The Lords had on Monday night a long and amusing
discussion -on the Report on Public Schools, generally very unfavourable to -reform. Almost every proposal was resisted by somebody or other, Lord de Roe even objecting to any interference with fagging, because he had repeatedly blacked the shoes of the present Arch- bishop of Canterbury, and was sure it had done him- good. He should continue such a profitable practice. Everybody went in strongly for Greek iambics, Lord Lyttelton among others evidently, being very desirous of quoting a few. Lord Derby uttered a few .yery much needed words on the danger of scattering boys' atten- tion. oven too many subjects—the ruin of private schools—but there was a consensus only upon one point. French ought to be taught regularly. As to the rest, the general idea seemed to be that the curriculum had much better be let alone, as it probably will be. Add history to French, and the -Peers' floating idea of the way to perfect Eton will, we think, be realized ; but the Lyceums for the middle class, when we get them, must not be exactly Etons.
Previous page
