The Project Gutenberg eBook, Public School Life, by Alec Waugh

Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See [ https://archive.org/details/publicschoollife00waug]

PUBLIC SCHOOL LIFE

COUNTRIES OF THE MIND
Middleton Murry
Demy 8vo. 10s. 6d. net
IBSEN AND HIS CREATION
Professor Janko Lavrin
Cr. 8vo. 7s. 6d. net
THE RETURN
Walter de la Mare
Cr. 8vo. 7s. 6d. net

PUBLIC
SCHOOL LIFE

BOYS PARENTS MASTERS

by

ALEC WAUGH

Author of 'The Loom of Youth,' 'Pleasure,' etc.

LONDON: 48 PALL MALL
W. COLLINS SONS & CO. LTD.
GLASGOW MELBOURNE AUCKLAND

Copyright, 1922

Manufactured in Great Britain

A DEDICATORY LETTER TO
ARNOLD LUNN

December 6, 1921:

My Dear Arnold,—It was with genuine surprise that I read the other day, while turning over the pages of The Harrovians, the date 1913 upon the title-page. Only eight years ago, and since then so much has happened. What a long while it seems since The Harrovians was the most borrowed book in the house, and we passed the hours of evening hall, that should have been spent in the study of irregular verbs, in eager discussions on your book. It was a revelation to us—we schoolboys of 1913. It explained us to ourselves. We thought then that the last word on the subject had been said.

But one can never say the last word on such a subject as the Public Schools, especially in a novel. In a novel one is constrained to tell a story or to reveal a character. In The Harrovians you dealt with the Public School System only in as far as it effected the development of Peter, and in Loose Ends you found yourself equally fettered with regard to Maurice. It is for this reason that I feel there is still room for a book such as this, which, though a narrative, has for its object simply the analysis and presentation of public school life. At any rate I hope that you may think, when you come to read it, that it was worth doing. If you do not, well then at least here is your name after the title-page in grateful tribute to many pleasant hours spent in the company of yourself and of your books, and in the hope of many more such hours.

For their sake, if not for its own sake, please accept this book, and believe me,

As ever, your sincere friend,
Alec Waugh.