ABSTRACT
In John Bunyan's lesser allegory The Holy War the fortified city of Mansoul had five gates: Eyegate, Eargate, Mouthgate, Nosegate and Feelgate. The captains of Immanuel in their efforts to overwhelm the occupier Diabolus, marshalled their forces first against the Eargate, then the Eyegate. 1 It was a strategy public school symbolists of the past would have readily appreciated:
When the miscreant arrives – the tradition is that he should be called up by the captain of the school shouting ‘Underschool’ from the window, and sending for him – he must knock …, come in and stand immediately in front of the door. These particulars must be insisted upon [emphasis added]. The captain of the school says, ‘come in’ and corrects errors in behaviour. The official having the fellow up says, ‘you are going to be licked for…’ 2
