nd that the boy who came to the front
was not always the distinguished scholar or the famous athlete, but the
industrious, trustworthy, kindly, generous, public-spirited boy. This he
said with deep emotion, as though it were rather a daring and unexpected
statement, but discerned by a vigilant candour; and all this with the
air that he was testifying faithfully to the true values of life, and
sweeping aside with a courageous hand the false glow and glamour of
the world. We did not like to applaud at this, but we made a subdued
drumming with our heels, and uttered a sort of murmurous assent to a
noble and far from obvious proposition.

But here again I felt that the thing was somehow not quite as
high-minded as it seemed. The goal designated was, after all, the goal
of success. It was not suggested that the unrewarded and self-denying
life was perhaps the noblest. The point was to come to the front
somehow, and it was only indicating a sort of waiting game for the boys
who were conscious neither of intellectual nor athletic capacity. It was
a sort of false socialism, this pretence of moral equality, a kind of
consolation prize that was thus emphasised. And I felt that here again
the assumption was an untrue one. That is the worst of life, if one
examines it closely, that it is by no means wholly run on moral lines.
It is strength that is rewarded, rather than good desires. The Bishop
seemed to have forgotten the ancient maxim that prosperity is the
blessing of the Old Testament, and affliction the blessing of the
New. These qualities that were going to produce ultimate
success--conscientiousness, generosity, modesty, public spirit--they
are, after all, as much gifts as any other gifts of intellect and bodily
skill. How often has one seen boys who are immodest, idle, frivolous,
mean-spirited, and ungenerous attain to the opposite virtues? Not often,
I confess. Who does not know of abundant instances of boys who have
been selfish, worthless, grasping, unprincipled, who have yet achieved
success intellectually and athletically, and have also done well for
themselves, amassed money, and obtained positions for themselves in
after life. Looking back on my own school days, I cannot honestly say
that the prizes of life have fallen to the pure-minded, affectionate,
high-principled boys. The boys I remember who have achieved conspicuous
success in the world have been hard-hearted, prudent, honourable
characters with a certain supe