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his influence； and moulded their whole lives with passionate
reverence upon the teaching of their adored master。 Conspicuous
among these was Arthur Clough。 Having been sent to Rugby at the
age of ten； he quickly entered into every phase of school life；
though； we are told； 'a weakness in his ankles prevented him from
taking a prominent part in the games of the place'。 At the age of
sixteen； he was in the Sixth Form； and not merely a Praepostor；
but head of the School House。 Never did Dr。 Arnold have an apter
pupil。 This earnest adolescent； with the weak ankles and the
solemn face； lived entirely with the highest ends in view。 He
thought of nothing but moral good； moral evil； moral influence；
and moral responsibility。 Some of his early letters have been
preserved； and they reveal both the intensity with which he felt
the importance of his own position； and the strange stress of
spirit under which he laboured。 'I have been in one continued
state of excitement for at least the last three years；' he wrote
when he was not yet seventeen； 'and now comes the time of
exhaustion。' But he did not allow himself to rest； and a few
months later he was writing to a schoolfellow as follows： 'I
verily believe my whole being is soaked through with the wishing
and hoping and striving to do the school good； or rather to keep
it up and hinder it from falling in this； I do think； very
critical time； so that my cares and affections and conversations；
thoughts； words； and deeds look to that in voluntarily。 I am
afraid you will be inclined to think this 〃cant〃 and I am
conscious that even one's truest feelings； if very frequently put
out in the light； do make a bad and disagreeable appearance； but
this； however； is true； and even if I am carrying it too far； I
do not think it has made me really forgetful of my personal
friends； such as； in particular； Gell and Burbidge and Walrond；
and yourself； my dear Simpkinson 。'
Perhaps it was not surprising that a young man brought up in such
an atmosphere； should have fallen a prey at Oxford； to the
frenzies of religious controversy； that he should have been
driven almost out of his wits by the ratiocinations of W。 G。
Ward； that he should have lost his faith； that he should have
spent the rest of his existence lamenting that loss； both in
prose and verse； and that he should have eventually succumbed；
conscientiously doing up brown paper parcels for Florence
Nightingale。
In the earlier years of his headmastership Dr。 Arnold had to face
a good deal of opposition。 His advanced religious views were
disliked； and there were many parents to whom his system of
school government did not commend itself。 But in time this
hostility melted away。 Succeeding generations of favourite pupils
began to spread his fame through the Universities。 At Oxford
especially； men were profoundly impressed by the pious aims of
the boys from Rugby。 It was a new thing to see undergraduates
going to Chapel more often than they were obliged； and visiting
the good poor。 Their reverent admiration for Dr。 Arnold was no
less remarkable。 Whenever two of his old pupils met； they joined
in his praises； and the sight of his picture had been known to
call forth； from one who had not even reached the Sixth；
exclamations of rapture lasting for ten minutes and filling with
astonishment the young men from other schools who happened to be
present。
He became a celebrity； he became at last a great man。 Rugby
prospered； its numbers rose higher than ever before； and； after
thirteen years as headmaster； Dr。 Arnold began to feel that his
work there was accomplished； and that he might look forward
either to other labours or； perhaps； to a dignified retirement。
But it was not to be。
His father had died suddenly at the age of fifty…three from
angina pectoris； and he himself was haunted by forebodings of an
early death。 To be snatched away without a warning； to come in a
moment from the seductions of this World to the presence of
Eternity his most ordinary actions； the most casual remarks；
served to keep him in remembrance of that dreadful possibility。
When one of his little boys clapped his hands at the thought of
the approaching holidays； the Doctor gently checked him； and
repeated the story of his own early childhood； how his own father
had made him read aloud a sermon on the text 'Boast not thyself
of tomorrow〃； and how； within the week； his father was dead。 On
the title page of his MS。 volume of sermons； he was always
careful to write the date of its commencement； leaving a blank
for that of its completion。 One of his children asked him the
meaning of this。 'It is one of the most solemn things I do；' he
replied； 'to write the beginning of that sentence； and think that
I may perhaps not live to finish it。'
It was noticed that in the spring of 1842 such thoughts seemed to
be even more frequently in his mind than usual。 He was only in
his forty…seventh year； but he dwelt darkly on the fragility of
human existence。 Towards the end of May； he began to keep a
diarya private memorandum of his intimate communings with the
Almighty。 Here； evening after evening； in the traditional
language of religious devotion； he humbled himself before God；
prayed for strength and purity； and threw himself upon the mercy
of the Most High。 'Another day and another month succeed'； he
wrote on May 31st。 'May God keep my mind and heart fixed on Him；
and cleanse me from all sin。 I would wish to keep a watch over my
tongue； as to vehement speaking and censuring of others。。。I would
desire to remember my latter end to which I am approaching。。。 May
God keep me in the hour of death； through Jesus Christ； and
preserve me from every fear； as well as from presumption。' On
June 2nd he wrote； 'Again the day is over and I am going to rest。
Oh Lord； preserve me this night； and strengthen me to bear
whatever Thou shalt see fit to lay on me； whether pain； sickness；
danger； or distress。' On Sunday； June 5th； the reading of the
newspaper aroused 'painful and solemn' reflections。。。 'So much of
sin and so much of suffering in the world； as are there
displayed； and no one seems able to remedy either。 And then the
thought of my own private life； so full of comforts； is very
startling。' He was puzzled； but he concluded with a prayer： 'May
I be kept humble and zealous； and may God give me grace to labour
in my generation for the good of my brethren and for His Glory！'
The end of the term was approaching； and to all appearance the
Doctor was in excellent spirits。 On June 11th； after a hard day's
work； he spent the evening with a friend in the discussion of
various topics upon which he often touched in his conversation
the comparison of the art of medicine in barbarous and civilised
ages； the philological importance of provincial vocabularies； and
the threatening prospect of the moral condition of the United
States。 Left alone； he turned to his diary。 'The day after
tomorrow；' he wrote； 'is my birthday； if I am permitted to live
to see it my forty…seventh birthday since my birth。 How large a
portion of my life on earth is already passed！ And then what is
to follow this life？ How visibly my outward work seems
contracting and softening away into the gentler employments of
old age。 In one sense how nearly can I now say； 〃Vivi〃。 And I
thank God that； as far as ambition is concerned； it is； I trust；
fully mortified； I have no desire other than to step back from my
present place in the world； and not to rise to a higher。 Still
there are works which； with God's permission； I would do before
the night cometh。' Dr。 Arnold was thinking of his great work on
Church and State。
Early next morning he awoke with a sharp pain in his chest。 The
pain increasing； a physician was sent for； and in the meantime
Mrs。 Arnold read aloud to her husband the Fifty…first Psalm。 Upon
one of their boys coming into the room； 'My son； thank God for
me；' said Dr。 Arnold； and as the boy did not at once catch his
meaning； he added； 'Thank God； Tom； for giving me this pain； I
have suffered so little pain in my life that I feel it is very
good for me。 Now God has given it to me； and I do so thank Him
for it。' Then Mrs。 Arnold read from the Prayer…book the
'Visitation of the Sick'； her husband listening with deep
attention； and assenting with an emphatic 'Yes' at the end of
many of the sentences。 When the physician arrived； he perceived
at once the gravity of the case： it was an attack of angina
pectoris。 He began to prepare some laudanum； while Mrs。 Arnold
went out to fetch the children。 All at once； as the medical man
was bending over his glasses； there was a rattle from the bed； a
convulsive struggle followed； and； when the unhappy woman； with
the children； and all the servants； rushed into the room； Dr。
Arnold had passed from his perplexities forever。
There can be little doubt that what he had achieved jus