Hewasasuselessandillateasewithcricketaswithfootball，norinspiteofallhiseffortscouldheeverthrowaballorastone。
Itsoonbecameplain，therefore，toeveryonethatPontifexwasayoungmuff，amollycoddle，nottobetortured，butstillnottoberatedhighly。Hewasnothowever，activelyunpopular，foritwasseenthathewasquitesquareinterpares，notatallvindictive，easilypleased，perfectlyfreewithwhateverlittlemoneyhehad，nogreaterloverofhisschoolworkthanofthegames，andgenerallymoreinclinabletomoderatevicethantoimmoderatevirtue。
Thesequalitieswillpreventanyboyfromsinkingverylowintheopinionofhisschool-fellows；butErnestthoughthehadfallenlowerthanheprobablyhad，andhatedanddespisedhimselfforwhathe，asmuchasanyoneelse，believedtobehiscowardice。Hedidnotliketheboyswhomhethoughtlikehimself。Hisheroeswerestrongandvigorous，andthelesstheyinclinedtowardshimthemoreheworshippedthem。Allthismadehimveryunhappy，foritneveroccurredtohimthattheinstinctwhichmadehimkeepoutofgamesforwhichhewasilladapted，wasmorereasonablethanthereasonwhichwouldhavedrivenhimintothem。Neverthelesshefollowedhisinstinctforthemostpart，ratherthanhisreason。Sapienssuamsisapientiamnorit。
WiththemastersErnestwaserelonginabsolutedisgrace。Hehadmorelibertynowthanhehadknownheretofore。TheheavyhandandwatchfuleyeofTheobaldwerenolongerabouthispathandabouthisbedandspyingoutallhisways；andpunishmentbywayofcopyingoutlinesofVirgilwasaverydifferentthingfromthesavagebeatingsofhisfather。Thecopyingoutinfactwasoftenlesstroublethanthelesson。LatinandGreekhadnothinginthemwhichcommendedthemtohisinstinctaslikelytobringhimpeaceevenatthelast；stilllessdidtheyholdoutanyhopeofdoingsowithinsomemorereasonabletime。Thedeadnessinherentinthesedefunctlanguagesthemselveshadneverbeenartificiallycounteractedbyasystemofbonafiderewardsforapplication。Therehadbeenanyamountofpunishmentsforwantofapplication，butnogoodcomfortablebribeshadbaitedthehookwhichwastoallurehimtohisgood。
Indeed，themorepleasantsideoflearningtodothisorthathadalwaysbeentreatedassomethingwithwhichErnesthadnoconcern。