ommencement; but Arnold was ready with other means no less
effectual for engaging their thoughts. He opened out to them at once "fresh
fields and pastures new," in the domain of knowledge; he established
periodical examinations, at which (if a tolerable proficiency in the regular
studies was displayed) a boy might offer to be examined in books on any
subject he might prefer, and prizes were awarded accordingly. The offer was
eagerly seized; modern history, biography, travels, fiction, poetry, were
sought after; the habit of general reading was created, and a new
intellectual activity pervaded the school. The writer well remembers the
effect produced on him when he heard that Arnold had lent one of the boys
Humphrey Clinker, to illustrate a passage in his theme. He felt from that
time forth that the keys of knowledge were confided to him, and, in proof of
this, his own little library, and those in the "studies" of many of his
neighbours, shortly doubled their numbers. French, German, and mathematics,
were encouraged by forming distinct classes on these subjects, and by
conferring for high standing in them some of the privileges as to exemption
from fagging, which previously had only attached to a similar standing in
classics. Modern history was also introduced as a recognised branch of
school study. The advantage of this was, that many of the boys, who, from
deficient early training or peculiar turn of mind, were unable to bring
themselves to proficiency in the regular Latin and Greek course of the
school, and consequently were idle and listless, found other and more
congenial paths in which intelligence and application would still meet with
their reward.

By these simple means, now generally adopted in classical schools, but up to
that time supposed to be incompatible with high accomplishments in classical
learning, the standard of intelligence and information was incalculably
raised, and the school, as a place of education in its wider sense, became
infinitely more efficient.

We should have stated that Dr. Arnold's skill as a teacher was unrivalled; he
imparted a living interest to all he touched, to be attributed mainly to his
habit of illustrating ancient events by "modern instances." Thus, Thucydides
and Napier were compared almost page by page; thus the "High Church party" of
the Jews was pointed to as a type of "the Tories." By means of his favourite
topic, physical geography, he sought to bring the actua