he old
School-house, Rugby. Haven't I a right to do it, when I'm taking all
the trouble of writing this true history for all of your benefits? If
you aren't satisfied, go and write the history of your own houses in
your own times, and say all you know for your own schools and houses,
provided it's true, and I'll read it without abusing you.

The last few words hit the audience in their weakest place; they had
been not altogether enthusiastic at several parts of old Brooke's
speech; but "the best house of the best School of England," was too
much for them all, and carried even the sporting and drinking
interests off their legs into rapturous applause, and (it is to be
hoped) resolutions to lead a new life and remember old Brooke's words;
which, however, they didn't altogether do, as will appear hereafter.

But it required all old Brooke's popularity to carry down parts of his
speech: especially that relating to the Doctor. For there are no such
bigoted holders by established forms and customs, be they never so
foolish or meaningless, as English schoolboys, at least the schoolboys
of our generation. We magnified into heroes every boy who had left,
and looked upon him with awe and reverence, when he revisited the
place a year or so afterwards, on his way to or from Oxford or
Cambridge; and happy was the boy who remembered him, and sure of an
audience as he expounded what he used to do and say, though it were
sad enough stuff to make angels, not to say head-masters, weep.

"THE DOCTOR" AND HIS WORKS.

We looked upon every trumpery little custom and habit which had
obtained in the School as though it had been a law of the Medes and
Persians,[17] and regarded the infringement or variation of it a sort
of sacrilege. And the Doctor, than whom no man or boy had a stronger
liking for old school customs, which were good and sensible, had, as
has already been hinted, come into most decided collision with several
which were neither the one nor the other. And as old Brooke had said,
when he came into collision with boys or customs, there was nothing
for them but to give in or take themselves off; because what he said
had to be done, and no mistake about it. And this was beginning to be
pretty clearly understood; the boys felt that there was a strong man
over them, who would have things his own way; and hadn't yet learned
that he was a wise and loving man also. His personal character and
influence had not had time to make itself