Мертві душі

           Thatistosay,sincethelads’frankandopendemeanoursavouredtohimonlyoflackofdiscipline,heannounced(asthoughindeliberatespiteofhispredecessor)thathecarednothingforprogressandintellect,butthatheedwastobepaidonlytogoodbehaviour.Yet,curiouslyenough,goodbehaviourwasjustwhatheneverobtained,foreverykindofsecretprankbecametherule;andwhile,byday,therereignedrestraintandconspiracy,bynighttherebegantotakeplacechamberingandwantonness.

           Also,certainchangesinthecurriculumofstudiescameabout,fortherewereengagednewteacherswhoheldnewviewsandopinions,andconfusedtheirhearerswithamultitudeofnewtermsandphrases,anddisplayedintheirexpositionofthingsbothlogicalsequenceandazestformoderndiscoveryandmuchwarmthofindividualbias.Yettheirinstruction,alas!containednoLIFE—inthemouthsofthoseteachersadeadlanguagesavouredmerelyofcarrion.Thuseverythingconnectedwiththeschoolunderwentaradicalalteration,andrespectforauthorityandtheauthoritieswaned,andtutorsandusherscametobedubbed“OldThedor,”“Crusty,”andthelike.Andsundryotherthingsbegantotakeplace—thingswhichnecessitatedmanyapenaltyandexpulsion;until,withinacoupleofyears,noonewhohadknowntheschoolinformerdayswouldnowhaverecognisedit.