Tom Dill at His Studies

Phiz (Halbot K. Browne)

1863

Illustration for Charles Lever's Barrington (Chapter XVII), p. 43

Image scan and text by Philip V. Allingham.

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL.]

Commentary

Tom shows no retentive abilities for his medical studies, while his sister seems to know the texts by heart after months of trying to help Tom prepare for his forthcoming licensing test by the Court of Examiners. The pipe in the mouth of the skull and the fishing gear reveal Tom's true interests, while the notes scattered on the floor reveal his lack of concern for book-learning. From the open window, Fred Conyers watches as Polly reveals her frustration (not evident on the face of Phiz's character):

"You are too bad — too stupid! cried she, angrily. "I cannot believe that anything short of a purpose, a determination to be ignorant, could make a person so unteachable. If we have gone over this once, we have done so fifty times. It haunts me in my sleep from very iteration."

I wish it would haunt me a little when I'm awake," said he, sulkily.

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Last modified August 2002