on dr. arnold

The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furl'd.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.

When I shave off my beard of justice out of shame, I do it in stages lest I catch my death of cold. At those times, I have muttonchops of death and destruction, death on the left, destruction on the right, but a delightful chap of jolly good-will has informed me that I look like Dr. Arnold when I am forced to take such measures. Most people would not enjoy a comparison to that eminent Victorian, preferring, perhaps, one of his children [see above] or further descendants, but, for all his faults, Dr. Arnold knew what education was for: turning boys into men. Specifically, turning a boy into a "brave, helpful, truth-telling Englishman, and a Christian." To do so by being to the boys what God was in the Old Testament to Israel may, perhaps, be a bit unhealthy, but it is a sight better than what passes for education in today's public schools. Further, his thought that there is no distinction between Church and State was revolutionary in his time and needs to be revisited. The rest of his religious ideas, however, were dangerous and misguided, perhaps even naïve. I should prefer Tom Arnold the Younger to either him or Matthew on that account, but that's for another day.