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were given every opportunity of acquiring the simplicity；
sobriety； and humbleness of mind； which are the best ornaments of
youth。
In the actual sphere of teaching； Dr。 Arnold's reforms were
tentative and few。 He introduced modern history； modern
languages； and mathematics into the school curriculum； but the
results were not encouraging。 He devoted to the teaching of
history one hour a week； yet； though he took care to inculcate in
these lessons a wholesome hatred of moral evil； and to point out
from time to time the indications of the providential government
of the world； his pupils never seemed to make much progress in
the subject。 Could it have been that the time allotted to it was
insufficient？ Dr。 Arnold had some suspicions that this might be
the case。 With modern languages there was the same difficulty。
Here his hopes were certainly not excessive。 'I assume it；' he
wrote； 'as the foundation of all my view of the case； that boys
at a public school never will learn to speak or pronounce French
well； under any circumstances。' It would be enough if they could
'learn it grammatically as a dead language。 But even this they
very seldom managed to do。 I know too well；' he was obliged to
confess； 'that most of the boys would pass a very poor
examination even in French grammar。 But so it is with their
mathematics； and so it will be with any branch of knowledge that
is taught but seldom； and is felt to be quite subordinate to the
boys' main study'。
The boys' main study remained the dead languages of Greece and
Rome。 That the classics should form the basis of all teaching was
an axiom with Dr。 Arnold。 'The study of language；' he said；
'seems to me as if it was given for the very purpose of forming
the human mind in youth； and the Greek and Latin languages seem
the very instruments by which this is to be effected。' Certainly；
there was something providential about it from the point of
view of the teacher as well as of the taught。 If Greek and Latin
had not been 'given' in that convenient manner； Dr。 Arnold； who
had spent his life in acquiring those languages； might have
discovered that he had acquired them in vain。 As it was； he could
set the noses of his pupils to the grindstone of syntax and
prosody with a clear conscience。 Latin verses and Greek
prepositions divided between them the labours of the week。
As time went on he became； he declared； 'increasingly convinced
that it is not knowledge； but the means of gaining knowledge
which I have to teach'。 The reading of the school was devoted
almost entirely to selected passages from the prose writers of
antiquity。 'Boys；' he remarked； 'do not like poetry。' Perhaps his
own poetical taste was a little dubious； at any rate； it is
certain that he considered the Greek Tragedians greatly
overrated； and that he ranked Propertius as 'an indifferent
poet'。 As for Aristophanes； owing to his strong moral
disapprobation； he could not bring himself to read him until he
was forty； when； it is true； he was much struck by the 'Clouds'。
But Juvenal； the Doctor could never bring himself to read at all。
Physical science was not taught at Rugby。 Since； in Dr。 Arnold's
opinion； it was too great a subject to be studied en parergo；
obviously only two alternatives were possible： it must either
take the chief place in the school curriculum； or it must be left
out altogether。 Before such a choice； Dr。 Arnold did not hesitate
for a moment。 'Rather than have physical science the principal
thing in my son's mind；' he exclaimed in a letter to a friend； I
would gladly have him think that the sun went around the earth；
and that the stars were so many spangles set in the bright blue
firmament。 Surely the one thing needful for a Christian and an
English man to study is Christian； moral； and political
philosophy。'
A Christian and an Englishman！ After all； it was not in the
classroom； nor in the boarding…house； that the essential elements
of instruction could be imparted which should qualify the
youthful neophyte to deserve those names。 The final； the
fundamental lesson could only be taught in the school chapel； in
the school chapel the centre of Dr。 Arnold's system of education
was inevitably fixed。 There； too； the Doctor himself appeared in
the plenitude of his dignity and his enthusiasm。 There； with the
morning sun shining on the freshly scrubbed faces of his 300
pupils； or； in the dusk of evening； through a glimmer of candles；
his stately form； rapt in devotion or vibrant with exhortation；
would dominate the scene。 Every phase of the Church service
seemed to receive its supreme expression in his voice； his
attitude； his look。 During the Te Deum； his whole countenance
would light up； and he read the Psalms with such conviction that
boys would often declare； after hearing him； that they understood
them now for the first time。
It was his opinion that the creeds in public worship ought to be
used as triumphant hymns of thanksgiving； and； in accordance with
this view； although unfortunately he possessed no natural gift
for music； he regularly joined in the chanting of the Nicene
Creed with a visible animation and a peculiar fervour； which it
was impossible to forget。 The Communion service he regarded as a
direct and special counterpoise to that false communion and false
companionship； which； as he often observed； was a great source of
mischief in the school； and he bent himself down with glistening
eyes； and trembling voice； and looks of paternal solicitude； in
the administration of the elements。 Nor was it only the different
sections of the liturgy； but the very divisions of the
ecclesiastical year that reflected themselves in his demeanour；
the most careless observer； we are told； 'could not fail to be
struck by the triumphant exultation of his whole manner on Easter
Sunday'； though it needed a more familiar eye to discern the
subtleties in his bearing which were produced by the approach or
Advent； and the solemn thoughts which it awakened of the advance
of human life； the progress of the human race； and the condition
of the Church of England。
At the end of the evening service； the culminating moment of the
week had come： the Doctor delivered his sermon。 It was not until
then； as all who had known him agreed； it was not until one had
heard and seen him in the pulpit； that one could fully realise
what it was to be face to face with Dr。 Arnold。 The whole
character of the manso we are assuredstood at last revealed。
His congregation sat in fixed attention （with the exception of
the younger boys； whose thoughts occasionally wandered）； while he
propounded the general principles both of his own conduct and
that of the Almighty； or indicated the bearing of the incidents
of Jewish history in the sixth century B。C。 upon the conduct of
English schoolboys in 1830。 Then； more than ever； his deep
consciousness of the invisible world became evident； then； more
than ever； he se