Six,—Mr. David Sharp, in your number of July Intl, refers
to the " social retrogression " by which boys in certain boarding-schools are now performing " menial tasks," such as making their own beds, cleaning their own shoes, and perhaps even peeling potatoes for the cook. The only thing wrong about this, to my mind, is the peeling of the potatoes, which had better be cooked (and I expect are cooked) in their jackets. He asks us to admit that " this generation of boys is being cheated of its book-learning" in this way. One would suppose that the book-learning occupied most of their fifteen waking hours—instead of an average of four to six! In Parliament and else- where there are people—not a few—who wish to abolish the public schools, as the homes of privilege and snobbery. Mr. Sharp's letter, if taken seriously, will give them just the text they want.—Yours, &c., House of Commons. A. V. HILL. [We have received many other letters to the same effect.—En., The Spectator.]
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