The Twenty-first Of October

           Inthematterofgeneralcultureandattainments,weyoungstersstoodonprettylevelground.True,itwasalwayshappeningthatoneofuswouldbesingledoutatanymoment,freakishly,andwithoutregardtohisownpreferences,towrestlewiththeinflectionsofsomeidioticlanguagelongrightlydead;whileanother,fromsomefanciedartistictendencywhichalwaysfailedtojustifyitself,mightbetoldoffwithoutwarningtohammeroutscalesandexercises,andtobedewthesenselesskeyswithtearsofwearinessorofrevolt.Butinsubjectscommontoeithersex,andheldtobenecessaryevenforhimwhoseambitionsoarednohigherthantocrackawhipinacircus-ring—ingeography,forinstance,arithmetic,orthewearydoingsofkingsandqueens—eachwouldhavescornedtoexcel.And,indeed,whateverourindividualgifts,ageneraldoggeddeterminationtoshirkandtoevadekeptusallatmuchthesamedeadlevel,—alevelofignorancetemperedbyinsubordination.

           Fortunatelythereexistedawiderangeofsubjects,ofhealthiertonethanthosealreadyenumerated,inwhichwewerefreetochooseforourselves,andwhichwewouldhavescornedtoconsidereducation;andinthesewefreelyfollowedeachhisownparticularline,oftenattaininganamountofspecialknowledgewhichstruckourignoranteldersassimplyuncanny.ForEdward,theuniforms,accoutrements,colours,andmottoesoftheregimentscomposingtheBritishArmyhadaspecialglamour.