Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Andweotherboys,whowouldhavesacrificedtentermsofourschool-lifeforthesakeofbeingillforaday,andhadnodesirewhatevertogiveourparentsanyexcuseforbeingstuck-upaboutus,couldn’tcatchsomuchasastiffneck. Wefooledaboutindraughts,anditdidusgood,andfreshenedusup;andwetookthingstomakeussick,andtheymadeusfat,andgaveusanappetite. Nothingwecouldthinkofseemedtomakeusilluntiltheholidaysbegan. Then,onthebreaking-upday,wecaughtcolds,andwhoopingcough,andallkindsofdisorders,whichlastedtillthetermrecommenced; when,inspiteofeverythingwecouldmanoeuvretothecontrary,wewouldgetsuddenlywellagain,andbebetterthanever. 

           Suchislife;andwearebutasgrassthatiscutdown,andputintotheovenandbaked. 

           Togobacktothecarved-oakquestion,theymusthavehadveryfairnotionsoftheartisticandthebeautiful,ourgreat-great-grandfathers. Why,allourarttreasuresoftodayareonlythedug-upcommonplacesofthreeorfourhundredyearsago. Iwonderifthereisrealintrinsicbeautyintheoldsoup-plates,beer-mugs,andcandle-snuffersthatweprizesonow,orifitisonlythehaloofageglowingaroundthemthatgivesthemtheircharmsinoureyes. The"oldblue"thatwehangaboutourwallsasornamentswerethecommonevery-dayhouseholdutensilsofafewcenturiesago; andthepinkshepherdsandtheyellowshepherdessesthatwehandroundnowforallourfriendstogushover,andpretendtheyunderstand,weretheunvaluedmantel-ornamentsthatthemotheroftheeighteenthcenturywouldhavegiventhebabytosuckwhenhecried. 

           Willitbethesameinthefuture? Willtheprizedtreasuresoftodayalwaysbethecheaptriflesofthedaybefore? Willrowsofourwillow-patterndinner-platesberangedabovethechimneypiecesofthegreatintheyears2000andodd?