names were called over; but it left one with a three-hour space in the afternoon, when we could go exactly where we would.  The saints’ days and certain anniversaries were whole holidays, and we were free from morning to night.  Then there was a delightful room, the old school library, now destroyed, where we could go and read; and many an hour did I spend there looking vaguely into endless books.  I well remember seeing the present Lord Curzon and one of the Wallops standing by the fireplace there, and discussing some political question, and how amazed I was at the profundity of their knowledge and the dignity of their language.

But in many ways it was a very isolated life; for a long time I hardly knew any boys, except just the dozen or so who entered the place with me.  I knew no boys at other houses, except a few in my school division, and never did more than exchange a few words with them.  One never thought of speaking to a casual boy, unless one knew him; and there are many men whom I have since known well who were in the school with me, and with whom I never exchanged a syllable.

Though there was a master in college, who read evening prayers, gave leaves and allowances, and was consulted on matters of business, he had practically nothing to do with the discipline.  That was all in the hands of the sixth form, who kept order, put up notices, and were allowed not only to cane but to set lines.  No one ever thought of appealing to the master against them, and their powers were never abused.  But there was very little overt discipline anywhere.  The masters could not inflict corporal punishment.  They could set punishments, and for misbehaviour, or continued idleness, they could send a boy to the headmaster to be flogged.  But the discipline of the place was instinctive, and public opinion was infinitely strong.  One found out by the light of nature what one might do and what one might not, and the dread of being in any way unusual or eccentric was very potent.  There were two or three very ill-governed houses, where things went very wrong indeed behind the scenes; but as far as public order went, it was perfect.  The boys managed their own games and their own affairs; a strong sense of subordination penetrated the whole place, and the old Eton aphorism, that a boy learned to know his place and to keep it, held good without any sense of coercion or constraint.

I do not think that the educational system was a good one.  In my days there was little taught besides classics and mathematics and divinity.  There was a little French and science and history; but the core of the whole thing was undiluted classics.  We did a good deal of composition, Greek and Latin, and the Latin verses were exercises out of which I got much real enjoyment, and some of the pride of authorship.  But it was possible to be very idle, and to get much contraband help in work from other boys.  Most of the school work consisted of repetition,