Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton CollegeNevill, Ralph
History
Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton College
Nevill, Ralph
Eton College
The Upper School occupies the whole of the west side of the
school-yard, with the exception of the space covered by the
headmaster’s room at the north end. It was originally built by
Provost Allestree, but so faultily that it had to be rebuilt under
his successor, Provost Cradock, in 1694. Though by some attributed
to him, the architect was probably not Sir Christopher Wren; yet the
style adopted, very different from that of the other buildings in the
school-yard, is that associated with his name. Though now only rarely
used, Upper School was formerly the principal class-room of Eton, and
at the beginning of the nineteenth century no less than 400 boys were
taught there at the same time. The ground floor beneath is now occupied
by rooms which in the last century were considered quite good enough to
accommodate large “divisions,” but have now been turned into a “school
office,” a porter’s lodge, and store-rooms of various kinds. On the
floor above is the “Upper School” itself, approached at the south end
by a fine staircase--a well-proportioned room, lined with oak panelling
which has served for the recording of many Eton names, and adorned
with the busts of Etonians who have served their country. The first of
these busts was put up in 1840, when the Marquess Wellesley presented
his to the school--his brother, the Duke of Wellington, shortly
afterwards following his example. Most of the great Etonians are here,
including Shelley. It is said that when the idea of erecting the poet’s
bust was first mooted, Dr. Hornby objected, saying that Shelley was a
bad man, and he only wished he had been educated at Harrow. The memory
of this poet--in former days, at least--was not held in any particular
respect by the vast majority of Etonians, most of whom held much the
same views about him as have been attributed to Dr. Hornby.
Some thirty years ago, when the subject of the amenities of Eton was
being discussed by a House Debating Society, an Upper boy--now a
well-known Peer--brought the debate to a close with a breezy speech.
Eton, he said, was in his opinion a very good place; all boys were
happy there, or ought to be. As far as he could make out, all boys
always had been happy there, and he had only heard of one who wasn’t,
and that was “a boy called Shelley, who was a mad fool.” He then sat
down amidst applause.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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