Two young boys, one French, the other English, were talking athletics in the playground, and the English boy asked his young friend to explain to him the principles of French wrestling. The little French lad proceeded, in a vivacious manner, to describe the successive moves of the sport. He used the first person singular to make his description more forcible. "First," he said, "I would get a good grasp of your waist with my right arm, whilst I would collar you with my left one; then, don't you see, I would twist my right leg round one of yours; then----" "Ah! but wait a minute," exclaimed the English boy, with a smile. "What should I be doing all this time? Looking at you, I suppose?" It was at the meetings of our French Debating Society that free play was given to youthful patriotism. Good heavens! what a _tabula rasa_ of the map of the world! What fresh jewels added to the British crown! I don't think there is a single little corner of the globe worth mentioning that these boys did not lay their hands on. With what a crushing majority the "Peace, Retrenchment, and Reform" policy was defeated! Was it not an insult to this glorious country to suggest that a reform was needed? "The Liberals," exclaimed a young member, with a movement of Homeric indignation, "may be appreciated in Russia, but they are not Englishmen." * * * * * French _collégiens_ are red radicals, socialists, anarchists, revolutionists--until they leave school. As I have said elsewhere, leading the lives of prisoners, they dream wild dreams of liberty, they gasp for freedom. Young Britons, enjoying liberty from tender years, are perfectly satisfied with their lot, and are mostly Conservatives. They identify Conservatism with patriotism; and if the Franchise were extended to them, the Liberal Party would have seen its best days. The new political school inaugurated by Lord Randolph Churchill is greatly in favor with English boys; we had many Tory Democrats among us. "Imperium et Libertas" are two words which sound pleasantly in young English ears: the possession of a mighty Empire, and the enjoyment of that "thrice sweet and gracious goddess," Liberty. * * * * * I once asked a little English lad why his compatriots ate roast goose on the 29th of September, the anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. "Because," he answered proudly, "the King of Spain was such a goose as to come and attack our navy!" A colleague of mine asked the same question in a different manner, and obtained an equally wonderful answer. "What is it the English eat on the 29th of September to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Armada?" he asked. "Roast duck, sir, because it was Drake who beat the Spanish!" XI.