Tom Brown at Rugby

219

Tory: a member of the conservative party in politics.

220

Corollary: an inference from something before stated.

221

Vestry: parish meeting.

222

Progenitors: forefathers.

223

Close: any inclosed place; here, probably a field.

224

Mullioned: subdivided by slender, upright bars or columns.

225

Swiss Family Robinson: a story of the adventures of a shipwrecked family on a desert island.

226

Choleric: inclined to anger.

227

Reconnoitered: here, examined in a general way or at a little distance.

228

Forms: benches.

229

Servants' hall: the servants' dining-room.

230

Nether: lower.

231

Integuments: garments.

232

Prisoner's base, etc.: boys' games.

233

Green rides: roads cut through woods or pleasure grounds.

234

Raven: a large black bird of the crow family.

235

Footman: a man-servant in livery.

236

Public schools: a name given to certain large and richly endowed schools in England which are chiefly patronized by wealthy men. They are wholly unlike the public schools of the United States. Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Rugby, and Westminster are among the best known of this class of schools.

237

Belauded: praised.

238

Usher: an under-teacher.

239

Missive: anything to be sent; hence, a letter.

240

Gaby: a dunce.

241

Felony: a serious offence or crime.

242

Primum tempus: first time.

243

Bulls'-eyes and toffee: the former are hard balls of sugar, the latter a kind of candy made of brown sugar and butter.

244

Bulls'-eyes and toffee: the former are hard balls of sugar, the latter a kind of candy made of brown sugar and butter.

245

Humble bees: "bumble-bees."

246

Bounds: the school limits, beyond which boys are not to go without permission.

247

Necromancer: (one who communes with the dead) a conjurer.

248

Phosphorus: the yellowish, inflammable substance used in making common matches – in a pure state it burns on exposure to air. Matches – called "Lucifers" or "light-bringers" – were invented in England about 1829. Previous to that time the only way of striking a light was by flint and steel, the spark being caught on a bit of tinder (half-burnt rag) which was then blown into a blaze.

249

Rugby: a small village in Warwickshire on the river Avon, nearly in the centre of England. It is the seat of Rugby School, – one of the great public schools, – and was founded by Lawrence Sheriff, a native of the neighboring village of Brownsover, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The school owes its fame chiefly to Dr. Arnold, who became head master in 1827, and held the position until his death in 1842.

250

Doctor: Dr. Arnold.

251

Kit: here, clothes.

252

Tally-ho: the cry with which huntsmen urge on their hounds; here, a name given to a fast coach.

253

Boots: a servant in an inn who blacks boots, etc.

254

Islington: a northern suburb of London.

255

Post-chaise: a hired carriage.

256

Belle Sauvage: a famous old inn, formerly in the centre of London.

257

Star: the name of the coach which brought the Squire and Tom to London.

258

Boxes: inclosed places for eating.

259

Brown study: meditation without any particular object of thought.

260

Buxom: rosy with health, merry.

261

Cheroot: a kind of cigar.

262

Digamma: an ancient letter of the Greek alphabet. Greek particles are prepositions and conjunctions – hence nice or difficult points of Greek grammar.

263

Hard biscuit: cracker.

264

Drag: a four-horse coach.

265

Guard: a person having charge of a mail-coach, a conductor.

266

Hamper: a large, strongly made packing basket.

267

Hind-boot: a place at the end of a coach for luggage.

268

Portmanteau: travelling bag.

269

Rug or plaid: a thick shawl or other wrap.

270

Caloric: here, heat of the body.

271

First-class carriages: in England the railway cars (called "carriages") are divided into first, second, and third class.

272

Hoar-frost: frozen dew.

273

Pikeman: the man who takes toll on a turnpike.

274

St. Albans: about twenty miles north of London.

275

Stage: division of a journey.

276

Purl: a hot drink made of beer and other ingredients.

277

Tackle: stuff.

278

Meet: a gathering of huntsmen for a hunt.

279

Hack: here, nag or horse kept for rough riding.

280

Old pink: a red hunting-coat.

281

Lodge: a gentleman's house.

282

Wainscoted: lined with boards or panels.

283

Bagmen: commercial travellers.

284

Trencher: a large wooden plate.

285

Rashers: thin slices of bacon.

286

Way-bill: a list of passengers in a public vehicle.

287

Tap: bar-room.

288

Pinks: huntsmen.

289

High Street: the main street.

290

First-floor: the floor above the ground-floor, – the second story.

291

Burgess: a citizen or voter in a town.

292

Van: a large light-covered wagon.

293

Nor: than.

294

Regulator: the name of the rival coach.

295

Half: the half year.

296

Arter: after.

297

Pig and Whistle: as Oxford lies on the direct road between Rugby and White Horse Vale, Tom would naturally return by this coach.

298

Pea-shooters: tin tubes used by boys for blowing peas at a mark.

299

First-day boys: probably those that went up at the beginning of the term.

300

Act'ly: actually.

301

Tip: here, mark.

302

Rum un: here, a hard blow.

303

Box's head: that is, the head of the "young gent" sitting on the seat ("box") with the driver.

304

Cob: a short, stout horse.

305

Bi'st: "beest," art.

306

County members: members of Parliament.

307

File: a shrewd person.

308

Quoits or bowls: quoits are iron rings pitched at short stakes set in the ground. Bowls are tenpins.

309

Wickets: stakes which are driven into the ground as a mark for the ball in playing cricket.

310

Po-chay: a post-chaise; a hired chaise.

311

Oriel window: a bay-window. The great window over the arch is a striking feature of the Rugby gateway.

312

Lift: assistance of any kind.

313

Quadrangle: a square piece of ground inclosed by buildings. English schools and colleges are quite generally built round a quadrangle or "quod" as it is commonly called.

314

Regulation cat-skin: the hat prescribed by custom or school law.

315

Tile: a tall silk hat.

316

Mentor: a wise counsellor. See Homer's Odyssey.

317

Two seven-and-sixers, etc.: i. e., two hats, for each half year, costing seven shillings and sixpence ($1.80) each.

318

Half-a-sov.: half a sovereign ($2.50).

319

Keep in her good books: keep on good terms with her.

320

Bumptiousness: domineering manner.

321

Cicerone: guide.

322

Form: here, class.

323

Studies: small private rooms occupied by the Rugby boys (two in a room) for study. They are distinct from the bed-rooms.

324

Calling-over: roll-call.

325

Convoy: literally, a merchant-vessel protected by a ship-of-war; here, a person under the care of another.

326

Grimaldi: the name of a race-horse.

327

Steeple-chase: a race between horsemen across country to see which can first reach a certain distant object, as a church steeple.

328

Amy Robsart: the heroine of Scott's Waverley novel, "Kenilworth."

329

Tom Crib: a noted pugilist.

330

Science: boxing or pugilistic science.

331

Windsor Castle: the principal residence of the English monarchs. It is on the Thames, about twenty miles west of London.

332

Præpostors: the members of the sixth form, the highest class in the school. They were charged with the duty of looking after the other boys.

333

Reading: studying.

334

Verger: here, the porter.

335

Pellets: wads of paper.

336

Close: this close or play-ground contains something over thirteen acres.

337

Fives' court: the space set apart for playing fives, a game resembling tennis.

338

Island: the island no longer exists.

339

Fagging: the power given the sixth form, by authority and the custom of the school, to require the boys of the lower forms or classes to do errands, and act as servants generally. The system still has its defenders who regard it as a means of discipline.

340

Foot-ball: foot-ball is the great game at Rugby. It first became popular in America under the Rugby rules, which, though modified, are still the basis of the game as now played.

341

Hacks: kicks on the shins.