trust to laymen (the
Mercers' Company), as tenants of his father, rather than to an
ecclesiastical foundation, he answered, "that there was no absolute
certainty in human affairs, but, for his part, he found less corruption
in such a body of citizens than in any other order or degree of
mankind."

Erasmus, after describing the foundation and the school, which he calls
"a magnificent structure, to which were attached two dwelling-houses for
the masters," proceeds to say, "He divided the school into four
chambers. The first--namely, the porch and entrance--in which the
chaplain teaches, where no child is to be admitted who cannot read and
write; the second apartment is for those who are taught by the
under-master; the third is for the boys of the upper form, taught by the
high master. These two parts of the school are divided by a curtain, to
be drawn at will. Over the headmaster's chair is an image of the boy
Jesus, a beautiful work, in the gesture of teaching, whom all the
scholars, going and departing, salute with a hymn. There is a
representation of God the Father, also, saying, 'Hear ye him,' which
words were written at my suggestion."

"The last apartment is a little chapel for divine service. In the whole
school there are no corners or hiding-places; neither a dining nor a
sleeping place. Each boy has his own place, one above another. Every
class or form contains sixteen boys, and he that is at the head of a
class has a little seat, by way of pre-eminence."

Erasmus, who took a great interest in St. Paul's School, drew up a
grammar, and other elementary books of value, for his friend Colet, who
had for one of his masters William Lily, "the model of grammarians."
Colet's masters were always to be married men.

The school thus described shared in the Great Fire of 1666, and was
rebuilt by the Mercers' Company in 1670. This second structure was
superseded by the present edifice, designed and erected by George Smith,
Esq., the architect of the Mercers' Company. It has the advantage of two
additional masters' houses, and a large cloister for a playground
underneath the school.

On occasions of the sovereigns of England, or other royal or
distinguished persons, going in state through the City, a balcony is
erected in front of this building, whence addresses from the school are
presented to the illustrious visitors by the head boys. The origin of
this right or custom of the Paulines is not known, but it is of some