Of useful rods the living store;
Birch is for youth the needful kind,
Nought but stiff oak brings age to mind.
It was prescribed by a royal ukase that a number of strong soldiers should be chosen from the Guards Regiment, one of whom, lash in hand, should be present in each room during the lessons; and should one of the pupils misbehave, he was to be lashed, irrespective of his rank or family. But neither rods nor lashes could knock learning into their heads; both young and old learnt badly. Sometimes in moments of despair they would sing, “the Song of Babylon.” The older ones, their voices hoarse with excessive drink, would start:
We with school life can’t agree,
The use of rods is far too free.
The shriller young voices chimed in:—
Sorry and sad
Is every lad.
then both high and low would join in the chorus.