Sandford and Merton
Preserved but no longer current.
The schoolboy heroes of Thomas Day's old-fashioned children's tale of this name (published in three parts, 1783-89). "Master" Tommy Merton is rich, selfish, untruthful, and generally objectionable; Harry Sandford, the farmer's son, is depicted as being the reverse in every respect.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Sandford and Merton” mean?
The schoolboy heroes of Thomas Day's old-fashioned children's tale of this name (published in three parts, 1783-89). "Master" Tommy Merton is rich, selfish, untruthful, and generally objectionable; Harry Sandford, the farmer's son, is depicted as being the reverse in every respect.
Is “Sandford and Merton” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.