in a narrow space, and often in animated, not to say violent action.

As I have stated above, the substitute for fagging was the system of monitors. Having been a monitor in my house most of my time, I can answer for the failure of the system. It was quite powerless to prevent an immense amount of cruelty and worse wickedness. The elder boys did fag. So far the

system failed, and so far good was done. But the louts, the brutes, the strong ruffians, fagged too, and that with a wanton cruelty far beyond what would have been possible under legitimate fagging. It really was as if sheep and wolves had been forced into the same fold, under the idea that the sheep would acquire the art of self-defence, and the wolves learn to pity and to spare. I have admitted that the spontaneous fermentation of this mass was working towards a cure. But it was by sending away the lambs sorely wounded, and the wolves no tamer than they had come.

The masters must have found the selection of 'monitors' no easy task. These officers were really irresponsible. Whether they exceeded or fell short, there was no eye to observe it. Russell would not choose bullies for the part, but he had to beware of the passive sort, as being really the worse of the two.

I give an instance of what a bully would do, blessed with a little brief authority. He had to see that all the boys at his table had washed their hands before dinner. They had taken their places, and as he passed down behind them they had to turn and show their hands. The son of a Cabinet minister

had arrived only a few days before-a handsome, wellgrown fellow, not wanting in courage or presence of mind. But he was evidently suffering a temporary prostration of spirit, upon finding himself sitting on a deal bench, at a narrow table, among little boys, to simple fare. Upon the approach of the monitor— sub-monitor I should say he showed the palms of his hands. Show the backs,' the fellow said, and immediately hit him a severe blow on his knuckles with a hard ruler. I shall never forget the new-comer's scream of astonishment and indignation. It must have been his first experience of the kind. It was a gross abuse of authority, and as he had been nursed. on authority, he would not know how to deal with it. But, à propos of the said washing. There was no such thing as total ablution in the school. This was left to the Saturday outings. Many of the boys frequented for this purpose the Bagnio, in a narrow lane leading northward out of Newgate Street, believed to have been built, after Wren's plans, in the reign of Charles II. I also frequented a floating-bath off Blackfriars Bridge,' Peerless Pool,' and other baths. But even good sort of fellows would sometimes draw up their coat-sleeves and show with much merriment what was called 'high-water mark'-that is, the sharply defined line of dirt left on the wrist by a mere manual ablution. Very soon after my time baths were introduced at Charterhouse, the first of several improvements one hardly ventured to wish for in my time.

One thing I must say, leaving others to explain it if they can. Though we were right in the heart of the metropolis; though we lived in the midst of cess

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pools; though we were packed the long winter days thirty in a room which was only a good-sized diningroom, and almost as closely in the night; though when the elders went to bed, only an hour and a half after the youngers, already they found the air of the bedroom that of a pest-house; though ventilation was unheard of; though our school hours were lengthened beyond any measure of physical endurance; though we heard and smelt Smithfield, then one mass of filth; though our diet was rather for hardy rustics than for tender sprigs of gentility; though during the long winter evenings the big boys roasted themselves at a blazing fire, and the little boys sat shivering near an ever-gaping doorway; and though the one specific for all complaints was the 'black draught '-yet we were healthy. I do not remember a single fever or epidemic to take away a single boy for a day from the school.

For myself, I may say that I certainly gained in health and strength there. I had been weak, puny, and ailing till I went to Charterhouse, insomuch that from a very early age my next younger brother had been taller and stronger. He retained that advantage over me, but I did not now lose more ground. We all knew and felt the place to be healthy, and many of us accepted implicitly the current belief that the atmosphere of that region was sweetened by the breath of the cattle coming to Smithfield.

On the other hand I must say that a survey of the many careers that have come under my notice leaves no doubt in my mind that the whole régime there tended to impair vitality and to shorten life. There was mischief in it to the nervous system, to

the heart, and to the brain, and this mischief was most suffered by those who most loyally submitted to Russell's peculiar method of instruction.

CHAPTER LXI.

HOW WE AMUSED OURSELVES.

How did we amuse ourselves? That is, how did we pass the long outdoor hours in summer, and longer indoor hours in winter? With the Green and the Wilderness added to it, we had eight or nine acres ; but, in spite of annual attempts to produce turf, the ground was hard and gravelly. We were surrounded by walls in which were still some old doorways and other traces of the Carthusian Monastery. When it was possible, cricket was played on every variety of scale, from the full number of bigger fellows to the two little fellows in some corner alternately batter and bowler. Football was not so elaborately regulated a game it is now, or quite so savage a game it is now. It was not thought necessary to the sport that there should be a serious casualty every day. But there were a good many broken skins, for most of the fellows had iron tips to their very strong shoes, and some freely boasted of giving more than they took. On two sides of the old Green there were lofty rough walls, but no regular fives or tennis-court. Our walks were round and round the Green. Hareand-hounds could be played by little boys, so as they

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kept off the ground occupied by more serious sports. Hoops came and went. First came single hoops; then no one could show himself unless he were driving a pair. Then they all disappeared in a day.

They who chose to use the empty Long Room for the purpose played at battledore and shuttlecock, which they kept up to a tedious length. I remember the Cabinet minister's son telling us that his father and Canning had kept up twelve hundred in a gallery at Windsor Castle. Skipping came in After a little practice many of us achieved two revolutions of the rope in one skip. Hobhouse, flinging his arms and legs about as if he had been caught by a whirlwind, declared that he had passed the rope three times under his heels at one ascent from the ground, and charged us all with being in conspiracy because we could count no more than two.

Of course there was betting on the races. Cards we were not allowed; but we had dominoes, and the young diplomatist taught us how to play trente et un with them. We could win and lose a good deal at it. I've not the least idea now how it was done. I won near two pounds from a fellow, and forgave him the debt. The next term he won up to a pound from me, and made me pay to the uttermost farthing This sickened me of gambling in any form. have never made a bet, or speculated in any kind or degree, since. This I say not as thinking it a sin in those who can make it their business, and give adequate attention to it, and keep within prudent bounds. I could not ever have observed these con

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