And Professor Wackford Squeers

For W-I-N-D-E-R-S

Help Wackford make sense by inserting the appropriate quotation marks.

……………………………………………………………..

This is the first class in English spelling and philosophy, Nickleby, said Squeers, beckoning Nicholas to stand beside him. We’ll get up a Latin one, and hand that over to you. Now, then, where’s the first boy?

Please, sir, he’s cleaning the back-parlour window, said the temporary head of the philosophical class.

So he is, to be sure, rejoined Squeers. We go upon the practical mode of teaching, Nickleby; the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright, to scour. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, der, winder, a casement. When the boy knows this out of book, he goes and does it. Its just the same principle as the use of the globes. Where’s the second boy?

Please, sir, he’s weeding the garden, replied a small voice.

To be sure, said Squeers, by no means disconcerted. So he is. B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, bottin, n-e-y, ney, bottinney, noun substantive, a knowledge of plants. When he has learned that bottinney means a knowledge of plants, he goes and knows em. That’s our system, Nickleby: what do you think of it?

It’s very useful one, at any rate, answered Nicholas.

I believe you, rejoined Squeers, not remarking the emphasis of his usher. Third boy, what’s horse?

A beast, sir, replied the boy.

So it is, said Squeers. Ain’t it, Nickleby?

I believe there is no doubt of that, sir, answered Nicholas.

Of course there isn’t, said Squeers. A horse is a quadruped, and quadrupeds Latin for beast, as everybody that’s gone through the grammar knows, or else where’s the use of having grammars at all?

Where, indeed! said Nicholas abstractedly.

As you’re perfect in that, resumed Squeers, turning to the boy, go and look after MY horse, and rub him down well, or I’ll rub you down. The rest of the class go and draw water up, till somebody tells you to leave off, for it’s washing-day tomorrow, and they want the coppers filled.

So saying, he dismissed the first class to their experiments in practical philosophy, and eyed Nicholas with a look, half cunning and half doubtful, as if he were not altogether certain what he might think of him by this time.

That’s the way we do it, Nickleby, he said, after a pause.

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders in a manner that was scarcely perceptible, and said he saw it was.