Gerard type, Henty's books are by far the most commonly read. After Henty, in order of popularity, would probably come Stanley Weyman, though Manville Fenn, Ballantyne, and Kingston would run him close. Anthony Hope, again, is very popular, as also is Conan Doyle. Among individual books the "Treasure Island still holds, as it most certainly deserves to do, a foremost place, while the delight most boys take in the "Jungle Book" is a very happy sign of a thoroughly healthy taste. One point that has struck us forcibly in the examination of these returns, is that Marryat has almost ceased to be read. Possibly this is partly due to discouragement of his works by masters, owing to a prevalence of somewhat strong language and some passages of dubious taste in his writing; but we are doubtful whether his practical disappearance is not a real loss. Dickens ("Oliver Twist" is the most popular of his books) is still fairly well read, and Scott, too, is read by the more intellectual, but we are afraid that the present prevalent craze for short stories will cause him more and more to fall into disfavour. There has risen a spirit of rebellion against all books that require any patience, and that do not plunge at once in medias res.

He

In addition to the necessity of having a well-selected library, we must all feel that it is essential, as far as possible, to have the ideal librarian. Beyond all other members of the staff, the true librarian should be, and is, the parens mentium of the boys, for whom they feel the genuine pietas, whose advice they delight to ask, and in whose judgment they have confident faith. should be, we believe, a man of ripe experience; for the quite young master is too often inclined to forget, that what seems feeble and insipid to him, may be just the food the small boy is most capable of assimilating and profiting by for the time being. The ideal librarian must have that true wisdom-the product of experience and sympathy-which recognises that boys must be led on very gradually, and that to recommend books of a better class too early is apt to discourage the taste for reading altogether. One librarian of long standing has told us that he is only just beginning to learn, after many years of this work, what can really be done towards helping boys to make a true progress in the choice of books. He points out to us that it is of no value to say that a boy of a certain age should read and enjoy a certain book, and the comparison must not be made between one boy and others of his age, but between a boy as he now is and as he was at earlier stages of his life. For this purpose it is essential that a record of books taken out should be kept, and at times it is very helpful to trace in the choice of books which a boy makes, whether there is any real continuity in his progress

or not.

In addition to the school library there are many other agencies employed by preparatory schoolmasters for encouraging this taste for reading. In many schools there is a reading scheme made out with test papers and prizes. Such a scheme is rendered the more feasible owing to the small price at which all standard books can now be bought. If, for instance, a Waverley novel is

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one of the books included, it is possible for each competitor (of course the whole system is voluntary) to purchase a copy for sixpence. Such a scheme strikes us as likely to be of real value towards the attainment of our object. A boy who begins by reading the set books in the hope of a prize, will learn to read them for their own sake. It is the first effort that requires the stimulus.

Again, a regular system of reading aloud to the boys is very common in preparatory schools, and with the exception of a very tew dissentients such a system is declared by all who have tried it to be of great help in giving boys their first taste for books, and in introducing them to works (both prose and poetry) of standard authors. The reading aloud of well-chosen poetry is always appreciated. The older boys begin to take a real pleasure, for instance, in the "Idylls of the King," while almost all like to listen to Macaulay's or Aytoun's Lays or selected poems of Rudyard Kipling. In this context we cannot refrain from mentioning Henry Newbolt, with his "Admirals All" and other delightful ballads. Again, the reading aloud of some good novel with a long-sustained plot is probably the best corrective for that impatience which we have before mentioned, as engendered by the constant perusal of short stories. "Hereward the Wake" is declared to be among the best for this purpose. On this matter a suggestion has been made to us, that there is the greatest possible necessity for urging parents to do what they can to promote this love for real literature in their sons. It is believed that they, far more than any schoolmaster, can help towards this end, if only they will make a point in the holidays of reading with their boys some standard works, as, for instance, the Waverley Novels.

Before closing, we must touch on two other points, on which information has been sought from preparatory schoolmastersinformation which it was thought might interest some. Inquiries have been made as to whether any restrictions are placed upon the admission of newspapers and periodicals. On this point there appears to be a strong consensus of opinion. It is agreed that, for boys' use, choice should be made of a newspaper which omits detailed police news. There is, too, an almost universal rule as to the exclusion of the low-class so-called comic papers. It seems clear to us that such papers have a demoralising effect, if only from their excessive vulgarity. But here, again, little can be done without the co-operation of the parents.

The other question alluded to, as to whether any restrictions are placed on books that may be read on Sunday, is answered in the negative by almost all. The prevalent opinion seems to be that any book fit to be read in the week is fit also to be read on Sunday, and that it is as unreasonable to restrict a boy's reading en Sunday as it would be to restrict the topics of his conversation. A few masters, however, do advocate a change of diet on Sunday.

There are no doubt many other points connected with the private reading of boys that might with advantage be discussed.

Nothing, for instance, has been said of the direct influence of such reading on their own literary style, nor have we considered how far such private reading should be utilised to help on their ordinary school work; but we wished to bring out the one point, which we believed to be vitally important, namely, the necessity for the development of their taste for reading; for if this taste is not acquired, we are agreed that one of the surest sources of happiness and one of the most refining and inspiring influences will be lost to their lives.

Amid so many adverse conditions one is tempted at times to despair, the more so, when we hear of the growing prevalence of magazine societies, and see men and women of apparently good education given over to this love for the poorer ephemeral literature of the day. If that is so with them, how will it be with the rising generation reared from childhood amid this countless host of magazines and short stories. There are, however, on the other hand, several reasons for good hope; one of which, the cheapness of standard works, has already been mentioned. Much of the finest literary quality is now offered at a price within the means of all, and we believe that at any rate in the so-called working classes there is a great prospect of increased culture, and of increased happiness owing to this alone. But for our boys, the one real reason for hope seems to us to lie in the fact, that very many, parents and masters alike, are beginning to awaken to the vital importance of this question, and thoughtfully to realise the special dangers of this age. If such thoughtfulness leads to a hearty co-operation, as we believe it will, we are confident that the true and healthy development of this taste for reading will be, in spite of all difficulties, most effectually promoted.

W. DOUGLAS.

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A DAY IN A BOY'S LIFE AT A PREPARATORY SCHOOL.

A boy's life at a Preparatory School is his first plunge into the world. Hitherto his circle has been limited to relatives and friends. If his individuality is not partially lost amid the crowd, it is likely that, first, his imitative faculty will lead him to shape himself in accordance with another than his own pattern; and that, second, the dread of the conspicuousness which is a sure result of eccentricity will cause him to avoid any tendency he may have to become strongly unlike his neighbour. For this reason the preparatory school should endeavour as far as possible not to copy the public school, but rather to make the life there a period of transition. It seems to the present writer that in many ways the preparatory schools have consciously or unconsciously felt this, and that the criticisms directed against them on the plea of " coddling," etc., lose sight of this important fact. There is a tendency to forget that on entering the school the boy is but a child. It appears proper to state this at the outset, as otherwise the reader is only too likely, if he himself is not a preparatory schoolmaster, to judge the boy's day by the standard in vogue at a public school.

Tommy or Jack, when he comes to a Preparatory School, has to get up for breakfast at 8. Hitherto in his nursery he has probably been helped to dress; here, with some five pairs of eyes watching him, he must dress, tie his own tie, and be down promptly with hair brushed and hands washed.

At breakfast, which does not probably differ much from what he is accustomed to at home, he has to restrain his conversation somewhat, not through any written law, but simply because everyone is not specially interested in him and his doings. After breakfast there is a run in the open air for a little, and then prayers, and school at 9.

School consists of a lesson of about forty-five minutes. Here he has ten companions. The master must be called "Sir," and the boy cannot feel quite as all-important as he was in the schoolroom at home. În his work the competition is probably the most novel point to him. Work gains or loses him places, and he finds an added zest to his lessons. This, however, is not the end-all and be-all of his existence, as he finds as a rule nowadays (to which, perhaps, there are still too many exceptions) that he is praised not for the place he gains so much as the amount of energy he shows. Marks in the Preparatory School are not the sole test of his merits. He soon finds he has to obey the master, as any tricks he may be inclined to play may make him the laughing-stock of the form. At the same time, as a general rule, the cane, impositions, and punishments are not so