he have thought if the magistrate had refused to
protect him, on the ground that if such cases were
brought before him he might have fifty a-day from
one town only?

"Now I agree with you that a constant supervision
of the master is not desirable or possible--and
that telling tales, or constantly referring to the
master for protection, would only produce ill-will
and worse treatment.

"If I rightly understand your book, it is an
effort to improve the condition of schools by
improving the tone of morality and public opinion
in them. But your book contains the most
indubitable proofs that the condition of the
younger boys at public schools, except under the
rare dictatorship of an Old Brooke, is one of
great hardship and suffering.

"A timid and nervous boy is from morning till
night in a state of bodily fear. He is constantly
tormented when trying to learn his lessons. His
play-hours are occupied in fagging, in a horrid
funk of cricket-balls and footballs, and the
violent sport of creatures who, to him, are
giants. He goes to his bed in fear and
trembling,--worse than the reality of the rough
treatment to which he is perhaps subjected.

"I believe there is only one complete remedy. It
is not in magisterial supervision; nor in telling
tales; nor in raising the tone of public opinion
among school-boys--but in the _separation of boys_
of _different ages into different schools_.

"There should be at least _three_ different
classes of schools--the first for boys from nine
to twelve; the second for boys from twelve to
fifteen; the third for those above fifteen. And
these schools should be in different localities.

"There ought to be a certain amount of supervision
by the master at those times when there are
special occasions for bullying, _e.g._ in the long
winter evenings, and when the boys are congregated
together in the bedrooms. Surely it cannot be an
impossibility to keep order, and protect the weak
at such times. Whatever evils might arise from
supervision, they could hardly be greater