Mr. Midshipman Easy | Page 6

lady was out of hearing,
he took a chair, and made the query at the commencement of the
chapter, which we shall now repeat. "Have you no idea of putting the
boy to school, Mr Easy?" Mr Easy crossed his legs, and clasped his
hands together over his knees, as he always did when he was about to
commence an argument. "The great objection that I have to sending a
boy to school, Dr Middleton, is, that I conceive that the discipline
enforced is, not only contrary to the rights of man, but also in
opposition to all sound sense and common judgment. Not content with
punishment, which is in itself erroneous, and an infringement of social
justice, they even degrade the minds of the boys still more by applying
punishment to the most degraded part, adding contumely to tyranny. Of
course, it is intended that a boy who is sent to school should gain by

precept and example; but is he to learn benevolence by the angry look
and the flourish of the vindictive birch,-or forbearance, by the cruelty
of the ushers,-or patience, when the masters over him are out of all
patience, or modesty, when his nether parts are exposed to general
examination? Is he not daily reading a lesson at variance with that
equality which we all possess, but of which we are unjustly deprived?
Why should there be a distinction between the flogger and the floggee?
Are they not both fashioned alike after God's image, endowed with the
same reason, having an equal right to what the world offers, and which
was intended by Providence to be equally distributed? Is it not that the
sacred inheritance of all, which has tyrannously and impiously been
ravished from the many for the benefit of the few, and which
ravishment, from long custom of iniquity and inculcation of false
precepts, has too long been basely submitted to? Is it not the duty of a
father to preserve his only son from imbibing these dangerous and
debasing errors, which will render him only one of a vile herd who are
content to suffer, provided that they live? And yet are not these very
errors inculcated at school, and impressed upon their mind inversely by
the birch? Do not they there receive their first lesson in slavery with the
first lesson in A B C; and are not their minds thereby prostrated, so as
never to rise again, but ever to bow to despotism, to cringe to rank, to
think and act by the precepts of others, and to tacitly disavow that
sacred equality which is our birthright? No, sir, without they can teach
without resorting to such a fundamental error as flogging, my boy shall
never go to school."
And Mr Easy threw himself back in his chair, imagining like all
philosophers, that he had said something very clever.
Dr Middleton knew his man, and therefore patiently waited until he had
exhausted his oratory.
"I will grant," said the Doctor at last, "that all you say may have great
truth in it; but, Mr Easy, do you not think that by not permitting a boy
to be educated, you allow him to remain more open to that very error of
which you speak? It is only education which will conquer prejudice,
and enable a man to break through the trammels of custom. Now,

allowing that the birch is used, yet it is at a period when the young
mind is so elastic as to soon become indifferent; and after he has
attained the usual rudiments of education, you will then find him
prepared to receive those lessons which you can yourself instil."
"I will teach him everything myself," replied Mr Easy, folding his arms
consequentially and determinedly.
"I do not doubt your capability, Mr Easy; but unfortunately you will
always have a difficulty which you never can get over. Excuse me, I
know what you are capable of, and the boy would indeed be happy with
such a preceptor, but-if I must speak plain-you must be aware as well
as I am, that the maternal fondness of Mrs Easy will always be a bar to
your intention. He is already so spoiled by her, that he will not obey;
and without obedience you cannot inculcate."
"I grant, my dear sir, that there is a difficulty on that point; but maternal
weakness must then be overcome by paternal severity."
"May I ask how, Mr Easy? for it appears to me impossible."
"Impossible! By heavens, I'll make him obey, or I'll-" -Here Mr Easy
stopped before the word flog was fairly out of his mouth,-"I'll know the
reason why, Dr Middleton."
Dr Middleton checked his inclination to laugh, and replied, "That you
would hit upon some scheme, by which you would obtain the necessary