But the problem of inspiring 'independence of character' within a system of 'mere routine' arose principally in connection with what was called 'dirty talk', rather than with the more elevated questions treated by the romantic consciousness. The headmaster called upon individuals to show their true patriotism to Sherborne by avoiding it, and appealed to the boy of independent character, who

但是，在一个纪律重重的体制中，如果要谈人格独立，可以不谈那些浪漫的高层次，但必须要谈讲脏话的问题。校长呼吁大家不讲脏话，并宣传这是一种热爱舍尔伯尼的表现。尤其要提醒那些：

brought up in a civilised home, has an instinctive dislike of swearing and coarse jokes and vulgar innuendoes, and yet from sheer cowardice will conceal his dislike, and perhaps force a laugh, and even begin to learn the vile jargon!

具有独立人格……在文明家庭长大，本来不喜欢脏话，但却不好意思表现自己的厌恶，也许还因此受到嘲笑，以至于开始学习脏话的男孩们。

In an all-male school there was only one kind of 'vulgar innuendo' possible. Contact between the boys was fraught with sexual potential, a fact which was reflected in the effective ban on associations between boys of different houses, or of different ages. These bans, and the 'gossip' or 'scandal' associated with them, were not part of the official life of a public school, but were no less real for that. Nowell Smith might condemn the fact that there was 'one kind of language suitable for home or for a master's ears, and another kind for the study or the dormitory, ' but it was a fact of school life. Natural Wonders explained that

在一所全是男性的学校里，脏话的内容可想而知。男孩之间的接触，充满了性的元素。一个明显的例子，就是一条关于不同宿舍或不同年级之间的不准交往过密的禁令。这样的禁令，以及与此相关的那些流言蜚语，都不是公学对外宣传的一部分，但它们都真实地存在着。史密斯很反感「对家人和老师说一套语言，对同学和舍友说另一套」，但这就是校园生活的一部分。《自然奇迹》说：

We say commonly that we think with our brains. That is true; but it is by no means the whole story. The brain has two halves, just alike, exactly as the body has. In fact, the two sides of the brain are even more precisely alike than the two hands. Nevertheless, we do all our thinking with one side only.

我们一般都说，我们用大脑思考。这是对的，但却不够具体……大脑有两半，两半大脑非常相像，但尽管如此，我们只用其中的一半，来思考所有的事情。