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Arnold had passed from his perplexities forever。
There can be little doubt that what he had achieved justified the
prediction of the Provost of Oriel that he would 'change the face
of education all through the public schools of England'。 It is
true that； so far as the actual machinery of education was
concerned； Dr。 Arnold not only failed to effect a change； but
deliberately adhered to the old system。 The monastic and literary
conceptions of education； which had their roots in the Middle
Ages； and had been accepted and strengthened at the revival of
Learning； he adopted almost without hesitation。 Under him； the
public school remained； in essentials； a conventional
establishment； devoted to the teaching of Greek and Latin
grammar。 Had he set on foot reforms in these directions； it seems
probable that he might have succeeded in carrying the parents of
England with him。 The moment was ripe； there was a general desire
for educational changes； and Dr。 Arnold's great reputation could
hardly have been resisted。 As it was； he threw the whole weight
of his influence into the opposite scale； and the ancient system
became more firmly established than ever。
The changes which he did effect were of a very different nature。
By introducing morals and religion into his scheme of education；
he altered the whole atmosphere of public…school life。
Henceforward the old rough…and…tumble； which was typified by the
regime of Keate at Eton； became impossible。 After Dr。 Arnold； no
public school could venture to ignore the virtues of
respectability。 Again； by his introduction of the prefectorial
system； Dr。 Arnold produced far…reaching effectseffects which
he himself； perhaps； would have found perplexing。 In his day；
when the school hours were over； the boys were free to enjoy
themselves as they liked； to bathe； to fish； to ramble for long
afternoons in the country； collecting eggs or gathering flowers。
'The taste of the boys at this period；' writes an old Rugbaean
who had been under Arnold； 'leaned strongly towards flowers'。 The
words have an odd look today。 'The modern reader of 〃Tom Brown's
Schooldays〃 searches in vain for any reference to compulsory
games； house colours； or cricket averages。 In those days； when
boys played games they played them for pleasure； but in those
days the prefectorial system the system which hands over the
life of a school to an oligarchy of a dozen youths of seventeen
was still in its infancy； and had not yet borne its fruit。
Teachers and prophets have strange after…histories； and that of
Dr。 Arnold has been no exception。 The earnest enthusiast who
strove to make his pupils Christian gentlemen and who governed
his school according to the principles of the Old Testament； has
proved to be the founder of the worship of athletics and the
worship of good form。 Upon those two poles our public schools
have turned for so long that we have almost come to believe that
such is their essential nature； and that an English public
schoolboy who wears the wrong clothes and takes no interest in
football； is a contradiction in terms。 Yet it was not so before
Dr。 Arnold； will it always be so after him？ We shall see。
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dean Stanley。 Life and Correspondence of Dr Arnold。
Thomas Hughes。 Tom Brown's Schooldays。
Sir H。 Maxwell…Lyte。 History of Eton College。
Wilfrid Ward。 W。 G。 Ward and the Oxford Movement。
H。 Clough。 Letters。 An Old Rugbaean。 Recollections of Rugby。
Thomas Arnold。 Passages in a Wandering Life。
The End of General Gordon
DURING the year 1883 a solitary English gentleman was to be seen；
wandering； with a thick book under his arm； in the neighbourhood
of Jerusalem。 His unassuming figure； short and slight； with its
half…gliding； half…tripping motion； gave him a boyish aspect；
which contrasted； oddly； but not unpleasantly； with the touch of
grey on his hair and whiskers。 There was the same contrast
enigmatic and attractivebetween the sunburnt brick…red
complexionthe hue of the seasoned travellerand the large blue
eyes； with their look of almost childish sincerity。 To the
friendly inquirer； he would explain； in a row； soft； and very
distinct voice； that he was engaged in elucidating four
questionsthe site of the Crucifixion； the line of division
between the tribes of Benjamin and Judah； the identification of
Gideon； and the position of the Garden of Eden。 He was also； he
would add； most anxious to discover the spot where the Ark first
touched ground； after the subsidence of the Flood： he believed；
indeed； that he had solved that problem； as a reference to some
passages in the book which he was carrying would show。
This singular person was General Gordon； and his book was the
Holy Bible。
In such complete retirement from the world and the ways of men；
it might have seemed that a life of inordinate activity had found
at last a longed…for； final peacefulness。 For month after
month； for an entire year； the General lingered by the banks of
the Jordan。 But then the enchantment was suddenly broken。 Once
more adventure claimed him； he plunged into the whirl of high
affairs； his fate was mingled with the frenzies of Empire and the
doom of peoples。 And it was not in peace and rest； but in ruin
and horror； that he reached his end。
The circumstances of that tragic history； so famous； so bitterly
debated； so often and so controversially described； remain full
of suggestion for the curious examiner of the past。 There emerges
from those obscure； unhappy records an interest； not merely
political and historical； but human and dramatic。 One catches a
vision of strange characters； moved by mysterious impulses；
interacting in queer complication； and hurrying at lastso it
almost seemslike creatures in a puppet show to a predestined
catastrophe。 The characters； too； have a charm of their own： they
are curiously English。 What other nation on the face of the earth
could have produced Mr。 Gladstone and Sir Evelyn Baring and Lord
Hartington and General Gordon？ Alike in their emphasis and their
lack of emphasis； in their eccentricity and their
conventionality；
in their matter…of…factness and their romance； these four figures
seem to embody the mingling contradictions of the English spirit。
As for the mise…en…scene； it is perfectly appropriate。 But first；
let us glance at the earlier adventures of the hero of the piece。
Charles George Gordon was born in 1833。 His father； of Highland
and military descent； was himself a Lieutenant…General； his
mother came of a family of merchants； distinguished for their sea
voyages into remote regions of the Globe。 As a boy； Charlie was
remarkable for his high spirits； pluck； and love of mischief。
Destined for the Artillery； he was sent to the Academy at
Woolwich； where some other characteristics made their appearance。
On one occasion； when the cadets had been forbidden to leave the
dining…room and the senior corporal stood with outstretched arms
in the doorway to prevent their exit； Charlie Gordon put his head
down； and； butting the officer in the pit of the stomach；
projected him down a flight of stairs and through a glass door at
the bottom。 For this act of insubordination he was nearly
dismissed while the captain of his company predicted that he
would never make an officer。 A little later； when he was
eighteen； it came to the knowledge of the authorities that
bullying was rife at the Academy。 The new…comers were questioned；
and one of them said that Charlie Gordon had hit him over the
head with a clothes…brush。 He had worked well； and his record was
on the whole a good one； but the authorities took a serious view
of the case； and held back his commission for six months。 It was
owing to this delay that he went into the Royal Engineers；
instead of the Royal Artillery。
He was sent to Pembroke； to work at the erection of
fortifications； and at Pembroke those religious convictions；
which never afterwards left him； first gained a hold upon his
mind。 Under the influence of his sister Augusta and of a 'very
religious captain of the name of Drew'； he began to reflect upon
his sins； look up texts； and hope for salvation。 Though he had
never been confirmed he never was confirmed he took the
sacrament every Sunday； and he eagerly perused the Priceless
Diamond； Scott's Commentaries； and The Remains of the Rev。 R。
McCheyne。 'No novels or worldly books；' he wrote to his sister；
'come up to the Commentaries of Scott。。。。 I； remember well when
you used to get them in numbers； and I used to laugh at them；
but； thank God； it is different with me now。 I feel much happier
and more contented than I used to do。 I did not like Pembroke；
but now I would not wish for any prettier place。 I have got a
horse and gig； and Drew and myself drive all about