It must be owned that only the more generous spirits—­the nobler sort—­were attracted by the Polytechnics.  They were a first selection from the mass.  Of these, again, another selection was made—­those few who studied the things which at first sight appeared to be least useful.  Everyone who knew a craft could see the wisdom of acquiring perfection in his trade; everyone who was a clerk, or who hoped to become a clerk, could see the advantage of learning shorthand, book-keeping, French and German.  What did that boy aim at who studied Latin, Greek, and Mathematics, matriculated and took his degree at the London University, then an examining body only?  Why did he learn time things?  He did not learn them, remember, in the perfunctory way in which a public-school boy generally works through his subjects; he learned as if he meant to know these subjects; he devoured his books; he tore the heart out of them; he compelled them to give up their secrets.  He had everything to get for himself, while the public-school boy had everything given to him.

When it was done, when he had acquired as much knowledge as any average boy from the best public school, when he had read in the Poly Reading Room all that there was to read, what was he to do?  For when he looked about him he saw, stretching before him, fair and stately, the long avenues which led to distinction; but before each there was a toll-gate, and at the gate stood a man, saying, ’Pay me first a thousand pounds.  Then, and not till then, you shall enter.’

Alas! and he had not a sixpence—­he, or his parents.  And so perforce he must stand aside, while other lads, without his intellect and courage, paid the money, and were admitted.

There was but one outlet.  He might become a journalist.  He had learned shorthand, a necessary accomplishment; therefore, he got an appointment as reporter and general hand on a country paper.  Such a youth in these years of which we write was uncommon, but he very soon became much more common.  The charm of learning was discovered by one lad after another.  The chance of exchanging the craftsman’s work for the scholar’s work, never thought of before, fired the brains of hundreds first, and thousands afterward.  Then began a rage for learning.  All those who had abilities even mediocre tried to escape their lot by working at the higher subjects.  It was reproached to the Polytechnics that their original purpose, to bring the boys together for common discipline and orderly recreation, and to train them in their crafts, was departed from, and that all their energies were now devoted to turning working lads into classical scholars, mathematicians, logicians, and historians.