Efficiency in Latin composition, especially verse, and learning lines by heart, were (unfortunately for me) the surest means of rising in the School. Four days a week we had to write a short copy of verses of from four to six lines on a set subject; this was called a “Vulgus,” and was always written on half a quarter of a sheet of foolscap, (“a Vessel of Paper.”) Once a week, one of from ten to twenty, a “Verse Task,” (written on a quarter of foolscap;) and, once a week, also a “Prose Task.” We were always excused (“had Remission from”) Vulgus when the next day was a Saint’s-day; and if one fell on a Wednesday or Friday, our verse or prose task for the day previous was remitted. Præfects and Senior part also were encouraged to write, once or twice in the half-year, a copy of verses on any subject selected by themselves, which was called a “Voluntary.” From time to time, also, they had to write Latin criticisms on Greek plays, and the other boys to write an analysis of some historical work; these productions were called “Gatherings,” (or “Gags.”) In the last week but one of “Long Half,” all the boys, except those in Sixth Book and Senior part, had to say a number of lines; this was called ”Standing-up Week,” concerning which and “Election Week,” (the last week of the same half,) I will treat hereafter.
Flogging was not excessively frequent, and by no means severe. The rod consisted of a wooden handle about two feet and a half long, with four grooves at one end, into which were inserted four apple twigs; these branched off from the handle at so considerable an angle, that not more than one could touch the space of skin exposed,—about a hand’s-breadth of the small of the back, the waistcoat of the victim being raised to the necessary height. To obviate this to a certain extent, the “Rod-maker”—one of the Juniors charged with the care of these implements—had to twist them together so as to form one combined stick; generally, however, they separated after the second cut. I am told that these twigs are now cut so as to lie in a straight line with the rod, without any angle, which is a very disadvantageous change for the floggee. The ordinary punishment consisted of four cuts, and was called “a Scrubbing.” The individual who was to be punished was told “to order his name,” which he did by going to the Ostiarius, and requesting him to do so; that officer accordingly, at the end of School time, would take his name to the Master, who would then call it out, and the victim had to kneel down at Senior row, while two Juniors laid bare the regulation space of his back. The first time a boy’s name was ordered, the punishment was remitted on his pleading “Primum tempus.” For a more serious breach of duty, a flogging of six cuts (a “Bibler”) was administered, in which case the culprit had to “order his name to the Bible Clerk,” and that individual, with the help of Ostiarius, performed the office of Jack Ketch. If a boy was detected in a lie, or any very disgraceful proceeding,—a rare occurrence, I am happy to say,—he had to stand up in the centre of Junior row during the whole of the School time, immediately preceding the infliction of the flogging; this pillory process was called a “Bibler under the nail.” I have also heard, that for a very heinous offence a boy might be punished in Sixth Chamber, in which case the number of stripes was not limited; but I never knew an instance of this.
On one first of April, an impertinent boy undertook to make an April fool of the Doctor, and accordingly marched boldly up to his throne, and told him that he had torn his gown; and, on the rent not being found visible to the naked eye, suggested that it was the 1st of April; upon which he was told to order his name to the Bible Clerk. When Middle School was over, the Doctor put on his trencher cap, and called out, “Pincher, Bible Clerk, and Ostiarius!” (which meant that Pincher was to advance to receive his deserts, and the others to assist as masters of the ceremonies.) At the moment that the culprit was expecting to feel the sting of the apple-twigs across his backbone, the Doctor threw down the rods, saying, “Who is the fool now?” and was walking out of School, when the undaunted Pincher jumped up, and ejaculated, “It’s past twelve, Sir!”
Ordinary offences of a trifling character, such as being late for Chapel, or “Shirking Hills,” (v.i.,) were punished by the infliction of an imposition,—generally thirty lines of Virgil, English and Latin. I think I must have written out the Æneids of Virgil and Odes of Horace half-a-dozen times during my sojourn at Winchester. Indeed, being naturally of a prudent disposition, whenever I had nothing particular to do, I used to write out a few lines, and thus gradually became possessed of a small capital of a thousand lines or so, on which I could draw at any pressing emergency.
If a boy had occasion to speak to a Master, and while he was up at books, the correct thing was to keep his gown buttoned at the top; and if he wished to go out of School, he wrote his name on a slip of paper, (or “Roll,”) with the following sentence:—“Ostiarii veniâ potitus, tuam pariter exeundi petit;” he then asked leave of the Ostiarius to “put up his roll,” which being granted, he deposited it on the Master’s desk, and made his exit. When a Præfect wanted to go out, he went to a corner Scob near the door, and “scraped” with his feet until he attracted the Master’s attention, and obtained a nod of consent. At one particular time of the year, (I think it was during Saturday evening School in Easter week,) two Commoners and one College Inferior might collectively scrape out together. Only about half-a-dozen boys were allowed to be out at one time; but I have known some steal out on the sly, without any preliminary formality. On a fine summer afternoon, the Doctor might accidentally cast his eye over School, and observing that it had rather a deserted expression, would send out the Bible Clerk and Ostiarius to make a foray in Meads, who would presently return with a flock of truants; it being impossible to flog such a number, it was usual to make them “cut in a book,”[7] to settle which half-a-dozen should be distinguished in this manner.
SCHOOL.
The educational system at Winchester is, I believe, most excellent, and turns out a very superior article in many cases. I am sorry that I cannot point to myself as a brilliant example. When I was in Junior part, I was under a Master who used to curb my ascending energies by making me always stand up junior, and not allowing me “to take up” even when we went up to the Doctor for our monthly examination. He used also to employ the following method of repressing any little eccentricities on my part; he would call me up to the side of his desk, and putting his hand affectionately on my shoulder, mildly remonstrate with me, gradually his hand would creep up, and a finger entwine itself in the hair above and a little in front of my ear, and he would impress on me the more salient points of his lecture by a steady screw of the finger. This treatment ultimately became very tiresome; so one day, just as the screw-powder was being laid on, I emitted a yell, that made the Doctor bound again in his chair, and brought every boy in the school on his legs. After this my hair was allowed to curl naturally. In the middle of the half year this Master left, and his place was filled by another. The reader will be as much surprised as I was, when he hears that at the end of that half I got the books! If any one doubts the fact, I can show them the volume in question, with a statement in it endorsed by his Grace the late Duke of Buckingham, that my morals were excellent, and my habits of application most praiseworthy. I was accordingly promoted into Middle part, and when the next half year I proudly ascended to my new position, I had visions of a fellowship at New College, and a shadowy notion of the woolsack in futurity. Neither of these fancies, however, have yet been accomplished. If it were not that owing to the inclemency of the season this autumn, the grapes are so very backward, I should be inclined to make some remarks touching the former disappointment.
My new Master unfortunately thought that I was incorrigibly idle, and in my Latin verses and lines showed me no mercy. I struggled hard for a year, (oh, the many hours that I have sat up in bed and paced up and down School, trying to drive the requisite number of lines into my head for the next morning’s repetition,) and after that his opinion gradually became more correct. Unfortunately for me, our places were always marked every morning immediately after the repetition of lines; and as I invariably went to the bottom then, it mattered little how much I had risen previously, and I was “Semper (always) Classicus;” and so if I had remained at Winchester, I should have been to the present day.
I must also admit that I was not strong in Latin verse. I remember writing a copy once that I thought was beyond criticism, and was much disgusted when I found that the Master thought that “pius Æneas” was not a suitable termination to an Hexameter line. I was not, however, alone in this want of true poetic feeling. My worthy friend Podder one day produced the following Pentameter:—