An old woman in black passed through the room while I was
making my observations, and looked at me, but said nothing. The school
was founded in 1563, by Thomas Whealby, Mayor of Coventry; the revenue is
about 900 pounds, and admits children of the working-classes at eleven
years old, clothes and provides for them, and finally apprentices them
for seven years. We saw some of the boys playing in the quadrangle,
dressed in long blue coats or gowns, with cloth caps on their heads. I
know not how the atmosphere of antiquity, and massive continuance
from age to age, which was the charm to me in this scene of a
charityschool-room, can be thrown over it in description. After noting
down these matters, I looked into the quiet precincts of Bond's Hospital,
which, no doubt, was more than equally interesting; but the old men were
lounging about or lolling at length, looking very drowsy, and I had not
the heart nor the face to intrude among them. There is something
altogether strange to an American in these charitable institutions,--in
the preservation of antique modes and customs which is effected by them,
insomuch that, doubtless, without at all intending it, the founders have
succeeded in preserving a model of their own long-past age down into the
midst of ours, and how much later nobody can know.
We were now rather tired, and went to the railroad, intending to go home;
but we got into the wrong train, and were carried by express, with
hurricane speed, to Bradon, where we alighted, and waited a good while
for the return train to Coventry.
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