avenge! The
iron endurance which they had gained in many a bloodless contest, stood
them in good stead there, when all their manhood was needed, if ever it
was; and over those that nobly died there, methinks that I can see the
Genius of England weep bitter tears, and thus speak with deep
self-reproach:--"Ah! sons of mine! loved and early lost! ye whom I could
not teach, whom no one in all my broad lands could teach, how to unite
the virtuous, wise and holy soul, together with the soul joyous and
free! Alas! for me, that ye had to die, before I could know how noble ye
were! that your cold bodies, fallen on the field, wounds all in front,
and none behind, would be so many poor dumb mouths to tell me of the
untold wealth which I have in my children, those very ones who too often
are nought but shame and grief to me!" Dear, noble old England! if God
will teach her this wisdom, her old heart will beat on bravely for a
thousand years to come.

The preponderance of the animal, the bodily element, produces fast young
men; and fast young men, and boys tending to become such, are the
problem of society, the terror of the peace-loving, money-making world,
and the scandal of the Educator, as he himself feels well enough his own
impotence in dealing with them.

I have seen many an Educator who has felt that he ought to get at these
young rebellious forces, but who does not know the way, and despairingly
wonders why he cannot do so. Friend! I would say, no man can influence
another, unless he has something akin to Him. What do you think gives
these blacklegs, men of not a tithe of your force and talent, such power
over them? Why, it is community of nature, interests in common. But what
interests have you in common with a fast young man? You know nothing
that he knows, you admire nothing that he admires; and until you do
really get a community of interest with him, you will be wide asunder as
the poles, and the fast young man will remain, as he has hitherto
remained, the one disgraceful problem which modern education cannot
solve.

If an educator or college tutor wishes to influence this class of his
scholars, or if a clergyman wishes to gain the souls of this part of his
congregation, the one most difficult to deal with, let him join with
them in some manly game, and let him assuredly know that whatever true
manhood he has will stand him in good stead, and nothing else: nothing
but real vital religion, real nobleness of character