Page 6 - English

Dr. Blimber’s establishment was a great hothouse in which there was a
forcing apparatus incessantly at work. All the boys blew before their
time. Mental green peas were produced at Christmas and intellectual
asparagus all the year round. Mathematical gooseberries (very sour
ones) were common at untimely seasons and from mere sprouts of
bushes under Dr. Blimber’s cultivation. Every description of Greek
and Latin vegetable was got off the dryest twigs of boys under the
frostiest circumstances. Nature was of no consequence at all. No
matter what a young gentleman was intended to bear Dr. Blimber
made him bear to pattern. But the system of forcing was attended with
its usual disadvantages. There was not the right taste about the
premature productions and they didn’t keep well. When poor Paul
had spelt out No. 2 he found he had no idea of No. I, fragments
whereof afterwards obtruded themselves into No. 3 which slided into
No. 4 which grafted itself on to No. 2; so that whether twenty
Romuluses made a Remus, or a verb always agreed with an ancient
Briton, or three times four was Taurus a bull, were open questions
with him. But however high and false the temperature at which Dr.
Blimber kept his hothouse, the owners of the plants were always ready
to lend a helping hand at the bellows and to stir the fire.

Dombey and Son.—CHARLES DICKENS