a father to preserve his only son from imbibing these dangerous and
debasing errors, which will render him only one of a vile herd who are
content to suffer, provided that they live? And yet are not these very
errors inculcated at school, and impressed upon their mind inversely
by the birch? Do not they there receive their first lesson in slavery
with the first lesson in A B C; and are not their minds thereby
prostrated, so as never to rise again, but ever to bow to despotism,
to cringe to rank, to think and act by the precepts of others, and to
tacitly disavow that sacred equality which is our birthright? No,
sir, without they can teach without resorting to such a fundamental
error as flogging, my boy shall never go to school."

And Mr Easy threw himself back in his chair, imagining like all
philosophers, that he had said something very clever.

Dr Middleton knew his man, and therefore patiently waited until he had
exhausted his oratory.

"I will grant," said the Doctor at last, "that all you say may have
great truth in it; but, Mr Easy, do you not think that by not
permitting a boy to be educated, you allow him to remain more open to
that very error of which you speak? It is only education which will
conquer prejudice, and enable a man to break through the trammels of
custom. Now, allowing that the birch is used, yet it is at a period
when the young mind is so elastic as to soon become indifferent; and
after he has attained the usual rudiments of education, you will then
find him prepared to receive those lessons which you can yourself
instil."

"I will teach him everything myself," replied Mr Easy, folding his