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 livesthe conscious or the unconsciousis held by the asker to
be the truer life。 Which does the question contemplatethe life we
know； or the life which others may know； but which we know not？
Death gives a life to some men and women compared with which their
so…called existence here is as nothing。 Which is the truer life of
Shakespeare； Handel； that divine woman who wrote the 〃Odyssey；〃 and
of Jane Austenthe life which palpitated with sensible warm motion
within their own bodies； or that in virtue of which they are still
palpitating in ours？ In whose consciousness does their truest life
consisttheir own； or ours？ Can Shakespeare be said to have begun
his true life till a hundred years or so after he was dead and
buried？ His physical life was but as an embryonic stage； a coming
up out of darkness； a twilight and dawn before the sunrise of that
life of the world to come which he was to enjoy hereafter。 We all
live for a while after we are gone hence； but we are for the most
part stillborn； or at any rate die in infancy； as regards that life
which every age and country has recognised as higher and truer than
the one of which we are now sentient。 As the life of the race is
larger； longer； and in all respects more to be considered than that
of the individual； so is the life we live in others larger and more
important than the one we live in ourselves。 This appears nowhere
perhaps more plainly than in the case of great teachers； who often
in the lives of their pupils produce an effect that reaches far
beyond anything produced while their single lives were yet
unsupplemented by those other lives into which they infused their
own。
Death to such people is the ending of a short life； but it does not
touch the life they are already living in those whom they have
taught； and happily； as none can know when he shall die； so none can
make sure that he too shall not live long beyond the grave； for the
life after death is like money before itno one can be sure that it
may not fall to him or her even at the eleventh hour。 Money and
immortality come in such odd unaccountable ways that no one is cut
off from hope。 We may not have made either of them for ourselves；
but yet another may give them to us in virtue of his or her love；
which shall illumine us for ever； and establish us in some heavenly
mansion whereof we neither dreamed nor shall ever dream。 Look at
the Doge Loredano Loredani； the old man's smile upon whose face has
been reproduced so faithfully in so many lands that it can never
henceforth be forgottenwould he have had one hundredth part of the
life he now lives had he not been linked awhile with one of those
heaven…sent men who know che cosa e amor？ Look at Rembrandt's old
woman in our National Gallery； had she died before she was eighty…
three years old she would not have been living now。 Then； when she
was eighty…three； immortality perched upon her as a bird on a
withered bough。
I seem to hear some one say that this is a mockery； a piece of
special pleading； a giving of stones to those that ask for bread。
Life is not life unless we can feel it； and a life limited to a
knowledge of such fraction of our work as may happen to survive us
is no true life in other people； salve it as we may； death is not
life any more than black is white。
The objection is not so true as it sounds。 I do not deny that we
had rather not die； nor do I pretend that much even in the case of
the most favoured few can survive them beyond the grave。 It is only
because this is so that our own life is possible； others have made
room for us； and we should make room for others in our turn without
undue repining。 What I maintain is that a not inconsiderable number
of people do actually attain to a life beyond the grave which we can
all feel forcibly enough； whether they can do so or notthat this
life tends with increasing civilisation to become more and more
potent； and that it is better worth considering； in spite of its
being unfelt by ourselves； than any which we have