Now that the fruit of so much learning has to be gathered, it is discovered that there is actually no fruit to gather; that, in order to be eligible even for the contest of these competitive examinations, a young man who has been at school for years has to learn the very rudiments of necessary knowledge, and must cram himself in a few months, and at a dire expenditure of money and health, in those very subjects that he has so long been nominally studying.
In how few schools are writing, English composition, arithmetic, geography, or modern languages thoroughly taught? And yet these are the very subjects absolutely essential for a candidate in a competitive examination.
Then again, with regard to those who study hard. How many and how sad are the cases where the student has broken down physically, because due care had not been taken of the bodily health, while the brain had been unduly taxed?
There are, doubtless, exceptional instances of genius so marvellous that work comes easily both to mind and body. These are the men who become eventually our great statesmen, our great lawyers; but these mighty ones are the exception, not the rule. Few, indeed, are they whose talents and whose powers enable them to overcome every difficulty.
For the most part the learned student sinks into a frail and over-sensitive man, whose weak physical strength breaks down under a too severe mental strain. Often, indeed, it does so on the very eve of victory.
One of the most touching, and yet one of the truest and most vivid pictures ever given to us by that great writer Bulwer, is the sorrowful story in "Pelham" of the gentle and learned scholar, a student so skilled in book learning that he had distanced all his compeers of the day, and yet so feeble in health, so deficient in what is called common-sense, that he was incapable of ruling his own household, or of coping with the every-day affairs of life.
Surely there must be some means by which those appointed to rule can exercise a discreet supervision over the boys and young men entrusted to their care. A supervision which, while not entrenching on their liberty, will yet lead into right ways those who are entering on the varied and dangerous paths of life.
Some wise writer has said: "More education is effected during the amusements of youth than is gained by all the studies to which teachers give such zealous care."
Now, in most places where boys are being trained, it seems a point of honour that out of school the masters shall never interfere, nor, indeed, in most cases do they appear.
Besides the practices of olden times already mentioned the ancient custom called "Moots" must not be forgotten.