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tutor for youths preparing for the Universities。 There he
remained for ten yearshappy； busy； and sufficiently prosperous。
Occupied chiefly with his pupils； he nevertheless devoted much of
his energy to wider interests。 He delivered a series of sermons
in the parish church； and he began to write a History of Rome； in
the hope； as he said； that its tone might be such 'that the
strictest of what is called the Evangelical party would not
object to putting it into the hands of their children'。 His views
on the religious and political condition of the country began to
crystallise。 He was alarmed by the 'want of Christian principle
in the literature of the day'； looking forward anxiously to 'the
approach of a greater struggle between good and evil than the
world has yet seen'； and； after a serious conversation with Dr。
Whately； began to conceive the necessity of considerable
alterations in the Church Establishment。
All who knew him during these years were profoundly impressed by
the earnestness of his religious convictions and feelings； which；
as one observer said； 'were ever bursting forth'。 It was
impossible to disregard his 'deep consciousness of the invisible
world' and 'the peculiar feeling of love and adoration which he
entertained towards our Lord Jesus Christ'。 'His manner of awful
reverence when speaking of God or of the Scriptures' was
particularly striking。 'No one could know him even a little；'
said another friend； 'and not be struck by his absolute wrestling
with evil； so that like St。 Paul； he seemed to be battling with
the wicked one； and yet with a feeling of God's help on his
side。'
Such was the man who； at the age of thirty…three； became
headmaster of Rugby。 His outward appearance was the index of his
inward character； everything about him denoted energy；
earnestness； and the best intentions。 His legs； perhaps； were
shorter than they should have been； but the sturdy athletic
frame； especially when it was swathed （as it usually was） in the
flowing robes of a Doctor of Divinity； was full of an imposing
vigour； and his head； set decisively upon the collar； stock； and
bands of ecclesiastical tradition； clearly belonged to a person
of eminence。 The thick； dark clusters of his hair； his bushy
eyebrows and curling whiskers； his straight nose and bulky chin；
his firm and upward…curving lower lipall these revealed a
temperament of ardour and determination。 His eyes were bright and
large； they were also obviously honest。 And yetwhy was it？ Was
it in the lines of the mouth or the frown on the forehead？it
was hard to say； but it was unmistakablethere was a slightly
puzzled look upon the face of Dr。 Arnold。
And certainly； if he was to fulfil the prophecy of the Provost of
Oriel； the task before him was sufficiently perplexing。 The
public schools of those days were still virgin forests； untouched
by the hand of reform。 Keate was still reigning at Eton； and we
possess； in the records of his pupils； a picture of the public
school education of the early nineteenth century； in its most
characteristic state。 It was a system of anarchy tempered by
despotism。 Hundreds of boys； herded together in miscellaneous
boarding…houses； or in that grim 'Long Chamber' at whose name in
after years aged statesmen and warriors would turn pale； lived；
badgered and overawed by the furious incursions of an irascible
little old man carrying a bundle of birch…twigs； a life in which
licensed barbarism was mingled with the daily and hourly study of
the niceties of Ovidian verse。 It was a life of freedom and
terror； of prosody and rebellion； of interminable floggings and
appalling practical jokes。 Keate ruled； unaidedfor the
undermasters were few and of no accountby sheer force of
character。 But there were times when even that indomitable will
was overwhelmed by the flood of lawlessness。 Every Sunday
afternoon he attempted to read sermons to the whole school
assembled； and every Sunday afternoon the whole school assembled
shouted him down。 The scenes in Chapel were far from edifying；
while some antique Fellow doddered in the pulpit； rats would be
let loose to scurry among the legs of the exploding boys。 But
next morning the hand of discipline would reassert itself； and
the savage ritual of the whipping…block would remind a batch of
whimpering children that； though sins against man and God might
be forgiven them； a false quantity could only be expiated in
tears and blood。
From two sides this system of education was beginning to be
assailed by the awakening public opinion of the upper middle
classes。 On the one hand； there was a desire for a more liberal
curriculum； on the other； there was a demand for a higher moral
tone。 The growing utilitarianism of the age viewed with
impatience a course of instruction which excluded every branch of
knowledge except classical philology； while its growing
respectability was shocked by such a spectacle of disorder and
brutality as was afforded by the Eton of Keate。 'The public
schools；' said the Rev。 Mr。 Bowdler； 'are the very seats and
nurseries of vice。'
Dr。 Arnold agreed。 He was convinced of the necessity for reform。
But it was only natural that to one of his temperament and
education it should have been the moral rather than the
intellectual side of the question which impressed itself upon his
mind。 Doubtless it was important to teach boys something more
than the bleak rigidities of the ancient tongues； but how much
more important to instil into them the elements of character and
the principles of conduct！ His great object； throughout his
career at Rugby； was； as he repeatedly said； to 'make the school
a place of really Christian education'。 To introduce 'a religious
principle into education'； was his 'most earnest wish'； he wrote
to a friend when he first became headmaster； 'but to do this
would be to succeed beyond all my hopes； it would be a happiness
so great； that； I think； the world would yield me nothing
comparable to it'。 And he was constantly impressing these
sentiments upon his pupils。 'What I have often said before；' he
told them； 'I repeat now： what we must look for here is； first；
religious and moral principle； secondly； gentlemanly conduct；
andthirdly； intellectual ability。'
There can be no doubt that Dr。 Arnold's point of view was shared
by the great mass of English parents。 They cared very little for
classical scholarship； no doubt they would be pleased to find
that their sons were being instructed in history or in French；
but their real hopes； their real wishes； were of a very different
kind。 'Shall I tell him to mind his work； and say he's sent to
school to make himself a good scholar？' meditated old Squire
Brown when he was sending off Tom for the first time to Rugby。
'Well； but he isn't sent to school for thatat any rate； not for
that mainly。 I don't care a straw for Greek particles； or the
digamma； no more does his mother。 What is he sent to school for？
。。。 If he'll only turn out a brave； helpful； truth…telling
Englishman； and a Christian； that's all I want。'
That was all； and it was that that Dr。 Arnold set himself to
accomplish。 But how was he to achieve his end？ Was he to improve
the character of his pupils by gradually spreading around them an
atmosphere of cultivation and intelligence？ By bringing them into
close and friendly contact with civilised men； and even； perhaps；
with civilised women？ By introducing into the life of his school
all that he could of the humane； enlightened； and progressive
elements in the life of the community？ On the whole； he thought
not。 Such considerations left him cold； and he preferred to be
guided by the general laws of Providence。 It only remained to
discover what those general laws were。 He consulted the Old
Testament； and could doubt no longer。 He would apply to his
scholars； as he himself explained to them in one of his sermons；
'the principle which seemed to him to have been adopted in the
training of the childhood of the human race itself'。 He would
treat the boys at Rugby as Jehovah had treated the Chosen People：
he would found a theocracy； and there should be judges in Israel。
For this purpose； the system； prevalent in most of the public
schools of the day； by which the elder boys were deputed to keep
order in the class…rooms； lay ready to Dr。 Arnold's hand。 He
found the Praepostor a mere disciplinary convenience； and he
converted him into an organ of government。 Every boy in the Sixth
Form became ipso facto a Praepostor； with powers extending over
every department of school life； and the Sixth Form as a body was
erected into an authority responsible to the headmaster； and to
the headmaster alone； for the internal management of the school。
This was the means by which Dr。 Arnold hoped to turn Rugby into
'a place of really Christian education'。 The boys were to work
out their own salvation； like the human r