atter subjected to constant motion gets heated, as we all know. Now
young Whirligig's skull is but scantily furnished with brain matter,
and it would be wise of him to keep it still. This he seems to be
incapable of doing. He is for ever jerking and shaking it, churning the
contents in fact. The churn heated, hot vapors are generated; they
expand, the pressure is too great, they must escape--they force an
outlet--hence the cracks.--Q.E.D.

* * * * *

If you want to see the good average English schoolboy in all his glory,
make him write out a rule of French grammar, and tell him to illustrate
it with an example.

Nine times out of ten his example will illustrate the contrary to the
rule.

He has heard over and over again, for instance, that a French past
participle, conjugated with the auxiliary _avoir_, sometimes agrees
with its direct object and sometimes does not. This he thinks very hard
upon him. Funny temper these past participles have! You never know when
they will agree. It is not fair, now, is it? By consulting his grammar,
he would be enabled to satisfy his master. But he does not do that. He
trusts to his luck, and has a shot. After all, his chance is 50 per
cent. He generally fails to hit.

Is he not a most unlucky little creature?

Ask this boy to give you the French for "this woman is good," he will
answer you: "_Bonne est cette femme_." He has heard that _bon_ was one
of those few adjectives that have to be placed before the noun, and
that is very unfair to him, isn't it?

* * * * *

If you set an exercise to English boys, to be written out on the spot,
they all set off quickly, the question being, as they look at one
another:

"Who shall have finished first?"

This I hold to be due to the influence of athletics.

"Please, sir, I've done!" will exclaim the winner triumphantly, as he
looks at the rest of the class still busy scratching their paper.

You generally like to know what boys intend to be, in order to direct
your attention more specially to the subjects they will require to be
grounded in for such or such an examination.

Most boys from twelve to fourteen years old will tell you "they do not
know," when you ask them what they will be. Many of them are undecided,
many indifferent; some are shy, and afraid you will think it conceited
of them to believe they are fit to be one day doctors, officers,
barr