PRIESTS AT COLLEGE.

21

did ever lack the consoling visits of a priest from Old HallGreen. And the priest came not into the cottage to ask fortithes, or rates, or “ offerings! ” He came to give —andlargely, too, of spiritual or bodily comfort; or both, accord-ing to the creed or inclination of the receiver! Whatwonder, then, if, by degrees, the neighbouring inhabitantsbecame “ converted ” to the Roman Catholic faith! “ Com-parisons are odious,” and surely, most odious and disgustingmust the comparison have been which the protestant poorin that vicinity were compelled to make, between the con-duct of their own bloated, supercilious, compulsorilyover-paid parsons, and these meek dispensers of charity,according to the letter of the law, which both the sectsprofess to follow! But enough of Old Hall Green. Suchreminiscences, however, are refreshing to the benevolentmind; some of my readers may think with me ; any how,my quondam school-fellows most surely will, should thisbook chance to fall in their way.

I must not forget to mention, that we were not allowed,much less encouraged, to fight; and the atrocious, degrading,and brutalizing system of “ fagging” was utterly unknown.Under no circumstances, whatever, could the boys, eithersingly or collectively, be without the superintendence of amaster even for a single minute. Further details wouldcarry me too far out of my way, so I must reluctantly omitthem.

Good and superior to the usual routine, as was the systemof education and of discipline practised at Old Hall Green,still I cannot let pass this opportunity without entering myprotest against the introduction of any religious tenets intothe education of children. My reasons are, that no specu-lative question should be submitted to the decision of anindividual before his mind has been well stored with a know-ledge of facts, and the reasoning faculties duly exercised