Louis Lambert — Honoré de Balzac, trans. Katharine Prescott Wormeley

Standing in the heart of the town, on the little river Loir which flows under its walls, the college possesses extensive precincts, carefully inclosed by walls, and including all the buildings necessary for an institution on that scale: a chapel, a theatre, an infirmary, a bakehouse, gardens, and water supply. This college is the most celebrated home of learning in ali the central provinces, and receives pupils from them and from the colonies. Distance prohibits any frequent visits from parents to their children.

The rule of the House forbids holidays away from it. Once entered there, a pupil never leaves till his studies are finished. With the exception of walks taken under thep. 191 guidance of the Fathers, everything is calculated to give the School the benefit of conventual discipline; in my day the tawse was still a living memory, and the classical leather strap played its terrible. part with all the honors. The punishments originally invented by the Society of Jesus, as alarming to the moral as to the physical man, were still in force in all the integrity of the original code.

Letters to parents were obligatory on certain days, so was confession. ‘Thus our sins and our sentiments were all according to pattern. Everything bore the stamp of monastic rule. I well remember, among other relics of the ancient order, the inspection we went through every Sunday. We were all in our best, placed in file like soldiers to await the arrival of the two inspectors who, attended by the tutors and the tradesmen, examined us from the three points of view of dress, health, and morals.

The two or three hundred pupils lodged in the establish. ment were divided, according to ancient custom, into the minimes (the smallest), the little boys, the middle boys, and the big boys. The division of the minimes included the eighth and seventh classes; the little boys formed the sixth, fifth, and fourth; the middle boys were classed as third and . second; and the first class comprised the senior students— of philosophy, rhetoric, the higher mathematics, and chemistry. Hach of these divisions had its own building, classrooms, and playground, in the large common precincts on to which the class-rooms opened, and beyond which was the refectory.

This dining-hall, worthy of an ancient religious Order, accommodated all the school. Contrary to the usual practice in educational institutions, we were allowed to talk at our meals, a tolerant Oratorian rule which enabled us to

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exchange plates according to our taste. This gastronomical — barter was always one of the chief pleasures of our college life. If one of the ‘‘middle’’ boys at the head of his table wished for a helping of lentils instead of dessert—for we — had dessert—the offer was passed down from one to another: — ‘Dessert for lentils!’’ till some other epicure had accepted; then the plate of lentils was passed up to the bidder from hand to hand, and the plate of dessert returned by the same road. Mistakes were never made. If several identical