The World’s Tragedy

PREFACE. XVII It must not be supposed that we had no other amuse- ments. There was “ pill-ragging ” ; a form of fight whose object was to seize and hurt the opponent’s testicles ; and “ greasing ” ; i.e., spitting either in each other’s faces or secretly so the victim should not detect the act. In my time this had died out of the other houses ; but still flou- rished in my house “ Huntingdon’s ” No.4. There was bul- lying, too ; and now and then cricket and football. They sent me to Tonbridge ; my health broke down ; partly, one may say, through what would have been my own fault or misfortune if I had been properly educated ; but, as it was, was the direct result of the vile system that, not content with torturing me itself, handed me over bound and blindfold to the outraged majesty of Nature. I escaped then from Tonbridge. They sent me to East- bourne to a P. B. family where I had more liberty, and could have been happy ; but the revolting cruelties which they inflicted on the only pretty and decent member of the family, my dear “ sister ” Isabelle, caused me one day to knock their heads together and walk out of the house. They sent me to Cambridge. I found myself my own master, and settled down to lead a righteous, sober and godly life ; and to make up for lost time in the matter of education. Outside purely scholastic subjects, they had taught me to fight, to love the truth, to hate oppression, — and by God ! I think they taught me well. On my soul, I should thank them !