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Arnold's active mind was diverted from political and theological
speculations to the study of philology； and to historical
composition。 His Roman History； which he regarded as 'the chief
monument of his historical fame'； was based partly upon the
researches of Niebuhr； and partly upon an aversion to Gibbon。 'My
highest ambition；' he wrote； 'is to make my history the very
reverse of Gibbon in this respect； that whereas the whole spirit
of his work； from its low morality； is hostile to religion；
without speaking directly against it； so my greatest desire would
be； in my History； by its high morals and its general tone； to be
of use to the cause without actually bringing it forward。' These
efforts were rewarded； in 1841； by the Professorship of Modern
History at Oxford。 Meanwhile； he was engaged in the study of the
Sanskrit and Slavonic languages； bringing out an elaborate
edition of Thucydides； and carrying on a voluminous
correspondence upon a multitude of topics with a large circle of
men of learning。 At his death； his published works； composed
during such intervals as he could spare from the management of a
great public school； filled； besides a large number of pamphlets
and articles； no less than seventeen volumes。 It was no wonder
that Carlyle； after a visit to Rugby； should have characterised
Dr。 Arnold as a man of 'unhasting； unresting diligence'。
Mrs。 Arnold； too； no doubt agreed with Carlyle。 During the first
eight years of their married life； she bore him six children； and
four more were to follow。 In this large and growing domestic
circle his hours of relaxation were spent。 There those who had
only known him in his professional capacity were surprised to
find him displaying the tenderness and jocosity of a parent。 The
dignified and stern headmaster was actually seen to dandle
infants and to caracole upon the hearthrug on all fours。 Yet； we
are told； 'the sense of his authority as a father was never lost
in his playfulness as a companion'。 On more serious occasions；
the voice of the spiritual teacher sometimes made itself heard。
An intimate friend described how 'on a comparison having been
made in his family circle； which seemed to place St。 Paul above
St。 John；' the tears rushed to the Doctor's eyes and how；
repeating one of the verses from St。 John； he begged that the
comparison might never again be made。 The longer holidays were
spent in Westmorland； where； rambling with his offspring among
the mountains； gathering wild flowers； and pointing out the
beauties of Nature； Dr。 Arnold enjoyed； as he himself would often
say； 'an almost awful happiness'。 Music he did not appreciate；
though he occasionally desired his eldest boy； Matthew； to sing
him the Confirmation Hymn of Dr。 Hinds； to which he had become
endeared； owing to its use in Rugby Chapel。 But his lack of ear
was； he considered； amply recompensed by his love of flowers：
'they are my music；' he declared。 Yet； in such a matter； he was
careful to refrain from an excess of feeling； such as； in his
opinion； marked the famous lines of Wordsworth：
'To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do
often lie too deep for tears。'
He found the sentiment morbid。 'Life；' he said； 'is not long
enough to take such intense interest in objects in themselves so
little。' As for the animal world； his feelings towards it were of
a very different cast。 'The whole subject；' he said； 'of the
brute creation is to me one of such painful mystery； that I dare
not approach it。' The Unitarians themselves were a less
distressing thought。
Once or twice he found time to visit the Continent； and the
letters and journals recording in minute detail his reflections
and impressions in France or Italy show us that Dr。 Arnold
preserved； in spite of the distractions of foreign scenes and
foreign manners； his accustomed habits of mind。 Taking very
little interest in works of art； he was occasionally moved by the
beauty of natural objects； but his principal preoccupation
remained with the moral aspects of things。 From this point of
view； he found much to reprehend in the conduct of his own
countrymen。 'I fear；' he wrote； 'that our countrymen who live
abroad are not in the best possible moral state； however much
they may do in science or literature。' And this was unfortunate；
because 'a thorough English gentlemanChristian； manly； and
enlightenedis more； I believe； than Guizot or Sismondi could
comprehend； it is a finer specimen of human nature than any other
country； I believe； could furnish'。 Nevertheless； our travellers
would imitate foreign customs without discrimination； 'as in the
absurd habit of not eating fish with a knife； borrowed from the
French； who do it because they have no knives fit for use'。
Places； no less than people； aroused similar reflections。 By
Pompeii； Dr。 Arnold was not particularly impressed。 'There is
only；' he observed； 'the same sort of interest with which one
would see the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah； but indeed there is
less。 One is not authorised to ascribe so solemn a character to
the destruction of Pompeii。' The lake of Como moved him more
profoundly。 As he gazed upon the overwhelming beauty around him；
he thought of 'moral evil'； and was appalled by the contrast。
'May the sense of moral evil'； he prayed； 'be as strong in me as
my delight in external beauty； for in a deep sense of moral evil；
more perhaps than in anything else； abides a saving knowledge of
God！'
His prayer was answered： Dr。 Arnold was never in any danger of
losing his sense of moral evil。 If the landscapes of Italy only
served to remind him of it； how could he forget it among the boys
at Rugby School？ The daily sight of so many young creatures in
the hands of the Evil One filled him with agitated grief。 'When
the spring and activity of youth；' he wrote； 'is altogether
unsanctified by anything pure and elevated in its desires； it
becomes a spectacle that is as dizzying and almost more morally
distressing than the shouts and gambols of a set of lunatics。'
One thing struck him as particularly strange： 'It is very
startling；' he said； 'to see so much of sin combined with so
little of sorrow。' The naughtiest boys positively seemed to enjoy
themselves most。 There were moments when he almost lost faith in
his whole system of education； when he began to doubt whether
some far more radical reforms than any he had attempted might not
be necessary； before the multitude of children under his charge
shouting and gambolling； and yet plunged all the while deep in
moral evil could ever be transformed into a set of Christian
gentlemen。 But then he remembered his general principles； the
conduct of Jehovah with the Chosen People； and the childhood of
the human race。 No； it was for him to make himself； as one of his
pupils afterwards described him； in the words of Bacon； 'kin to
God in spirit'； he would rule the school majestically from on
high。 He would deliver a series of sermons analysing 'the six
vices' by which 'great schools were corrupted； and changed from
the likeness of God's temple to that of a den of thieves'。 He
would exhort； he would denounce； he would sweep through the
corridors； he would turn the pages of Facciolati's Lexicon more
imposingly than ever； and the rest he would leave to the
Praepostors in the Sixth Form。
Upon the boys in the Sixth Form； indeed； a strange burden would
seem to have fallen。 Dr。 Arnold himself was very well aware of
this。 'I cannot deny；' he told them in a sermon； 'that you have
an anxious duty a duty which some might suppose was too heavy
for your years'； and every term he pointed out to them； in a
short address； the responsibilities of their position； and
impressed upon them 'the enormous influence' they possessed 'for
good or for evil'。 Nevertheless most youths of seventeen； in
spite of the warnings of their elders； have a singular trick of
carrying moral burdens lightly。 The Doctor might preach and look
grave； but young Brooke was ready enough to preside at a fight
behind the Chapel； though he was in the Sixth； and knew that
fighting was against the rules。 At their best； it may be supposed
that the Praepostors administered a kind of barbaric justice； but
they were not always at their best； and the pages of 〃Tom Brown's
Schooldays〃 show us what was no doubt the normal condition of
affairs under Dr。 Arnold； when the boys in the Sixth Form were
weak or brutal； and the blackguard Flashman； in the intervals of
swigging brandy…punch with his boon companions； amused himself by
toasting fags before the fire。
But there was an exceptional kind of boy； upon whom the high…
pitched exhortations of Dr。 Arnold produced a very different
effect。 A minority of susceptible and serious youths fell
completely under his sway； responded like wax to the pressure of
his influence； and moulded their whole lives with passionate
reverence upon the teachi