German composition

Section 79 Stand Up for Whatever Is True, Manly, and Lovely. — II

Every school (S. 5, N. 2), indeed, has its own traditionary standard⁠1 of right and wrong, which cannot be transgressed with impunity, marking⁠2 certain things as low⁠3 and blackguard, and certain others as lawful and right. This standard is ever⁠4 varying, though it changes only slowly and little by little. It⁠5 is the leading⁠6 boys only, who (S. 15, N. 3), subject⁠7 to such standard, give, for⁠8 the time being, the tone to⁠9 all the rest, and⁠10 make the school either a noble institution for⁠11 the training of Christian Englishmen, or a place⁠12 where a young boy will get⁠13 more evil than if he were turned out⁠14 to make his⁠15 own way in London streets.—Thos. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School Days.

Notes

1 Maßstab, m.; ‘of’, here für.

2 bezeichnen, see S. 16, N. 4, and introduce the clause with the conj. und.

3 schändlich und gemein.

4 beständig.

5 ‘It is’, here Es sind.

6 tonangebend.

7 diesem Maßstab unterworfen.

8 zur Zeit.

9 to = for.

10 Supply here the rel. pron. ‘who’; to make the school a noble institution, aus der Schule eine sittliche Anstalt machen.

11 to (S. 19, N. 7) educate Christian (christlichgesinnt) Englishmen.

12 Stätte, f.

13 ‘to get’, here sich an´eignen.

14 hinaus´stoßen; use the First Conditional.

15 his — streets = his fortune in (auf) the streets of London.