Why are we never quite at ease in the presence of a schoolmaster? Because we are conscious that he is not quite at his ease in ours. He is awkward, and out of place in the society of his equals. He comes like Gulliver from among his little people, and he cannot fit the stature of his understanding to yours.

Summary

This quote suggests that we often feel uneasy around schoolmasters because we sense their own discomfort in our presence. Schoolmasters are seen as socially awkward, finding it difficult to fit in with others at their own level. They are compared to Gulliver, having come from the world of their students, and struggling to adapt their knowledge and understanding to match the perspectives of those they teach. This mismatch in understanding creates a sense of uneasiness and disconnect between schoolmasters and their pupils or equals.

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