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terms more eloquent than words； how much you desired me those
Compliments which the little missive he bore in his bill expressed；
the emblem is sweetly pretty； and now that we are again allowed to
felicitate each other on another recurrence of the season of the
Christian's rejoicing； permit me to tender to yourself； and by you
to your Sister； mine and my Wife's heartfelt congratulations and
warmest wishes with respect to the coming year。 It is a common
belief that if we take a retrospective view of each departing year；
as it behoves us annually to do； we shall find the blessings which
we have received to immeasurably outnumber our causes of sorrow。
Speaking for myself I can fully subscribe to that sentiment； and
doubtless neither Miss nor yourself are exceptions。 Miss 's
illness and consequent confinement to the house has been a severe
trial； but in that trouble an opportunity was afforded you to prove
a Sister's devotion and she has been enabled to realise a larger （if
possible） display of sisterly affection。
〃A happy Christmas to you both； and may the new year prove a
Cornucopia from which still greater blessings than even those we
have hitherto received； shall issue； to benefit us all by
contributing to our temporal happiness and； what is of higher
importance； conducing to our felicity hereafter。
〃I was sorry to hear that you were so annoyed with mice and rats；
and if I should have an opportunity to obtain a nice cat I will do
so and send my boy to your house with it。
〃I remain；
〃Yours truly。〃
How little what is commonly called education can do after all
towards the formation of a good style； and what a delightful volume
might not be entitled 〃Half Hours with the Worst Authors。〃 Why； the
finest word I know of in the English language was coined； not by my
poor old grandfather； whose education had left little to desire； nor
by any of the admirable scholars whom he in his turn educated； but
by an old matron who presided over one of the halls； or houses of
his school。
This good lady； whose name by the way was Bromfield； had a fine high
temper of her own； or thought it politic to affect one。 One night
when the boys were particularly noisy she burst like a hurricane
into the hall； collared a youngster； and told him he was 〃the ramp…
ingest…scampingest…rackety…tackety…tow…row…roaringest boy in the
whole school。〃 Would Mrs。 Newton have been able to set the aunt and
the dog before us so vividly if she had been more highly educated？
Would Mrs。 Bromfield have been able to forge and hurl her
thunderbolt of a word if she had been taught how to do so； or indeed
been at much pains to create it at all？ It came。 It was her ＇Greek
text＇。 She did not probably know that she had done what the
greatest scholar would have had to rack his brains over for many an
hour before he could even approach。 Tradition says that having
brought down her boy she looked round the hall in triumph； and then
after a moment's lull said； 〃Young gentlemen； prayers are excused；〃
and left them。
I have sometimes thought that； after all； the main use of a
classical education consists in the check it gives to originality；
and the way in which it prevents an inconvenient number of people
from using their own eyes。 That we will not be at the trouble of
looking at things for ourselves if we can get any one to tell us
what we ought to see goes without saying； and it is the business of
schools and universities to assist us in this respect。 The theory
of evolution teaches that any power not worked at pretty high
pressure will deteriorate： originality and freedom from affectation
are all very well in their way； but we can easily have too much of
them； and it is better that none should be either original or free
from cant but those who insist on being so； no matter what
hindrances obstruct； nor what incentives are offered them to see
things through the regulation medium。
To insist on seeing things for oneself is to be in ＇Greek text＇； or
in plain English； an idiot； nor do I see any safer check against
general vigour and clearness of thought； with consequent terseness
of expression； than that provided by the curricula of our
universities and schools of public instruction。 If a young man； in
spite of every effort to fit him with blinkers； will insist on
getting rid of them； he must do so at his own risk。 He will not be
long in finding out his mistake。 Our public schools and
universities play the beneficent part in our social scheme that
cattle do in forests： they browse the seedlings down and prevent
the growth of all but the luckiest and sturdiest。 Of course； if
there are too many either cattle or schools； they browse so
effectually that they find no more food； and starve till equilibrium
is restored； but it seems to be a provision of nature that there
should always be these alternate periods； during which either the
cattle or the trees are getting the best of it； and； indeed； without
such provision we should have neither the one nor the other。 At
this moment the cattle； doubtless； are in the ascendant； and if
university extension proceeds much farther； we shall assuredly have
no more Mrs。 Newtons and Mrs。 Bromfields； but whatever is is best；
and； on the whole； I should propose to let things find pretty much
their own level。
However this may be； who can question that the treasures hidden in
many a country house contain sleeping beauties even fairer than
those that I have endeavoured to waken from long sleep in the
foregoing article？ How many Mrs。 Quicklys are there not living in
London at this present moment？ For that Mrs。 Quickly was an
invention of Shakespeare's I will not believe。 The old woman from
whom he drew said every word that he put into Mrs。 Quickly's mouth；
and a great deal more which he did not and perhaps could not make
use of。 This question； however； would again lead me far from my
subject； which I should mar were I to dwell upon it longer； and
therefore leave with the hope that it may give my readers absolutely
no food whatever for reflection。
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF LIFE ｛4｝
I have been asked to speak on the question how to make the best of
life； but may as well confess at once that I know nothing about it。
I cannot think that I have made the best of my own life； nor is it
likely that I shall make much better of what may or may not remain
to me。 I do not even know how to make the best of the twenty
minutes that your committee has placed at my disposal； and as for
life as a whole； who ever yet made the best of such a colossal
opportunity by conscious effort and deliberation？ In little things
no doubt deliberate and conscious effort will help us； but we are
speaking of large issues； and such kingdoms of heaven as the making
the best of these come not by observation。
The question； therefore； on which I have undertaken to address you
is； as you must all know； fatuous； if it be faced seriously。 Life
is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument
as one goes on。 One cannot make the best of such impossibilities；
and the question is doubly fatuous until we are told which of our
two liv