon did. There il no occasion
for blush. however there is certain
magnanimity in your attempted dc
leDce of a system under which you
have suffered pillage. which 1 admire.
Never foul your own nest Is Il
honely British proverb which has
proved the bulwark of many rotten
institution. In consequence of it. the
assault has alwal to be made b, out
,iders who, OF course, contend at II
disadvantage"
"You are an outsider yourself"
observed Housewife, grimly.
"lfyou mean anything. my good sir.
by that observation" said the Pro-
lessor quietly, '..you mean TO imply
that ny parents were not rich enough
TO send me to Eton. yonr observation
is just. My education cost me alto
gether-I was brought ap at free
school i'll Scotland-about six-and-
thirty pounds"
''And yet you know everything !.
calculated Mrs. Housewife wnh as
constituent.
IL believe l know everything, mad
am, except heraldry." observed the
Professor modestly land that | don't
want 10 know. The simple fact Is,
that no man learns anything who viii
not teach himself. Now, 10 give the
devil his due, the whole system of
classical education is built upon the
idea that it will enable persons TO do
this. don't say whether that idea is
right or wrong; what l do affirm is,
that not one boy out of twenty is the
least likely to avail himself Of such an
| advantage. Not one boy out of twenty
leaves u public school with any real
knowledge OF the subject on which he
has wasted his time, aud his father his
money. To the multitude. Greek and
Latin will always be caUiare the study
VI grammar Is ioathsome to q healthy
mind And as for the attractive force
Of tue beauties Of classical literature.
| am certain that, il an introduction
to Shakespeare himself was to reward
his exertlOns, it would not excite the
ordinary boy one whit. What do you
know, my good sir, for instance, or
care, about Plato or Eschylus! Even
Of Horace, what is left to you, after
all your fathers mistaken pains on
your behalf, but few state quota
tiOns!
Our host was silent tickling the
knobs OF ice in the tumbler with his
| straw.
Il am sure my husband would ne'-el
have had such gentlemanly manners
unless he had been at Eton," said Mrs.
Housewife resolutely.
I'VE cannot tell how much of that is
due to the ameliorating influences Of