themselves in front of the
schoolmaster's desk, half a dozen scarecrows, out at knees and elbows, one
of whom placed a torn and filthy book beneath his learned eye.

"This is the first class in English spelling and philosophy, Nickleby,"
said Squeers, beckoning Nicholas to stand beside him. "We'll get up a
Latin one, and hand that over to you. Now, then, where's the first boy?"

10. "Please, sir, he's cleaning the back parlor window," said the
temporary head of the philosophical class.

"So he is, to be sure," rejoined Squeers. "We go upon the practical mode
of teaching, Nickleby; the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean,
verb active, to make bright, to scour. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, der, winder, a
casement. When the boy knows this out of book, he goes and does it. It's
just the same principle as the use of the globes. Where's the second boy?"

11. "Please, sir, he is weeding the garden," replied a small voice.

"To be sure," said Squeers, by no means disconcerted, "so he is. B-o-t,
bot, t-i-n, tin, n-e-y, ney, bottinney, noun substantive, a knowledge of
plants. When he has learned that bottinney means a knowledge of plants,
he goes and knows 'em. That's our system, Nickleby: what do you think of
it?"

"It's a very useful one, at any rate," answered Nicholas, significantly.

12. "I believe you," rejoined Squeers, not remarking the emphasis of his
usher. "Third boy, what's a horse?"

"A beast, sir," replied the boy.

"So it is," said Squeers. "Ain't it, Nickleby?"

"I believe there is no doubt of that, sir," answered Nicholas.

"Of course there is n't," said Squeers. "A horse is a quadruped, and
quadruped's Latin for beast, as everybody that's gone through the grammar
knows, or else where's the use of having grammars at all?"

"Where, indeed!" said Nicholas, abstractedly.

13. "As you're perfect in that," resumed Squeers, turning to the boy, "go
and look after my horse, and rub him down well, or I'll rub you down. The
rest of the class go and draw water up till somebody tells you to leave
off, for it's washing day to-morrow, and they want the coppers filled."

DEFINITIONS.--1. Fus'tian, a kind of cotton stuff, including corduroy,
velveteen, etc. 2. Re-solved', made clear, disentangled. 4.
De-form'i-ties, misshapen persons. Stunt'ed, checked in growth. Mea'ger,
thin, lean. 5. Gro-tesque' (pro. gro-tesk'), fanciful, absurd.
Ad-min'is-tered, gave, dispensed. In-stall'ment (literally, part of a
debt), par