The essay is an excerpt from an essay by Charles Lamb titled “Christ’s Hospital Five and Thirty Years Ago.” In this essay, Lamb reflects on his time as a student at Christ’s Hospital, a boarding school in London, between the years 1782 and 1789. He mentions a eulogy written by Mr. Lamb in which he praises the school, focusing only on its positive aspects and ignoring any negative aspects.
Lamb recalls his own experiences at the school and compares them to those of Mr. Lamb, who had certain advantages that other students did not. Mr. Lamb’s friends lived nearby, allowing him to visit them frequently, while other students were not granted the same privilege. Lamb mentions the differences in their meals, with Mr. Lamb enjoying tea, hot rolls, and better quality food, while Lamb and his fellow students had to make do with meager and unappetizing meals.
Lamb also discusses his own loneliness at the school, as his parents and acquaintances in the city eventually grew tired of his visits. He describes the longing he felt for his hometown and the pain of being separated from his early homestead. These feelings of loneliness and longing for home have left a lasting impression on Lamb, even in his later years.
Additionally, Lamb reminisces about the summer holidays at the school, when students were left to their own devices for the entire day, whether they had friends to spend time with or not. He recalls bathing excursions to the New-River, where they would play in the water and work up appetites that they often couldn’t satisfy due to lack of money. Despite the beauty of the day and the freedom they experienced, they would return to the school in the evening, both relieved and reluctant that their unsupervised time had come to an end.
The narrator describes the difficulties of wandering the streets during winter, seeking entertainment and novelty. The governor, who is referred to as L.’s patron, lives with his family and ensures that any complaints made by the narrator and others are addressed. The narrator recalls the oppressive behavior of the monitors and masters at Christ’s, who would punish the students severely for minor offenses.
The younger students were subjected to punishments such as being called out of bed in the middle of the night and being denied basic necessities like water. The narrator mentions a person named H—- who later ended up in the hulks, possibly for a crime committed against him. H—- branded a boy with a hot iron and forced the students to give up half of their bread to feed a smuggled-in animal.
The animal’s noise eventually exposed the secret, leading to its removal and the punishment of the person responsible. The narrator suggests that L.’s admired Perry, who was in charge at the time, did not face any consequences for these incidents.
The nurses would openly take away a portion of the students’ meals for their own consumption, with no repercussions. These actions took place in a grand room adorned with paintings, which the narrator sarcastically mentions did not provide much consolation to the hungry students.
The narrator discusses the repugnance of the school towards certain foods, attributing it to superstition. Young children generally dislike fatty, boiled meats. There is a boy at the school who is disliked and excommunicated because he is believed to eat strange flesh and gather leftover scraps from his meals.
Two schoolmates follow the boy and discover that he is actually giving the scraps to his parents, who are in need. The school governors recognize their mistake and provide relief to the boy’s family, as well as awarding him a silver medal.
The narrator recalls his own experiences at the school, including witnessing punishments such as confinement in dungeons and public humiliation for repeat offenders. Despite the punishments, the narrator and his classmates still find joy and freedom in their daily lives at the school, engaging in various activities and games.
Matthew Field, a modest divine, was more focused on his social life and attending to his own interests rather than fulfilling his responsibilities as a teacher. Field was in charge of a hundred children but only taught them basic educational material, such as introductory fables, while neglecting more advanced subjects. Boyer, who should have addressed these issues, did not intervene due to a perceived boundary between their respective roles.
The narrator suspects that Boyer was pleased with the stark contrast between their teaching styles and the discipline of Field’s students. While Field’s students may have excelled academically, the narrator believes that they have an advantage in terms of temperament and overall enjoyment of their education. The narrator and his peers were aware of Boyer’s strict disciplinary methods, but they were fortunate enough to be spared from his punishments.
Boyer was described as a pedant with a cramped writing style and a tendency to make obscure jokes that were not particularly amusing. Boyer had two wigs, one indicating a mild temperament and the other suggesting a more aggressive and punitive approach. Boyer was known for his heavy-handedness and would often threaten or physically harm students, even young ones. In his calmer moments, Boyer would read the Debates while simultaneously whipping a student, which did not inspire respect for the art of oratory.
The essay mentions a specific incident where someone named W—- was caught using the inside of the master’s desk for a purpose it was not designed for. W—- claimed ignorance of any warning against such use, which amused everyone and led to forgiveness. The essay praises the teaching abilities of someone named B. L. and compares him to great teachers of antiquity. Coleridge also commends B. L. in his literary life.
Several scholars are mentioned, including Lancelot Pepys Stevens, who was the top student at the time, and Th—-, who later served in diplomatic roles. Thomas Fanshaw Middleton, who became the Bishop of Calcutta, is also mentioned as a scholar and a gentleman. The essay briefly mentions Richards, the author of the Aboriginal Britons, and S—- and M—-, about whom the text remains silent.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge is described as a talented individual with expertise in logic, metaphysics, and poetry. His ability to recite ancient texts and philosophies impressed many. The essay mentions the wit battles between Coleridge and C.V. Le G—-, comparing their styles to a Spanish gallion and an English man of war.
Allen is described as someone who brought joy and laughter to the school with his jokes and humor. The essay mentions two friends of Elia, the junior Le G—- and F—-, who left their university to join the military and tragically died. The essay concludes by mentioning Fr—- and Marmaduke T—-, who are still friends and the last mentioned Grecians in the author’s time.
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