Ebitot : Miss
St. Hilda's Hall.
BROSTER,
treasurer : Miss
CRAM,
Lady Margaret Hall.
Committee : Miss Miss Miss Miss
ATKINSON,
Somerville. College.
HODGKIN, DE CASTRO, MACRAE,
79
79
St. Hugh's Hall.
St. Hilda's Hall.
Miss WILLIAMS, Home Students, King Edward Street.
4ritillary. DECEMBER.
No. 13.
011a Vobriba. WE trust that our readers will hail with joy the appearance of a double Fritillary. We also hope that they will feel grateful that they are enabled to purchase so rare a bloom at the same price as before. WE take this opportunity of thanking those among our readers whose contributions have not been inserted this term, but which we are holding over for future use. Let not this announcement, however, deter those intending to write for the next number. We are never overburdened with contributions ! Alas, the reverse is generally the case. THE innovation of an Exchange and Mart
Column for the sale or exchange of books and furniture will, it is hoped, be found useful. A LAUDABLE spirit of research is to be
noticed amongst our contributors. We have received no less than two hitherto unknown fragments of Malory, both of great value, and of quite peculiar interest to students here. One of these we publish in the present number ; we are reserving the second for our next issue. Cognoscenti tell us that the fragment we publish seems to point to a state of things from which our modern game of hockey may have emerged. The
1898.
other fragment is — but that is another story, and must wait till next term. SOME of us have perhaps read the article in this month's Lady's Realm on Women's Colleges at Oxford and Cambridge. We do not, as often happens, learn from it any surprisingly new facts—or fictions—about ourselves, except that our playsis represented as rather swamping our work. But perhaps this is so ! And surely after-dinner lectures are the exception, not the rule ! It will be observed that the only two portraits in the article are those of the Principal of Somerville and of Miss Janet Bell, whereby some inaccurate readers liave been deluded into believing that Miss Bell figures as the Principal of Lady Margaret. This is not so ; Miss Bell is stated to be the Captain of the L.M.H. Hockey Club, and this office, it is needless to remark, is not the same as that of Principal.
Ir is pleasant to feel that, if Cambridge bore off the laurels for hockey, we can deck our brows with the garland in the matter of tennis. We feel that our performance is all the more creditable since our champions had never played together before. ON coming up this term, students no doubt perceived an added aroma of wisdom lingering round their respective halls. This was due to the presence in them, some days before term, of many head-mistresses. The
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34
THE FRITILLARY.
conference was most successful, and we ought to be grateful for the words of encouragement and appreciation, and the kind spirit shown by the academical- contingent.
Our Patron giaints.
I. MARY SOMERVILLE. IT is to be regretted that the life and work of Mary Somerville are so little known even in the College which is proud to bear her name. In the world she is an almost forgotten character, and in scientific circles her work is a dead letter. Universities' Mission to Central Africa. Her writings, once the admiration of men whose names are still household words, now no longer WOMEN STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION. bear the stamp of authority. New sciences and President. Miss PEARSON. new arts have sprung up, beside which her own researches, valuable though they were in their Secretary. Miss BEATTIE. own- time, must perforce fade into insignificance. Committee. Miss STIFF, Lady Margaret Hall, Yet not for this can we cease to be proud for Miss ROWAN-HAMILTON, Somerville College, her life, and proud especially for the new spheres Miss BEATTIE, St. Huda'S Hall, MISS FORBES, her efforts opened out for women. Her contemHome Students. poraries would have been the first to recognise WE are glad to report that this Association, the appropriateness with which one of the first whose inautaral meeting was announced in the women's colleges in Oxford was called by her last number of the Fritillary, shows signs of steady name. progress. It now numbers seventy-two members, Mary Fairfax was the daughter of Admiral Sir fifty of whom are in Oxford, whilst twenty-two William Fairfax, one of the heroes of Camperwent down last term ; these we hope, by means down. She was born at Jedburgh, in the home of the regular issue of the Society's Magazines of her uncle, Dr. Somerville, whose son was and a terminal letter, narrating doings in Oxford, destined to become her husband. But her home will by no means lose touch with the Association, was at Burntisland, where she first began to love but carry beyond the confines of the University the sea. She had a lonely life, as her only a spirit of enthusiasm for the work of the Mis- brother, Samuel, was at school in Edinburgh, sion. but she turned to every living thing for comThe terminal meeting was held in the Gymna- panionship, and they never failed her, though sium of Somerville College in the second week of human beings often did, even in after-life. Her term, Miss Maitland taking the chair ; a most inter- education was simple and untrammelled, for, to esting and inspiring address on the work of Mis- quote her own words : "My mother taught me sions in general was given by the Dean of Christ to read the Bible, and to say my prayers morning Church. After a statement of accounts by the and evening : otherwise she allowed me to grow Secretary, the Committee were empowered to up a wild creature." undertake the support of a boy in one of the But at the age of nine, Mary's father came Native Schools, provided that a small deficit home from sea ; she says : " He was shocked in the necessary funds could be covered by the to find me such a savage. I had not yet been Association. The sum has since been guaranteed, taught to write ; and although I amused- myself and the matter is now in process of negotiation. reading the ' Arabian Nights," Robinson Crusoe,' It only remains to add that the names of new and the ' Pilgrim's Progress,' I read very badly, members will most gladly be received by the and with a strong Scotch accent; so, besides Secretary or Committee members, who will also a chapter of the Bible, he made me read a paper welcome any suggestions for furthering the useful- of the ' Spectator' aloud every morning, after ness of the Association. breakfast ; the consequence of which discipline
THE FRITILLARY. is that I have never since opened that book. Hume's ' History of England' was also a real penance to me." But she loved flowers and learnt the rudiments of horticulture from her father, spending a large part of her days with him in the garden. But he said at last : " This kind of life will never do ; Mary must at least know how to write and keep accounts." So at ten years old she was sent to a boarding-school, where she was " utterly wretched." " The chief thing I had to do was to learn by heart a page of Johnson's Dictionary, not only to spell the words, give their parts of speech and meaning, but as an exercise of memory to remember their order of succession." After a year of drudgery, restraint and inefficient teaching, Mary, on her return home, "was like a wild animal escaped out of a cage." Fossils and fossil-shells attracted her by their beautiful and varied forms, and in these early years began the love for geology and mineralogy which she afterwards developed with Mr. Somerville. In the fine days Mary was perfectly happy out-of-doors, but when the wet weather came she took to reading Shakespeare with a remarkable assiduity. Her mother fostered her love for knowledge, but her Aunt Jane thought she did not " sew more than if she were a man." She had lessons in plain needlework, and made a shirt with such success that all the household linen was given her to make and mend. But she rebelled against the short-sightedness of her maiden aunt, and "was annoyed that her turn for reading was so much disapproved of, and thought it unjust that women should have been given a desire for knowledge if it were wrong to acquire it." This was the keynote of her life, which for very many years was a struggle against the old-fashioned and approved prejudices of the world against the blue-stocking. In 1869, at the age of eighty-nine, she was still striking this keynote clear and strong, not the less strong because her favourite battle-cry was being sounded by other voices in the ears of the world, and was forcing them to listen sand admit its justice. Mary Somerville's daughter, Martha, writes : " My mother, in alluding to the great changes in public opinion which she had lived to see, used to re-
235
mark that a commonly well-informed woman of the present day would have been looked upon as a prodigy of learning in her youth, and that even till quite lately many considered that if women were to receive the solid education men enjoy, they would forfeit much of their feminine grace and become unfit to perform their domestic duties. My mother herself was one of the brightest examples of the fallacy of this old-world theory, for no one was more thoroughly and gracefully feminine than she was, both in manner and appearance ; and, as I have already mentioned, no amount of scientific labour ever induced her to neglect her home duties. She took the liveliest interest in all that has been done of late years to extend high class education to women, both classical and scientific, and hailed the establishment of the Ladies' College at Girton as a great step in the true direction, and one which could not fail to obtain most important results." Mary Somerville's own words at this period sum up her life-work for the emancipation of women : " Age has not abated my zeal for the emancipation of my sex from the unreasonable prejudice too prevalent in Great Britain against a literary and scientific education for women." But meanwhile, her own education was not proceeding at very rapid strides tthe teaching she received in her childhood was very scanty, and it was not till she was grown up that she began to study much for herself, though for years she had longed to. Dancing, however, she added to her other accomplishments :her old-fashioned dancing-master taught her amongst other things how to curtsey to the Queen, and used to say : " Now, if the Queen were to ask you to eat a bit of mutton with her, what would you say ? " She practised the piano wildly and painted hard. When older, Mary Fairfax extended her studies considerably, and rejoiced in the possession of Euclid and Algebra books. She was always of a mathematical turn of mind, though "never expert at addition, for, in summing up a long • column of pounds, shillings, and pence, in the family account-book, it seldom came out twice the same way." In addition to Euclid and Algebra, Mary turned her attention to Greek and
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cookery. The descent from the sublime to the ridiculous, Homer to cakes and pies, was justified in after years. Her cousin was ill, and out of reach of dainties ; so she made him some currant jelly. She says " I made some that was excellent, and I never can forget the astonishment expressed at my being able to be so useful." Her household duties were very numerous, and in addition to these Mary had to make all her own clothes, and this she continued to do even when she began to go into society. The time she could spare for her beloved Euclid was very restricted, and she used to sit up late reading until the servants remonstrated " It was no wonder the stock of candles was soon exhausted, for Miss Mary sat up reading till a very late hour." When prevented from burning the midnight tallow, she demonstrated the problems of the first six books of Euclid in her head. At the age of 24, Mary Fairfax became Mary Grieg. Her first husband was kind but unsympathetic, and shared the prevailing prejudices of the age against the higher education of women. Her mathematical aspirations consequently received rather a rude check, and though she continued her studies, she did so at random, and they were too desultory to be of so much good as more concentrated work would have been. Mary Grieg was 32 when she married her cousin, William Somerville, a man who was entirely at one with her in her scientific pursuits ; himself a man of keen literary and scientific insight, he recognised in her a superior intellect, and was only jealous for her fame, never for his own, although he himself had talent that might have had good results. It was a considerable surprise to her to find with what dislikes so many of her husband's family looked on her mathematical and scientific pursuits. That a woman should trouble herself over X, the unknown quantity, was indecorous and unseemly to the last degree. On the announcement of the engagement, one of William Somerville's sisters wrote, " she hoped she would give up her foolish manner of life and studies, and make a respectable and useful wife to her :
:
brother." Again, " One of the persons whilst he was paying court to me, sent me a volume of sermons, with the page ostentatiously turned down at a sermon on the Duties of a Wife, which were expatiated upon in the most illiberal and narrow-minded language. I thought this as impertinent as it was premature ; sent back the book and refused the proposal." The career of Mary Somerville after her second marriage is dazzling to the mind in the varied picture it presents. She was popular in the social as in the scientific world. She was not brilliant socially, but had a charm of manner all her own, allied with beauty of face and figure. As secretaries, Mr. Somerville had two brothers Finlayson, and from these young men Mary Somerville took lessons in Greek and botany. It is impossible to describe in detail her now brilliant life. Her intellect, which had been starved before, was now allowed to expand, not only by private study, but by contact with some of the best minds of the time. Sir William Herschel, Lord Brougham, La Place, Sismondi, Maria Edgeworth, Lafayette, Professor Whewell, and many other notable men and women, were among the friends and acquaintances of the Somervilles. The year 183o saw Mary Somerville's first literary achievement. At the request of Lord Brougham she wrote an account of La Place's Mdcanique aleste, a difficult piece of work, because La Place wrote for mathematical readers, who, though understanding the book themselves, might find it very difficult to translate it into the vulgar tongue. This Mary Somerville did not try to do. She was at first aghast at the proposal. She says " I thought Lord Brougham must have been mistaken with regard to my acquirements, and naturally concluded that my self-acquired knowledge was so far inferior to that of the men who had been educated in our universities that it would be the height of presumption to attempt to write on such a subject or indeed on any other." When she accepted the commission she felt as if the " whole character and course of her future life was suddenly and unexpectedly changed." The book was a great success, and was approved by the Herschels, father and son, :
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THE FRITILLARY. and Dr. Whewell amongst others. It earned her the membership of the Royal Astronomical Society. Mary Somerville was now launched on her literary career ;her work was confined to scientific treatises. In 1835 her "Connexion of the Physical Sciences" was published, and ten years later the " Physical Geography," the 'best known of all her works. At the age of 81 her energy was unabated, and she began to write " Molecular and Microscopic Science." The Somervilles spent a great part of their lives abroad, mainly in Italy. Naples was always the choice of heart and senses alike, and there Mary Somerville died at the age of 92. She was keenly interested in the bloodless revolution of '57, and her heart was with Italy in her struggles. She saw, too, three years later, the triumphant entry of Victor Immanuel, and heard the enthusiastic cries of the populace for the " Re d'Italia " !In this year, too, she lost the sympathetic companion of 48 years of married life. Till her death in 1872, Mary Somerville lived with her daughters in Italy. Up to the last she never ceased to spare four or five hours a day in study, and devoted herself mainly to that of Higher Algebra. Her intellect and her sight were unimpaired, though she became very deaf. A few words from the pen of Martha Somerville will form a fitting conclusion to this necessarily short and painfully inadequate •account of a full and useful life : " My mother died in sleep on the morning of the 29th November, 1872. For her death lost all its terrors. Her pure spirit passed away so gently that those around her scarcely perceived when she left them. It was the beautiful and painless close of a noble and a happy life."
There are rules for the Fresher at meal times, and rules for the Fresher at prayers ; There are proper remarks in the passage and telling salutes on the stairs. There are rules for accepting a cocoa, and rules for returning a call, There are jokes at all costs she must laugh at, and some she must see not at all. There is slang to be used on occasions (discarded, with care the next day), But for every occasion in college there is only one quite correct way. Then let the young Fresher take courage, and study with care Section One : The Senior her rights and your duties ; what may and what may not, be done. Invite not the Senior to coffee until that first freshness is old (Note. Cocoa is still more init.mbe, and tea would he hopelessly bold), But when asked out yourself to a cocoa, go not at the hour that is named, For if you should find her not ready, 'tis you, not the Senior, that's blamed. Do not wait for a pause ere departing, but rise, while still speaking, to go, And make for the door without checking your sweet conversational flow. You may murmur " Good night," and say " Thank you " (the rule of the College so stands), But by all the most holy traditions you are done if you try to shake hands. Delay not your calls in returning, but here there is science indeed—s It needs patience, and tact, and discernment to unite both politeness and speed. 'There are seniors you " fear may be busy " (and seniors you know will be out), And seniors you feel to be rather—er—well you've a card-case no doubt.
(OR COLLEGE TRADITION SIMPLIFIED).
Pursue we that section no further, there are deeper things yet to be known : The talk you must find for a Senior who takes you out walking alone. But ah ! above all things, ye Freshers, the rules of the College are strong, To suggest you will walk with a student—that student a Senior—is WRONG Be the Senior a lady of twenty, hath the Fresher reached thirty or more, No matter1for Seniors are senior, as Freshers are fresh, evermore.
rule for the Fresher is easy, the code of the College is plain, But a new year is rising around us, so let us expound it again.
Have you rowed since you lay in your cradle, the rules of the Boat Club are firm, You must sit and be coached by a Captain who qualified only last term.
!
the fresber's "WadeMecum'' THE
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And now let us talk of the dinner. It is said that a Fresher once smiled When she saw that most solemn procession that into the dining-room filed. Yes, grieved though I am to declare it, 'tis said that she smiled as they passed, By all that is formal in Oxford you guess that that smile was her last. !
Yet dining is simpler than lunching, where to sit, why to stand, when to wait, And what you must hand to a Senior, and if you need capture her plate. These are matters which first must be mastered, and then you must try to go on To subjects more deep and recondite, the treatment of tutor and don. So these are the rules of the College, but the sum of it all to fulfil" The College is large and the Fresher is small, let her wait " (saith R. K.), " and be still." E. S. H.
'Ube %tubent life of (Bids in 3nbia. THE education of Indian girls is a question of but recent growth. It is yet an infant plant, requiring careful and judicious treatment ; but signs of promise are not wanting, and we can confidently look forward to the time when it will have grown into a goodly tree, a time which will mark the birth of a new era for India. I shall confine my remarks to the institution with which I have for long been intimately connected, and a few words about this typical establishment will, I hope, give some idea, however meagre, about life in our Indian schools. There are two main departments to be considered, which must be treated of separately. The one of lesser importance is the Training College. This is exclusively attended by young women, chiefly widows and the wives of schoolmasters in hard circumstances. It is needless to say that it is not the love of study which attracts them, but the means this College affords them of becoming independent or obtaining ,a livelihood. Independence, to a Hindu widow, is a boon difficult to imagine. It means escape from degradation and insult and contempt, sometimes even from worse. I do not by any means
seek to make out that this is the case always, but in the poorer grades of Hindu society this is the normal state of the widow. I had almost said was,' for every day sees an improvement in their condition. The High School is, however, the more important branch, and it is the one we are more chiefly concerned with at present. Here we have the student life at its best, and though this may not be as free and unfettered as the English school-girl's life, yet, to the Indian girl, it opens out endless possibilities of pleasure. This is how a day is spent at school. By 5.3o almost every girl is up, for as a rule we are early risers in India, and this is followed by a cup of tea or milk at about 7, when the private study for the day commences. This continues till about 1o, when it is time for breakfast, a meal which would correspond to luncheon in England. School hours are included between r r and 5, with a break between for Pharal (Tiffin). After this comes dinner, and then a rush is made to the play-ground. Here, as in everything else, there are no barriers of age between girls ; young and old join freely in the same games and recreations. This has of course its advantages and disadvantages, but the picture of so many girls enjoying themselves so thoroughly can seldom be seen anywhere beyond the walls of this school, for here at last they are beyond the stern conventionalities and restraint which society would otherwise impose upon them. There is another brief period of private study after 7, and then about 9 comes the signal for retiring for the night. Girls are seldom allowed to go out anywhere alone. It would certainly be far pleasanter and more interesting if they were allowed to go for walks occasionally into the country. It would be a real education if they could be made to feel the spirit of Wordsworth's poetry with regard to the beauty of nature. As it is I am afraid they know little about such beauty and care less about it. Yet I think they are happy in their own way. Strange to say, the Hindu girl student does not study music and singing, though in ancient times ladies used to be trained in these accomplish'
,
THE FRITILLARY. ments. They are now chiefly confined to Nautch girls (ballet girls), and are therefore not considered respectable. In our school and college we are trying to introduce it as an innovation, and I think with great success. Our girls have not as yet had sufficient intellectual training to make them fond of literature, and thus another door of amusement and instruction is closed to them. Yet time seldom hangs heavy on their hands. Friends are invited to fruit-parties, or to drink spiced milk (a great luxury), or to dinner, when many a girl will cook dainty dishes with her own hands to show off her culinary skill. In passing, I must note one thing ; it is not pleasant to dwell upon, yet it is suggestive. In the same class as young girls of 8 and r o you will often see women of 20 or 25 poring wearily, and sometimes hopelessly, over their work. These are the victims of prejudice and old-world conservatism, whose guardians have at last recognised the utility of that education which they had opposed so long and fiercely. I cannot conclude without a word as to the surroundings of our girl students. iEsthetic considerations seem to have been taken into account in housing the school, and the fine stone structure, placed in spacious grounds, appears to have been designed to make the girl's life pleasanter and happier than in their own homes. It does not take much to make us Indians happy, and the blue sky and almost perpetual summer of beautiful Poona have had a great effect in rendering girl - life in our school and college pleasant and agreeable. M. A. BHORE.
an Essap on abieness. (To sing of labour let the bards aspire, Of Duty, bold Resolve and high Desire, In praise of Idleness I touch the lyre.)
Poor Goddess ! well-nigh driven from a world Where Labour's banners ever fly unfurled, Scorned, flouted, hunted as despised Turk, O'erborne by. Business and the tyrant Work.
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E'en laziness, sometime thy friend, we see Wearing the habit of Activity, And Work to further vaunt her ill-got gains Says :—Lazy people take the greatest pains. Blest idleness ! we seek thee out with care Successful, but to find thee, present where Some dark Italian by the river-side To watch the water flow is satisfied ; Some rustic marks with drooping, empty head The form recumbent of the pig well-fed ; Some student, with full three years' work to do, Drifts down the Cherwell in the light canoe, Takes disinfectants 'gainst the knowledge germ, And with a languid interest a"tastes the worm"— Alas ! for sights like these so rarely seen, Survivals of a glorious Has-been ! For e'en on Leisure, Work has set her seal, And Business writes the menu for each meal. The Englishman will take a holiday, But dares not waste the time he spends away; Uphill he pants, nor stops for minutes two, Crimson, to gaze upon the hidden view. Or cycling, ever strains his anxious eyes For Pleasure which as oft before him flies. The English maid no silk or muslin wears ; Silk so soon soils, and muslin quickly tears ; The busy wear what Business cannot hurt, The uniform of Labour—Coat and Skirt. The Muses too must serve the common end, Work will not let men waste the cash they spend. Poets and painters advertise a soap, And magazines instruct beyond all hope. E'en youth pursues the Academic way, And renders temper and complexion grey. And this, with Science to do work for all, This, though we hear in every lecture-hall Economists who teach in maxims terse ' By nature man to labour is averse.' Unnatural Toil ! Utility give place ! Enter fair Idleness of languid grace— What rest from ineffectual mental strain To let ideas course gently through the brain, Without attempt to classify, define, Or even claim a thought as really thine ! What fair exchange for muscles' exercise To fold the hands and slumber (free from flies)!— Blest Prohibition ! Thou shalt not peruse The daily nuisance of a Daily News. Negative pleasures such as these are thine, O Idleness ! well-chosen patron mine ! And lift thy head, for far-off I descry Thy triumph over dull Activity. Study doth lead to softening of the brain, Paralysis results from muscles' strain. Then Idleness step in and reign supreme, Thy unresisting subjects lie and dream. To other climes are banished Toil and Thrift, Mortals now fold their hands and let things drift M. H. R. (With apologies to Alexander Pope.) a Spoonerism.
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Concerning the Boswell Varabox. " LET me observe," writes Boswell, in the advertisement to the first edition of his immortal book, " as a specimen of my trouble, that I have sometimes been obliged to run half over London in order to fix a date correctly ; which when I had accomplished I well knew would obtain me no praise, though a failure would have been to my discredit." It seems to be required of the world that it should grudge no labour, and shrink from no fatigue, in the effort to find out the truth about the man whose whole work breathes the spirit expressed in these words. A tardy justice has indeed been done to the greatness of Boswell. We are able now to speak to listeners not incredulous, of his philosophy, his magnanimous toleration, his supreme excellence in the art of friendship. The publication, not long ago, of various contributions to " Johnsoniana," furnished occasion for an emphasis of this modification of general opinion, and the brilliant pen of Mr. Leslie Stephen showed, in a luminous way, the immense superiority of Boswell to all his rivals. Something of the real individual is beginning to appear through the cloud of misinterpretation which,—for purposes of his own, as will be suggested in this paper,—he allowed to gather about himself. Yet there remains a little mystery. The most loyal Boswellians are still perplexed at times by his almost inconceivable simplicity and varied foppery, the tortuous fashion in which his genius laboured, the original paradox is not quite dead. It was indeed a very sturdy paradox which maintained that a great work, if not the greatest of biographies, was produced by a small, a mean-souled man. It was not weakened even by the loud flourish of trumpets with which it was glorified in youth by Macaulay, and which would surely have overthrown the walls of any paradox less strongly built. For, as it is superfluous to explain, the kind cannot well bear a welcome too warm. Surviving also a certain amount of steady opposition, it has lived, in some form, long enough to be called a stale old literary tradition. When nothing of the freshness
remains through which, however sorry a paradox, it once could add a keenness to the charm of the biography, it continues to haunt a few literary histories, a confusion to the young student whom it encourages to a false separation between the author and his work. To exorcise it finally, and let the book appear free from the shadow of this paradox, is a plain duty in the last decade of the century which owes to Boswell a gift more precious than it realises. It is needless to dilate on the merits of the " Life of Johnson." But stress must be laid upon one characteristic, in the absence of which no history of a race or an individual has enduring value, because this is, in a peculiar sense, a quality found only in the works of genuinely imaginative intellects. It is that the author gives us a scientific knowledge of his theme. To have such a knowledge respecting any branch of science means to have laid hold of the principles of the subject, so that we cannot but deduce the properties correctly. Those principles are, in fact-, revealed to be in accord with our reason, they have entered into our possession, and their conclusions are ours. In the case of an individual, this kind of knowledge brings him home to us ; we understand of what sort his words and actions cannot fail to be, as though they were to proceed from ourselves. The test is, our ability to forecast what will be at least his general attitude upon any given question, his sayings, his manner. We can very rarely have such intimate comprehension of any of our contemporaries ; life is too various, possibilities of motive and influence too infinite for us to be able to gauge accurately which should be at work on any particular occasion. But a few of the greatest literary artists can trick us, at any rate, into the belief that we do possess it in the case of certain nations and individuals. This seems to be because they do not, cannot, represent to us the limitless whole of a personality or race, but only those elements which are alive to them, and which can come into touch with their nature. So, it may be said, do we all ; when we attempt to describe people and events, we can only see the rays which enter into our spectrum. Yes, but the elements which
THE FRITILLARY. the genius perceives and expresses are those which, passing through his medium; become in representation a work of art, having consistency with itself. All life cannot be put into literature. The artist alone is able to make a transcript which is a type of life, and not merely a ragged extract. Johnson then we know, better than we know our near friends, because he is given to us as though he were a finished whole. Much of him, as of every individuality, must go. All that could' not be put into the picture and symbol of the man 'is not for the possession of future generations. The mighty form of the human being which, so long as life lasts, "lies floating many a rood" through his environment, and eludes those most intimate with him, must be lost. For Boswell himself there would always remain an unaccountable, inexplicable something in his hero, which might bring forth fruits he had not looked for. The Doctor might after all be rude to Jack Wilkes, although incited beforehand by judicious pricks to the boast that he was sufficiently a man of the world to behave courteously to any guest at his host's table. He might even on the last day at Auchinleck reform, and show Mrs. Boswell that he could avoid pouring the candlegrease on to the ground, if he had a mind. But we know better than Boswell, because we only know the Johnson of literature. We cannot but suppose ourselves arguing with him on other topics even than those on which he touches, in that almost omnivorous conversation in which he touches nothing that he does. not grind and masticate, and we know the result. For what, present-day reader does not withstand the Doctor at every step, and feel himself "knockeli down with the butt-end of the pistol," feel the mysticism, and dimmer ideals, and subtler issues. of modern thought vanish away before that Samson of unrealities and shadows, vanish away that is from a contest in which their existence is not recognised? Not that Boswell does not suffer another Johnson to loom behind the wellunderstood and familiar character, a Johnson whose thoughts are too vast, and principles too sublime to justify completely, and form a basis 2
24.1
for the utilitarian and actualistic eighteenth-century view of man in society, which he so ever. getically and staunchly upholds. That is part of the exquisite art of the biographer, he presents us with no mere paper figure devoid of background. But we readers know just how far these larger ideas will disturb the typical Johnsonian posture in society, and how far they will be restrained; and this, Boswell, in the presence of Johnson hying, could not know. The object before us is, as has been hinted, to suggest an explanation of that in the style and manner of this work of genius, which led to the remarkable illusion about the author's parts, which is not yet fully dissipated. This illusion it was, in. our view, his aim to create. It is necessary to realise what was the problem for Boswell. That he was in the first place a devoted adherent of truth may be taken as incontestable. The earnestness and solemnity of his tone in every allusion to the duty of sincerity has surely just enough of the whimsical in it to convince of the genuineness of the passion, if indeed we may not conclude that in this we are not mocked, from the whole character of the work. Boswell was thoroughly persuaded that if he gave Johnson to the world, it should be the actual Johnson, all that could he grasped of him. There should be no omissions and softening touches.; it was inconceivable that the veritable Samuel Johnson could be led into the presence of any set of readers who had not known him, by a writer who minced his words and suppressed aught of the truth. Boswell, however, was gifted with a mind of far-reaching penetratiOn; he foresaw the advent of an age of greater refinement of thought and delicacy of manners. He foreknew what would be the weakness, the mental complaints of that age. Excited by the rediscovery of the truth that the real is not coincident with the common,. the customary, the generally received, this age,. as he believed, would be prone to put all kinds of reality into the same category. It would probably exalt those realities which do not strike upon the apprehension of the blunter natures at the expense of the rest. With an acuteness sharper than Johnson's, he
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understood that out of that self-satisfied, keenwitted society of the eighteenth century, so content to lift the lids of all the cauldrons of life far enough for amusement, so averse from stirring the depths for fear of suffocation by the rising smoke, would be born a different kind of men and women. These people, less careful of their spiritual nerves, less studious to preserve the balance of equanimity, would burrow to the roots, and in every branch of knowledge and thought would search, and be unsatisfied. With admirable discrimination he discerned that amongst the greatest needs of these earnest and unfortunate beings would be the need of a Samuel Johnson, but that he would not arise out of a people unconscious of their want. The keenness of his sympathy for their condition is probably to be ascribed to the fact that he was himself of their temperament, and born out of due time. A man by nature ahead of his age, with susceptibilities ill-fitted for it, he found his chief source of calm, refreshment, invigoration, in the presence of Johnson. " I could not preserve for any long continuance the same views of anything. It was most comfortable to me to experience in Dr. Johnson's company a relief from this uneasiness." He was thus most capable of understanding that could he hand down Johnson whole and undiluted, and set him in the midst of his suffering intellectual kindred of the following age, he would give them a supreme blessing. They could have no better tonic than the query perpetually recurring in their painful and feverish wanderings of thought—What would the Doctor say on this subject ? would he turn us back from this point with a "Let there be an end on't,"—or " This, now, is such sad stuff as I talked to my mother when I first thought myself a clever fellow, and she ought to have whipt me for it ? " Such was Boswell's sublime mission as he conceived it—to give a Johnson to the nineteenth century. He saw, nevertheless, that that most tolerant of ages would not be able readily to admit the Doctor to its centre Assuredly he would be suffered to stand at the door with a multitude of the giants of old, to whom we bow, who are even with us but who are not of us. He felt
from personal experience how harsh and strange certain characteristics of his master would appear to the nineteenth century, and particularly to those very natures whose plague-spots he was most needed to heal Stunned himself on his first meeting with Johnson and on many subsequent occasions by the manifestation of these traits, constantly wondering afresh how the great teacher could be so frequently narrower-minded than James Boswell, so harsh and prejudiced, he never hesitated in the resolve that nothing he could see should be left out of the portrait. But he was not debarred from making some arrangement of his own in the externals ; it seemed that he was free to play tricks with the representation of himself in the story, whilst the other members of the Johnsonian circle must be given with as much faithfulness as possible. Now with regard to the light in which his own relation to the subject of the biography was to be set, several courses were open to him. He might, in the first place, do all in his power to efface himself, coming forward only when absolutely needed for intelligibility. The danger in this method was that it might give rise to a mystery of Boswell, to which the curious attention of mankind would be attracted, away from the main subject. To appear in his true character would be evidently ineffectual, for however devoid of conceit, how could he fail to see that his character was not such as to afford the most perfect foil for the Doctor? There was but one way that could commend itself to this consummate literary artist. He must belittle himself, he must utterly sacrifice his reputation. In every connection in which he presented Johnson he must adroitly display exactly that species of folly which by its blatancy or monotony, its insufferable self- gratulation, or sordid doctrine of man, should take the edge off his master's social atrocities, blunders in critical appreciation, mundane ideals, and philosophical crudities. Do the readeri of the Life welcome Johnson at every development as their saviour from the boredom into which Boswell throws them ? Do they rejoice at the brilliance with which he transfigures the themes forced upon him, whether free-will, or the treat-
THE FRITILLARY. ment of a new-born baby, his sole companion in a castle ? Are they amazed at the celerity with which the mean and trivial incongruities of Boswell become the splendid and pathetic incongruities of Johnson ? If so it is as Boswell intended it to be. With a view to this, in his actual living intercourse with his friend he unweariedly, and with great dexterity, assumed a lower place than was his by moral and intellectual right. For, in the highest interests of art the book must be altogether a true transcript of events, the manipulation of the materials must be performed not only on paper, but primarily in the conduct of life. It is, therefore, that if Johnson utters a platitude it is fenced about with so massive a set of Boswellian platitudes that in that company it seems original to eccentricity. If he betrays somewhat too violent an admiration of the judgments of George III. or some nobleman, such a crop of adulatory sentiments is produced by Boswell, that Johnson cannot appear to love a title unduly. Any opinion he may give vent to respecting Fielding, Swift, Gray, Rousseau, is acceptable so long as the reader may be spared such specimens as the following of Boswell's championship :" He who is as good as Fielding would make him is an amiable member of society, and may be led on by more regulated instructors to a higher state of ethical perfection." Again we so heartily echo Johnson's wish that Boswell " would empty his head of Corsica," that we can only be grateful to prejudice that the great Doctor's sentiments on the American question were such, that Boswell held his peace before him about his own sounder views. It is not difficult to foresee that the argument of this paper will be treated, if heeded, with derision. It may possibly be suggested that a much better case might be made out for some other eccentric theory of the composition of the Life, such as, for instance, that the sole object of the author was the exaltation of himself and the degradation of Johnson. Many and plausible are the fashions of error. The aim, however, of the foregoing study of ,Boswell being to deal another thrust at a per-
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nicious and ungracious fallacy already too hoary and decrepit for existence, yet endowed with an astonishing vitality, the worth of the cause ought to obtain a fair hearing for the argument. The most incredulous are invited to consider the following questions :Whether any view of the author of the Life of Johnson does not commend' itself to our attention better than that which involves that his powers were of a commonplace order, and whether the hypothesis here advocated does not account for most of the facts ? In conclusion, we would solemnly exhort the present generation, after it has learned with the aid of Boswell's ingenious and self-sacrificing subterfuges, to appreciate and reverence Johnson, to go beyond. 'The subtlety of perception with which he justly credited us has perhaps behaved as he expected it to behave, with reference to his work. We owe it to him that we should' make of that faculty a further use, which in his selfabnegation he hardly dreamed of; and seeing clearly through his artifice, set the writer not far below the subject of the biography in genius. As for Samuel himself, and to what extent he was duped into the belief that his intimate friend was so slight a man as much of their intercourse would make him out to be, speculation is interesting, but inconclusive and perhaps vain. We seem to overhear him beginning :genius or dulness of Bozzy," " Why as tothe • but he pauses, and is possibly meditating, as Garrick might guess, which side to take. H. D. OAKELEY.
De Stubits 1Logicts. Dedicated (without permission and with apologies) to Miss Pearson.
Logic I began to learn, how much I wished I hadn't For through those gates, I once did yearn to pass, I entered saddened. At first my notes I took, 'tis true, by treach'rous Hope elated, But when I came to read them through, my joy was much abated.
WHEN
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And soon, alas, I realised my perilous position, And, when too late, I found I priz'd my former safe condition. As one who, swimming all alone, in, say, four feet of water, Finds suddenly it's deeper grown, or else he has grown shorter. E'en so the fatal plunge I took, light-hearted, aye, and merry, But soon my gambols I forsook ;—the shore was shelving, very ! So, when I thought in shoals to sport, I floundered in mid-ocean, And how to get again to port I'd not the faintest notion !
Sermons and lectures are a field for Logic's observation ; Delightful are the fruits they yield, in Logic's estimation. How sweet in some wise tome to find and hold up to derision Terms by their opposites defined, or else a Crossdivision ! In conversation with my friends I take a deeper pleasure, An opportunity it lends to use my new found treasure, For in their uninstructed speech full many a flaw I spy, And, pleased no more to learn, but teach, point out the fallacy.
Conceptualist and Realist, their very names appalled me ! Their points of doctrine I quite missed which ought to have enthralled me. And then those words of weird import, Extension and Intension, To me, alas, conveyed no sort of difference worth the mention.
No book is dry, no talk is dull, where Logic finds employment, Essays of subtle sweets are full, to argue is enjoyment. My adversaries simply quail, oppose my words they dare n 't, When I bring out in full detail my Barbara, Celarent.
All Definition was to me "obscurum per obscurius," The Predicables seemed to be mere puzzles quaint and curious ; I could not grasp the General Term and its signification, For what I felt I needed was a General Vacation.
The Enthymeme, the Major Term, Sorites and Dilemma,—. (Whose names I once could ne'er repeat without an inward tremor) I find -they cause my foes to fly, the while I feel ecstatic ; And none can stand up when I cry " syncategorematic 1"
And when, the Syllogism passed, to draw fresh breath I ventured, My new-born hopes were withered fast,—Induction then I entered. There 'Methods for my use I found,—but was forbid to use them : Poor students find them scattered round just merely to confuse them.
" All men are mortal," oft I cry, and then as oft convert it ; "Some mortals then are men," reply, and who can controvert it ? " Some cats are not black animals," and thence comes this prediction, " Some not-black animals are cats !" and none brings contradiction.
Words are inadequate to tell the ravages inflicted On brain, and temperament as well, ere reason was convicted. Hypothesis and Tendency, Phenomenon and Theory, Meaningless terms they were to me, faint-hearted, sick, and weary.
And so I never shall regret the pains I spent about it— Indeed, I wonder even yet how I got on without it ! Logic ! I cannot fitly praise the pleasures of thy giving ! 'Tis thou hast brightened all my days, and quite made Life worth living I D. K. M. B.
•
But what a change was brought to view by plentiful revision ! The arid wastes I wandered through are now the fields Elysian ! And there I ramble at my will, culling the choicest flowers, And, drinking deep of Reasoning's rill, forget those early hours.
%ome Mater Babies. (AN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.)
is a commonplace of historical criticism to talk of England's insular independence, which is, IT
THE FRITILLARY. being interpreted, her dependence on insularity as regards her national glory. Curiously enough, though maybe a mere coincidence, nursery lore has adopted this theme, and quite an astonishing amount of nursery literature centres round water. " Little Arthur " having realised that " the country he lives in is called England," is instructed about the woad-bedecked Britons paddling their wicker crafts amid unbridged marshes and rock-girt pools, or he learns about " the Brook," how it " chatters, chatters as it goes to join the brimming river," whilst his more sober recreation hours maybe are spent in the perusal of Kingsley's " Water Babies," or the thrilling pages of " Hereward the Wake." If nursery literature deal so largely with the watery' part of this world of ours, why should not nursery morality be conducted to some extent on similar lines ? Why should not little Arthur be trained from his cradle in the proper treatment of England's most important element ? I would suggest, therefore, that children receive, in a literal sense, an " elementary education." If naughty Harriet, of Strubelpeter fame, had not only been warned against, but trained to respect the fire, the poor pussy-cats would have been spared their tears, and the result would have been less fire and less water ! The extraordinary fascination which water possesses for the young needs little exposition. You have only to walk down your street after a thunder-shower, or when the snow is melting, and notice the expression on the face of some " Sentimental Tommy," as he floats his orangepeel in the gutter, or diverts to a new grating the channel from some water-spout. Or look up for a moment from your newspaper and watch your little girl solemnly trying to check the raindrops as they hurry down the window-pane, or regarding the world through the glistening medium of one large drop, a veritable fairy casement `
" Opening out on perilous seas And fairy lands forlorn."
Who has not been the recipient of a tin pump that pumped real water ? or who does not recall the mysterious sensation, the breathless silence with which he listened at nightfall to the pitterpatter of the heavy hail-stones down the chimney, 3
2
45
and the hiss of pleasure—or was it pain ?—with which they greeted the dying embers ? It is just this playing with the elements, this testing and comparing of his powers with theirs, that gives to a little child the blessed gift of imagination ; he detects a mystery in the familiar things of daily life, a supernatural force in natural laws. This is the moment for his " elementary " education to begin. Do not depend on books, for they will tell him that an island is a piece of land surrounded by water,' and you will find that the pump trough has been utilized as a platform for practical demonstration. Again, should you describe to him the laws that govern a river in its course, you must not be surprised if your pupil experiment with the cold-water taps. Such experiments will come sooner or later, but do not, for your own comfort, hasten the epoch. No, leave the geography book on one side, and train your child in the spirit of the matter, that is to say, teach him early how to behave when confronted by water. He might, for instance, begin in his bath : a youthful miscreant of some four summers has designed for his dwelling " a lofty red-brick mansion where there shall be no baths," (I quote his own words). " But, my dear boy," said I, "you would not like to be always dirty," and the little fellow, lacking the courage of his convictions, hesitated and temporized, " Oo might have a warm one just once or twice a year !" And what wonder? Many a child first dreads the water, then dislikes it : he begins by screaming at the bathing woman, or shrieks with terror at the rippling waves on the beach, simply because the sea is big and cold and strong, and to his baby imagination spells monster. Had his associations of water been controlled, he would have seen in it no demon of destruction but a beautiful big bath : he would take it as a matter of course, saved from the commonplace by novelty. As it is, no sooner is his dread removed, and use become second nature, no sooner has the sea lost for him that element of caprice which lent to it the terrors of the unexpected, than he promptly treats it with all the disrespect of which the young mind is
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capable, and the once timid paddler becomes an indifferent visitant of the shore. As years go on, the lack of early training becomes more and more manifest. 'Arry and 'Arriet do chase together " the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him when he comes back," accompanying the pastime with shrieks that echo in their sound. Or look again at an educated picnic party on the Thames, a sculling-boat manned by a long suffering youth, perhaps one of his College Eight, his labour more than doubled simply because his sisters, cousins, and aunts, " love to feel the cool water trickle through their fingers," as they idly droop their hands o'er the painted sides of the boat. The fact is that not being on terra firma, in their native element, they feel in some sort exempt from the ordinary habits of life and behave in a manner peculiar—well---peculiar to river picnics. It only remains to notice the same stream on Whit Monday, with its noisy boatloads and wild choruses, which disturb the stately silence of buttercup meadows, and the whispering of willows on the brink. And all for want of an " elementary " education, a necessary branch of nursery ethics. Let your sea-girt little Britons, for such they are, begin this training young ; let the morning tub be more of a ceremonial washing and less of a daily penance. Perhaps my four-year old friend held the wrong end of a truth when he grumbled at the frequency of his bath ! Let the boy float his boat in the stream or his orangepeel in the gutter, but if you have opportunity talk to him of the current, of the why and wherefore of the channel and so forth, but never let him treat with disrespect or indifference that to which his country owes so much of her greatness. Teach your babes to replenish daily the water wherein they have placed the sticky little nosegay of dandelions, so will they learn its nobler uses and respect its functions. And if you be a schoolmaster discourage that all too common and summary chastisement beneath the pump. Last, but not least, teach your boy early to manage a boat; take him on a penny steamer—it is to you an inexpensive, to him a vastly interesting experience, for there will he watch the passing ,
boats and gaze at the yellow foam as it rushes and gurgles from the paddle-wheel; he will have taken one step at least towards a mastery of the waters, towards the recognition of water as his native element. " A burnt child dreads the fire ;" true, but it lies with you to prevent the catastrophe take care lest your little Arthur go to school or to sea unprepared ; begin his elementary' education in the nursery tub, and you may some day see the result in the Leander Club or the Royal Navy. MILDRED HOGARTH. :
'
%ono of the too 'Ubiquitous forwarb. I DASH from out the forwards' line, I make a sudden sally ; And straight among the backs I shine, Nor pause to think or daily. Past all the halves I hurry down, O'er all the field I scamper, Regardless of the captain's frown, Of all the play I hamper. And every little stroke I try, And give the ball up never ; The backs may groan, the half-backs sigh, But I go on for ever. I zealously pursue the ball, All other things ignoring ; I slip, I slide, I lurch, I fall, In my attempts at scoring. I stamp on everybody's toes, Distribute wounds and bruises; To bang my friends, to thump my foes, Me equally amuses. O'er prostrate forms I take my way, And give the ball up never ; Whate'er my fellow forwards say, Yet I go on for ever. I wind about, and in and out, Now hitting and now failing ; And now and then I hear a shout, And now a sound of wailing And now and then some " winged words " Hurled at me as I travel But these I quite ignore, and leave Till later to unravel. And still I hit, though somewhat warm, And give the ball up never. The goal may stamp, the captain storm, But I go on for ever. H. I. :
;
THE FRITILLARY. the 'Mar we won't 'o it. DRAMATIS PERSON/E. CLARA, virtuously inclined, and
First Year Students at Oxford.
would-be energetic. MABEL, irresponsible, and devoid of conscience. CLARA.'S MOTHER.
SCENE—Study in Clara's Home. '
Timeend of September. Hour—r s a.m. (Enter Students, armed with books" and MSS., which they pile on the table with considerable unction.)
2 47
(Silence for five minutes, till chocolates are all consumed.) MABEL (diffidently). What do you say to a little break for the middle of the morning ? I always find it pays in the end. CLARA. If you like—anyhow I must sharpen my pencil. MABEL. What's the red end for ? CLARA. Oh! don't you know these things ? They're invaluable—Miss D—, who got a First, always used them—to mark all the nouns with red, and all the adjectives with blue. MABEL (encouragingly). Yes ? CLARA. Oh it's everything when one comes to revise. MABEL. I don't believe in paraphernalia. I don't even keep a stylograph pen. One has so much anxiety with regard to its health and moral character. It generally has a running cold in its head, and even when well and happy has an unfortunate aptitude for practical jokes. CLARA (feeling that this is trifling:). Hadn't we better go on with our work now ? MABEL. Why we haven't had lunch. CLARA. Oh ! did you want any ? But you weren't clown to breakfast till ten. MABEL. Of course ; what's a break for ? Besides, one must eat to read, and all my chocolates are gone. !
CLARA. Oh ! I've forgotten the ink
!
MABEL. Do without it. CLARA (virtuously). I can't trust my memory without notes. (Exit in search of ink.) (Mabel settles in most comfortable arm chair, pulls chocolates out of pocket, and becomes absorbed.) (Re-enter CLARA). Hullo, hard at it already ? (begins to feel more respect for Mabel than before. Fetches chair up to table, opens crib, dictionary, three note-books, and copy of Horace. Props elbows on table, sighs.) CLARA. How time does slip away, the end of September already, and I feel I have practically done nothing. However, we have the morning before us. What are you reading, by the way ? MABEL (with slight confusion). Oh !—Er !—some rotten old man I've got to wade through. CLARA (reproachfully). Mixed Metaphor MABEL (wearily). Well, what can you expect when I am working so hard? CLARA (brightening a little). Are those chocolates I see there ? MABEL (apologetically). I find it clears the brain so, and makes the time pass more quickly (reluctantly offers some to Clara, who takes a generous handful). By the way, what time is it ? CLARA. Well it was eleven when we began. I should say it was half-past eleven now. Time goes so when one's really at work (gets up and looks at clock). What only five minutes past eleven MABEL. Put the clock on, it'll look better. !
!
!
(Provisions accordingly produced. As soon as work is resumed Clara's Mother enters, wearing a harassed expression.) What are you doing ? I thought you were to arrange the flowers this morning. CLARA (mildly). Oh, Mother, we are just getting on so nicely with our work. But of course if (Exit Mother, subdued.). you really wish it It's always so. No one ever realises how CLARA. necessary it is to apply oneself uninterruptedly to one's studies. But at home there are always so many claims upon one. MABEL. By all means let's sit here comfortably and woi-k. I wonder you don't take an armchair too. (Clara weakly yields to temptation, and silence of MOTHER (to Clara).
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five minutes ensues, at end of which Clara' s book falls from her hand.) MABEL. Hullo ! have you finished ? CLARA (starts violently, and looks round vaguely for book). Er—yes—no—I don't think—What do you mean ? MABEL (laughing). You don't appear to find your book very interesting. (Clara indignantly denies the accusation, and perseveres for a few minutes longer.) CLARA (wistfully), It seems a pity to waste such a fine morning. What d'you say to going out now, and working this afternoon ? The tenniscourt has just been marked. MABEL (absently). Wait a bit till I've just finished this chapter. It's frightfully exciting. CLARA. Frightfully exciting? I thought he was a rotten old man ! (rising and crossing over to look at Mabel' s book). Why ! you are reading two books at once ! It's a yellow-back inside the history ! MABEL (guiltily, realising she is caught). Oh, I only just picked it up for a few moments. CLARA. Then why is the history book upside down ? MABEL (laughing). Well it does that way as well as the other. Anyhow let's go out now. You've been quite virtuous enough for two of us. (Exeunt arm-in-arm. Work to be continued in our next.) B. C.
Of 13oolis ant) Unit Coverings. " CHERRIES be fulsome when they be full ripe, because they be plentie, and bookes be stale when they be printed, in that they be common." In this, Master Lyly the Euphuist was a heretic, and if you share his errors, you will not care what becomes of your books, when once you have read them, and a cover of boards or brown-paper will suffice you. But if you are a true lover, as was a former Clerk of Oxenford, you will care to have them fitly housed and seemly clothed. A while ago, and too often now also, the multitude of readers tossed their book aside for some new thing, when it had yielded them its first idea : only a few, like Charles Lamb, loved books for
their own sake, and to him they told their secrets. Faint echoes from past days tell us of the reverence of even the unlettered. We seem to see King Malcolm of Scotland stealing away S. Margaret's books, one by one, that he might have them rebound for her in the costliest fashion he could devise. There have been three main ways of binding books : in time-honoured leather, in wrought silk or velvet, and now, of late years, in plain cloth. Once we were famous in England for our leatherwork ; the Bible which the monks of Durham bound for Bishop Hugh le Puiset was thought a marvel of the art of stamping. Its contemporary in the Bodleian bears this out, considering that each pattern was stamped by a separate die. Since the art of tooling in gold was brought from France (in 154o), books have been fair indeed. Master Thomas Berthelet bound for King Henry VIII. a New Testament and Psalter, " englysshe and latyne in white leather gorgeously gilted," and all for " four shillings." Down to Roger Payne's day the art flourished, then decayed, but now, happily, with the Daniel and the Kelmscott Presses to inspire the manner of printing, it is beginning to revive. You will say that such work costs many pennies. True, but " it is better for thee to have thy studie full of bookes, than 'thy pursse full of money." Yet, if need be, there is no more honorable covering for a good book than one that can be wrought with the needle. Does not King Henry's " massebook of tawny vellat with copper claspes " conjure up a fair vision ? Much loving thought, too, was stitched into the beautiful volume of the Gospels, which Mary Colet of Little Gidding wrought for Charles I., and which drew from him the exclamation, " Happy the King who bath such men and women in his realm ! God bless their hearts and painful hands." In our own day Mr. Walter Crane has set a brilliant example of what may be done for worked book-coverings. For those who have a little money, but less time, much may be done by increasing the demand for really good designs in cloth for ordinary books. Since the day—some five-and-twenty years ago—when the ' Leisure Hour' adopted a simple
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2 49
dress of cool `linen-duster,' with a spider in its web in one corner, both artists and inks have developed apace. In America, authors often design their 'own covers to ensure harmony with the contents. It is an art in which women are greatly excelling, .as some recent designs for the National Exhibition at Kensington testify. Also Mr. Housman .and Mr. Selwyn Image have done elaborate work for editions de luxe, and for ordinary daily-read 'classics Mr. Talwyn Morris has designed some most cleverly effective covers, simple in treatment but distinctive, through the contrast of shades and 'colours. That is the art, to tell something, but not all of what is inside. You do not need, for instance, to imitate the sub-title of one of Coryat's books, which rung; Coryat's crudities Hastily gdbled up in five moneths trauells in France, Savoy, Rhetia . . . ; newly digested in the hungry aire of Odcombe in the County of Somerset, and now dispersed to the nourishment of travelling :members of this Kingdome " ! You need only to suggest by the design whether the work is grave or gay, with perhaps a subtle hint as to the characters, in the combination of colours. A more time-honoured method was to present the books as relative to yourself. In thick leather bindings, where the device must be limited by the tools you can use, heraldic or emblematic designs were easier to manage. In France especially, book-collectors clothed their treasures in their own livery : Francis I. had his F and his salamander, Louis XII. had his bristling porcupine, with sometimes the girdle of Anne of Brittany twined in the border. The famous booklover Grolier, the friend of Aldus, scholar-printer of Venice, showed a very liberal spirit. His legend ran, " Io. Grolierii et Amicorum," with a different emblem for different periods of his life. But whatever form of beautification you adopt, show that the treasure is yours, and your heart is in it. C. M. E. B.
to a fair town that lay between. two rivers, and anon he passed by a fresh green field, whereon were many sportful damsels ; and the good knight, Sir Gawayne, abode long in that place to see what their sport might be, yet might he never compass it, for ever they made the greatest crying that might be, and drave a pure white ball before them from one end of the field to the other. Moreover, they were full strange of attire, for their kirtles reached scarce below their knees, and each damsel bare in her hand a curved staff, and ever she smote therewith her fellow-damsels. So it befell, as Sir Gawayne abode astonied, that there came one of the damsels to him, and she was a fair lady and lusty and young thereto, but she made great dole because that one of her fellows was sore stricken and might no longer endure the sport, and she prayed Sir Gawayne, of his knightly courtesy, that he would serve in her stead. Right so Sir Gawayne got him lightly to his place in goal and dressed him. Wit ye well he was 'full sore adrad and amazed. Then came all the damsels hurtling towards him that it was marvel, and ever the damsel which had spoke with Sir Gawayne cried aloud. " Shoot !" quoth she, and slew on the right hand and on the left. Then for pure courtesy Sir Gawayne laid him down upon the grass, for he might in no wise smite any of the damsels, nor might he stand against them. Then one party of damsels buffeted Sir Gawanye sore, and right so the white ball passed over him and so through the goal. Then was that party passing glad of heart, but the other made the greatest dole that might be. Wit ye well Sir Gawayne was sore wounded, and weened he had been sped, so he gat him away with what speed he might, for " gr'amercy," quoth he, " how may this be that damsels joust like knights ?" Right so he came to a wide Hall . . . . [here the MS. breaks of abrup•ly.] 'N. F.
lbttberto tinpubItzbeb fragment of Bbatorp.
the Oxforb 9Stubentst debating 5ocietp.
Now leave we of Sir Lancelot du Lac and speak we of Gawayne. Now Sir Gawayne came
THE second Debate of Term was held Friday, June Toth, in the High School, Miss STARK
Summer Term.
250
THE FRITILLARY.
(St. Hugh's) in the chair. The motion before the House was :"That the art of book illustration has deteriorated." Miss WORDSWORTH, in proposing, based her argument on the grounds that while book illustration increased in quantity, it decreased in quality. She emphasised the beauty of bookillustrations at the end of last century and the beginning of this, by mentioning such illustrators as Turner, Blake, Blackstone, Bartolozzi, Leech, Doyle, Thackeray, Cruikshank and Hood ; the middle of this century also was marked by such good productions as those of the pre-Raphaelite brothers, Millais, Leighton and Fred, Walker. But even in these we began to miss something of the good old traditions of rigour and inevitableness; while such later works as the illustrated editions of George Eliot and Shakspere were pleasing to nobody. The book illustrations in vogue now were either unreal, as those of Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway, or over elaborated, as those in "Alice in Wonderland." The art of book-illustration might, in fact, be said to have passed through three stages. The first, or early nineteenth-century period, she would call the Gothic, since it was distinguished by its richness and purity. The second period might be said to correspond to the Renaissance, since it was distinguished by a mixture of styles and by overornateness. The third period which now held sway might be called the sensation A period, since it was coarse, eccentric, and often profane—an art without a gospel. The causes of this retrogression in art Miss WORDSWORTH attributed to the French influence, both realistic and impressionist, and to the cheap photographic methods used so largely in magazine illustrations. In reply, the opposer, Miss LEES (S.C.), admitted that two months ago she would have agreed with the hon. proposer in many of her pessimistic views regarding the art of book-illustration. Since she had begun to study the subject, .however, she had taken a different view. She could not but feel that the present order of bookillustrators were but carrying further the traditions
that had inspired their predecessors. The realistic mantle of Leech had fallen first on Keen and now on Phil May ; while the idealist school of Blake, which was first popularised by Morris, was now continued by Samborne, Crane, Beardsley, Thompson, &c. The object of these was not to idealise nature but to reveal the ideal in nature ; in so doing they adopted a kind of symbolism, which was decorative and often so highly conventional as to be called mad,' by an uninitiated world. She could not but feel that art was still finding masters to carry on its double work of interpretation and decoration. The Hon. Proposer had said that illustrations were increasing in number, but was this the case ? Were not fewer books illustrated now than formerly? and as for the magazines, we had only to look back to any old number of the English Illustrated' to realise that if the quantity increased the quality was also keeping pace with it. Was not art in harmony with the age in its democratic tendencies ? It might be true there was no great giant to whom we could now point, but the general level was certainly higher than formerly. Miss MAY (L.M.H.) spoke third ; MISS CROPPER (S.C.) spoke fourth. In summing up, Miss WORDSWORTH said it appeared to her that no general canon of art could be agreed upon, since it evidently entirely depended what date one was born, what type of book-illustration one admired. There voted for the motion 12. against 34. The motion was therefore lost by 22 votes.
_Michaelmas Term. THE first Debate of the Michaelmas Term was held on Saturday, October 22nd, at the High School, Miss ATKINSON, (S.C.) in the chair. The motion before the House was " That in the opinion of this House the State ought to interfere on behalf of women-workers in shops." Miss STARK (S.H.H.), (proposer), brought a
THE FRITILLARY. very formidable array of facts to show the unfortunate position of this class of workers, and showed their helplessness in dealing with unscrupulous employers, owing to the over-supply of shop-workers. Philanthropy, during 5o years' effort, has done little to improve their condition. Some State regulation, on the lines of the Factory Acts, is needed to check employers. Miss RATHBONE opposed the motion in a very able speech. She maintain d that S'_ate interference was often an evil in itself, Trades-unionism, though expensive, being a much less harmful remedy. The prospect of legislation has prevented union among shop-workers, although there are facilities for union in this trade. Shop-workers must re-learn the lesson of self-dependence. Miss OAKELEY said that shop-keepers were not in that free condition of spirit which must precede co-operation. She believed that some Stateregulation of contract would increase, not lessen, their self-dependence. Miss Woons (Principal of the Maria Grey Training College) said there were difficulties in the way either of legislation or combination, owing to over-supply of this sort of labour. She suggested individual effort towards reducing this supply by practical means, notably by improving the conditions of domestic service. There also spoke :—Miss MAITLAND, Miss SPALDING, Miss HODGKIN, MISS ROBERTS. A vote of thanks to Miss WOODS was proposed by Miss CROPPER, and carried by the whole House. There voted for the motion 47. against 18. The motion was therefore carried by 29 votes. '
,
.
THE Second Debate of the term was held at the Gymnasium, Somerville College, Monday, Novembef 7th ; and after some preliminary votes of censure, which the PRESIDENT manipulated with admirable skill, Miss WYNNE WILLSON (S.C.) proposed : " That the complete liberty of the press is essential to the true development of any people." She made a bad, though unconscious, pun at
25
the beginning, re " press " and " oppressed," and after apologising for not apologising for the liberty of the press on the ground that such would be impertinence, she delivered a fluent and interesting speech : she underlined the words complete, essential, and true, and proceeded to define liberty according to the most approved definition, viz., " Voluntary submission to selfimposed laws." She argued that such freedom reflected that of the people, supporting her case by reference to the history of nations, and the polemics of Hobbes, and the miserable state of Galileo. D,!spotisrn and censorship go hand in hand ; the press is the louder voice of the people, and to curtail it is to curtail that liberty of speech without which no press will be free and no nation will develope " truly !" The last word became the battle-cry of the society for the rest of the debate. We hope to hear Miss Wynne Willson as often as possible. Miss SHEAVYN (S.C.) opposed. She boldly questioned the generally accepted definition of liberty, arguing that some restraint is necessary by some power external, or by the general body itself. Development, she pointed out;is various. England may be in the right path, but other nations may choose their own. There are also different stages of development, and freedom must be propOitionate to the stage reached by the people. Her manner was calculated to carry conviction, had it not been for a tendency to sarcasm, which converted conviction into terror. The third speaker, Miss POWYS (L.M.H.), drew an amusing analogy between political control and the wearing of corsets : she omitted to observe that as corsets break in time, especially if coerced, so political control will likewise wear out, hence patience is all that is required. But doubtless she meant this. A free press, she argued, was essential to the discovery of abuses. Miss WILLIAMS (Home Student) was a trifle weighty, which perhaps accounted for Miss HOGARTH'S " Jack-in-a-box " manner of rising and falling at the conclusion of the speech. Miss ROYDEN, too, seemed to have found pins in her chair. There also spoke Miss POPE (S.C.).
THE FRITILLARY.
25 2
Miss WYNNE WILLSON performed the herculean task of summing up in a manner that won all hearts and a few heads. She objected to the misinterpretation of her arguments on the part of members of the society (who foreseeing this conclusion had seen fit to depart). There voted for the motion 31. against 12. The motion was therefore carried by 19 votes.
THE third debate was held on November 22nd. The motion before the House was :" That the era of the novel is drawing to a close." Miss KEMP (L.M.H.), (proposer), said that the relations of author and public were vitiated by the prominence of journalistic criticism ; authors write to suit reviewers, and thus mannerisms and affectations are developed. Further, she showed that the reader's knowledge of life does not depend so much as formerly on the perusal of novels. Novels have now not such a direct bearing on life, nor do they display the quality of pure imagination. Miss BROSTER (S.H ), (opposer), met all the charges of the Hon. Proposer in turn with emphatic denial. She maintained that reviewers disagree so much that they exercise little influence on general opinion. She dwelt on the varied and complex office of the novelist and his subtle influence on his reader's life. The third speaker was not present ; her paper was therefore read for her. Fourth speaker—Miss B OULNO I S (S.C. ). There also spoke Miss WILLSON, Miss CROPPER. There voted for the motion to. against 2 8. The motion was therefore lost by 18 votes. '
:
fifth time in succession, and again holds the challenge-cup presented five years ago by a former Cambridge champion. The representatives were Miss Notley of Lady Margaret Hall; and Miss Wynne-Willson- of Somerville College, who took the place of Miss Eyre of Somerville College at a day's notice. They lost the first set to Cambridge r —6, through never having played' together; after the second set, which they secured at 6-4, the result was never doubtful. The Cambridge pair played a steady- game from the back of the court, but the brilliant. net-play of Oxford proved too much for them. The remainirrg, sets fell to Oxford, 6-2 and 9-7. Miss Notley afterwards played a single against Miss Martin-Leake, which she wan 4-6, 6-1, and 7-5. Oxford has now won 8 of the 17 matches which have been played between the two Universities.
Zrbe
Club..
THE X Club, formed for the discussion of scientific subjects, has gained eight new members this term, making twenty-nine resident members in all. Two meetings have been held this term for discussion, the• first on Nov. it, at Lady Margaret Hall, when Miss- Hammill read a paper on " Vitalism," which was much enjoyed by all the members present, and the second on Nov. 24, at St. Hilda's Hail, when Miss Drummond read a paper on "The Effects 'of a Parasitic Life upon Structure and Life History." A social meeting, to which visitors were invited, was held on Nov. ro, at Somerville College, by kind permission of the Principal, when a pleasant evening was passed in music and dancing. It may not be generally known that all women students are eligible for membership, if they care to join, the only qualification being that they are "interested in natural science."
3nterotattiversitp 1Lawn tennis /113atcb.
Somerville College.
THE Inter-University Lawn Tennis Match was played on Monday, July 4th, on the All England Ground at Wimbledon. Oxford won for the
AMALGAMATION FUND.—The Michaelmas term, 1898, has marked an era in the financial history of Somerville. The Boating, Tennis, Hockey,
THE FRITILLARY. and Gymnasium Clubs have amalgamated their funds, and to this "Amalgamated Games Club" has been added an "Amalgamated Common Room Fund." (The result of this will, it is hoped, be the equalizing of expenditure and great economy of time and labour in the collection of the various subscriptions.) With Miss Pope as Senior Treasurer, and an able committee to aid and abet her, we look forward to a satisfactory " Budget" at the end of the financial year. To the J.C.R. from the S.C.R., on the former's presentation of a picture to celebrate the inauguration of the S.C.R. 'Malik you kindly, J.C.R., What delightful folk you are It was very kind to bring Botticelli's "Verdant Spring ; " It reminds us of the past, Beauteous, but too bright to last, Yet renewed from day to day, When we see you at your play. !
As you fly with garments loose, Bear with you the thanks of Bruce. As you write your themes with ease, Freely use the tips of Lees. When to win a match you hope, Take the blessing of the Pope. When you wish to join the gods, Lorimer will coach for MOds. All your life with joy to leaven Be the grateful task of Sheavyn .
All the Senior Common Room Praise you till the crack of doom
!
(Consuls, J. OGILVIE, G. M. society has as yet held only one meeting this term, when Miss Ogilvie read a most interesting paper, the subject of which was a comparison between " Plato and Aristotle's methods of Education." It was followed by an animated discussion. The society hopes to listen to a paper by Miss Overton in the course of the term. We were greatly disappointed early in the term by Mr. Oman's being prevented from lecturing to us on Greek and Roman coins ; but we trust the pleasure is only deferred until next term. CLASSICAL CLUB
FAULDING).—This
253
SHARP PRACTICE SOCIETY.—Each October term brings with it a most inspiriting renaissance in the Sharp Practice Society. We have tried a new experiment this term in the shape of political debates, which have hitherto been excluded, the President being entitled to choose or reject such motions at her discretion. The plan was most successfully tested in a debate on " the Czar's scheme of Disarmament," a topic which roused the spirit and eloquence of members old and new alike ;—indeed the President with difficulty restrained two enthusiastic speakers from pouring forth the flood of oratory simultaneously. Other motions discussed by the Society have been "that Promptitude is better than, Accuracy," "that Politics should be included in the School Curriculum," and " that it is a mistake of prose-writers to adopt the manner of poetry."
HOCKEY CLUB (Captain, Miss E. L. TOTTENHAM).—The Club has been unfortunate in losing the services of Miss Scott and Miss Pesel, each of whom, on being elected Secretary to the Club, promptly went down post hoc if not propter hoc. We have, however, gained two very strong members in Miss Taylor, the International player, and Miss Horace Smith. Play, players, and weather have all been uncertain this term, with the unfortunate result that we have only scored one victory in the five matches already played by the 1st and znd Elevens. After much discussion, the Club has bound itself by strict sumptuary laws, which are to be rigidly enforced next term. Henceforward, even in practice games, patterns and colours of the weirder sort will be excluded, and a somewhat liberal uniformity of costume will be the result. A Freshers' Match at the beginning of the term proved an excellent innovation, and brought to light several promising novices, but the play was marked rather by individual exploits than by any particular system of attack or defence. An interesting development in the hockey 'cult' is the personification of the stick. Most of them have acquired names of more or less suitability :There are a Pippa,' and an Arthur,' who duly :
'
2
THE FRITILLARY.
54
pass,' a ' Swallow ' who is always `on the wing,' a ' Lucifer,' who has a vague connection with striking' and 'matches ' : a new broom,' which sweeps very clean at the back ; it is even whispered that the centre-forward is called 'The Young Idea,' since it has been so palpably taught to shoot, and that our goal is kept by an ecclesiastick,' but of these things we can only speak by hearsay. List of Matches : with Results :First Eleven. S.C. v. Etceteras. Won by 4-2.
S.C. v. L.M.H. Lost by S.C. v. Games Club. Second Eleven. S.C. v. S. Hugh's. Lost by 1-4.
S.C. v. Etceteras. Lost by 3-7. S.C. v. Winchester High School. Lost by o—to.
However, the cry of the more somnolent members of the club was so piteous that Protective Legislation interfered on their behalf, and a rule was passed prohibiting the taking of boats before 8 a.m. With regard to funds the Boat Club now feels itself to be again afloat, the Council haVing very generously agreed to take over the debt of _ .5 on the last new share in the boat-house, and the utmost confidence prevails in the belief that the needs of the Boat Club will be invariably considered before those of any other society by the Amalgamation Subscription Committee, for are there not dark rumours of mob violence, of petitions which on reference to a well-known authority on constitutional questions are declared to be illegal?
First Eleven. Forwards : D. Maude, F. M. West, A. M. Taylor, H. A. Ereaut, A. M. Wynne Willson. Halfbacks : M. Horace Smith, M. P. Eyre, 0. M. Willis. Backs : E. L. Tottenham, J. Ogilvie. Goal: E. Church. Second Eleven. Forwards: S. Pinwill, B. Bradfield, E. Wood-
cock (capt.), F. M. Lejeune, H. J. Strange. Half-backs: E. Cropper, L. Jowitt, M. C Ross. Backs : D. F. Hiley, M. Millar. Goal: E. Overton. BOAT CLUB (President, E. H. SPALDING ; Secretary, E. M. L. ATKINSON ; Treasurer, C. RIDLEY).
No. of Captains, 12. Half-Captains, 17. Outrig Members, 16. Inrig Members, 5. The condition of the Boat Club was, at the beginning of this term, more than flourishing as regards competition in securing boats, but sadly languishing as regards its funds. With such energy did members hasten down in the morning to secure boats (though at times it is to be feared in the somewhat incomplete attire of a dressing-gown), that it seemed probable that an Affiliated Early Rising Society would be the outcome of their enterprising spirit.
Lab Margaret bait. HOCKEY CLUB (Captain, Miss NOTLEY; Secretary, Miss LEA-SD/lin-).—Although the Club has
suffered considerably from the loss of its captain, secretary, and three other members of the 1st XI., yet, under Miss Notley's Captaincy, it has been able to keep up its former reputation and cover itself with glory. Miss Bell's mighty hits are much missed by the XI., and will long continue to live in the memory of our opponents. May the shade of Miss Thicknesse ever be with us in goal ! ! It was hard work to fill the places of Miss Ash, Miss Taylor, and Miss Saunders among the forwards, and Miss Nickels in the halves, but the Freshers came gallantly to the rescue. The team stands as follows :Forwards N. Fox, E. Brown, E. Sheepshanks, M. Parez, E. Belcher. Halfbacks : E. Lea-Smith, M. E. Notley, M. Alder. Backs: M. Clay, R. Wordsworth. Goal: H. Hurlbutt. Both Elevens have so far been successful in all their matches. The practices for choosing the Eleven to play against Cambridge have begun already also. Matches this term have been :
THE FRITILLARY. First Eleven. Oct. 291h. Past v. Present Students. Present
Students won, 2—o. Nov. 19th. v. Somerville rst XI. Won 3—I. Nov. 22nd. v. Worcestershire. Draw, o—o.
Still to be played Dec. 1st. v. Etceteras. Dec. 6th. v. Games Club. Second Eleven. Nov. 14th. v. St. Hugh's. Won, r—o. :
BOAT CLUB (Secretary, Miss BRowN).—So far this term the Boat Club has flourished, owing to the open weather with which we have been favoured. The coaching boats taken out by Miss Pearson and Miss Sellar have been very popular. In addition to its boats, the Club has this term purchased a punt, which has been christened Leviathan' ; and punting has become quite a favourite occupation. Several of those who have only lately learnt the art are becoming very skilful, and the only fear is that bad weather will prevent the punt being used much more before the end of term. TENNIS CLUB (Secretary, Miss WELSH).—Nothing of any interest has happened this term. Weather, hockey, and the ardour of the `freshers' in learning to scull, &c., have all contrived to put tennis in the background. But many people have declared themselves to be keen,' so doubtless there will be more playing next term. BICYCLE CLUB (Secretary, 0. TREWBY).—Unsettled weather is the usual programme for some part of the Michaelmas Term, consequently members have not used their bicycles much, except for short distances. There are now 3o members, and the club seems to be in a flourishing condition. SWIMMING.—The faithful to the Merton Baths this term have been lamentably few, but this may perhaps be partly due to inopportune lectures. The persistent efforts of two or three struggling beginners are to be applauded, while it is almost
2
55
needless to say how much more difficult a task learning to swim is, now that Miss Sanders is not at the baths to teach and to inspire the more fearful with confidence. LADY MARGARET HALL SETTLEMENT, LAMBETH (Secretary, M. G. FEARON).—As announced in the last Fritillary an " At Home " was held in
London on 7th June at Lady Wantage's house, for the purpose of interesting more people in the Settlement. Lord Robert Cecil, Miss Wordsworth, and Canon Scott Holland spoke, and afterwards Mrs. Beerbohm Tree gave several recitations, and Countess Walda Gleichen and Miss Paget sang. There were over 200 people present a considerable sum was added to the Settlement Funds and several offers of work and assistance made. The Annual Meeting was held at Bishop's House, Kennington, on 28th June ; it was attended by a large number of subscribers. The Bishop of Rochester took the chair, and after the distribution of the Annual Reports, the Committee proceeded to elect the Committee for the coming year. At the conclusion of the meeting, refreshments were kindly provided by Mrs. Talbot. The Report shows a considerable extension of Settlement work during the past year, whilst that formerly undertaken continues to prosper. The last fresh undertaking at the Settlement is the " At Homes," held on alternate Saturday afternoons for the pupil-teachers of the new Day Training Centre at Camberwell. Fourteen girls are invited at a time, and they seem heartily to appreciate the entertainment provided for them. First a short lecture and afterwards tea and music. Except for a short interval in August and September the house has been practically full for the whole year ; several of the present Students have paid visits of more or less duration to the Settlement ; others worked there regularly during the Vacation ; and during September the work of the Lambeth C.O.S. was almost entirely carried on by past and present members of the Hall. We are expecting a visit from Miss I,angridgethe Head of the Settlement —next week, and hope that she will give us an account of the work. :
THE FRITILLARY.
2'56
The dramatic energies of the Hall are at present concentrated on preparations for the play which is to be produced at the end of term, and is afterwards to be acted in London for the benefit of the clubs at our own Settlement, at the University Settlement, and at St. Margaret's. SOCIABLE (Secretary, MiSS KEMEYS TYNTE).— " has considerably suffered this term from the loss of several of the most efficient performers, especially of Miss Milroy, who not only by her energy as Secretary, but by her varied musical talent, contributed so largely to the Society's success. The remaining members, however, have come gallantly to the rescue. The popularity of Miss Hogarth's hockey poems needs no comment ; while her rendering of " Tweedledum and Tweedledee," in which she was ably supported by Miss Roberts and Miss Royden, was pronounced inimitable. Miss Kempe's songs continue to be among the most enjoyable items of the Saturday evening programme, and are especially valuable at a time when autumn mists are apt to choke our vocal talent. A new feature in the performances has been a selection of Plantation songs and choruses which appeal to the less strictly classical taste of some of our audience. " Sociable
WORKING PARTY
(Secretary,
Miss CLARKE).—
Amongst other useful things that may be learnt during a college career is the Economy of Time. We have put theory into practice this term by holding two working parties, one in each building, that the time formerly taken up in going from one to the other may the more profitably be spent in making clothes for the poor. The result has been successful. It is not possible for any worker but a sewing-machine to put together whole gar_ ments in the space of half an hour or less, but the number in progress of making is a large one. For those—there are such—who do not find in needlework their delight, and indeed for all, the time has been enlivened by selections from the works of Anstey, read aloud—in the Old Hall, his " Travelling Companions " ; in the Wordsworth Buildings, his " Voces Populi."
SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY
(Co-Presidents,
MISS
HooARTH).—This Society met on Thursday evenings this term, and read " As you Like It." CRAIK, MISS
gave a dance in the Wordsworth Buildings on the night of Tuesday, Nov. r5th, to which sundry members of other Halls were invited. The music was arranged by Miss Kempe, and the general organization of the proceedings by Miss Hogarth : our thanks are above all due to Miss Holgate, who kindly undertook many of the more arduous arrangements for the evening's entertainment. WE
St. 'Mob's lball. BOAT CLUB (Captain, M. A. GRANT).— The fine weather this term has enabled the boats to be used a good deal on non-hockey days. Five of the freshers have happily done the requisite 5o ft., and promise to become ardent pursuers of the noble art of sculling. We are very grateful to Mr. Townshend for coaching us one afternoon, and Miss Pearson has also kindly promised to take us out. Many thanks to Mrs. Hodge for her delightful present of a "tea-table" for the "Swan," which will be much appreciated by picnic, and possibly reading, parties in the Summer Term.
BROWNING SOCIETY (President, E. MAY). — The Browning Society has considerably increased its numbers, and the meetings are well attended. The Society is at present reading "The Ring and the Book." HOCKEY CLUB
retary, G. E.
(Captain, D. M. V. HODGE; Sec-
Club now boasts 19 enthusiastic members, 9 new this term. This addition to our numbers has made it possible to have a ground of our own, and we have been very fortunate in obtaining Mr. Lynam's schoolfield for two days a week. The results of this term's matches are as follows :— STEER).—The
THE FRITILLARY. S. Hugh's Hall XI. v. Somerville College znd XI. Won 4— I. S. Hugh's Hall XI. v. Lady Margaret Hall znd XI. Lost S. Hugh's Hall XI. v. Etceteras 2nd XI. Won 2— I. We are only waiting for three more members to introduce to the world S. Hugh's Hall's znd XI. ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY (President, Ethel M. C. PRIDEAUX).—The Society has largely increased, and now numbers fourteen members. At the first two meetings of the term papers were read—a general Introductory Paper by Miss Venables, and a paper on " the Anglo-Saxon and Norman Styles " by Miss Prideaux. A large number of photographs were shown in illustration of both papers. This q arrangement is a new departure this term, and as it may serve to keep the interest in architecture alive, it is hoped to continue it during the winter. Two expeditions—to the Cathedral and to Iffley Church—have also, been arranged
'(President, R. HAMILShakespeare Society is greatly enlarged this term, and the claims upon the energies of its members are not so great as usual. The over-worked President no longer has to take all the odd parts that remain after the characters are assigned, and we no longer see the painful spectacle of a member torn in two by the conflict caused by playing husband and wife at the same time. We are at present reading The Winter's Tale. Thanks are especially due to Miss Lead for her energy in beating up recruits. SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY
TON).—The
an Memoriam, Dorothy Mary WORDSWORTH, died at St. Peter's Rectory, Marlborough, Sep. 3, 1898.
St. lbilba's lbaII. WERE it not for Professor Maitland's gentle but forcible insistence that " a township is no more a little town than a fellowship a little fellow"
25
we might have been tempted to enlarge upon our emergence from a " hall-ship " to a " hall " in matter of numbers. Let it suffice to say that we are twenty. Our jubilations on the success of M. HayesRobinson and G. Beattie (1st and 2nd class respectively in the Honour School of .. Modern History) found a fitting expression in the appropriateness of the first " Social " this term. Our united thanks are due to Miss Cooke. . With great originality she succeeded in conveying our hearty congratulations to our schools people in a 'way that was sincere, without being fulsome, at the same time providing a " fillip " to the memory ()lithe jaded history student and a fitting Commemoration of November 5th. We have much pleasure in recording the increase made to our Library Fund by Miss Gisborne's gift of _4'5, and an anonymous donation of 420. DEBATING
SOCIETY (President,
Miss HOWARD ;
the first debate of term the House discussed the relative advantages of town and country life in regard to the formation of character. In spite of a forcible speech from the hon. opposer, Miss Carr, the House, after considerable discussion, sided with the hon. proposer, Miss Cockshott, in favour of the greater advantages and opportunities of city life. At the second debate the motion before the House was that " University Settlements do more harm than good." The hon. proposer, Miss Kennedy, did not attempt to attack the theory of Settlements, but cited a long list of practical deficiencies in the working of the system. It was, however, found on division that the House sided unanimously in favour of Settlements with the hon. proposer, Miss Beattie. Secretary,
Miss GODFREY). —At
TENNIS CLUB.--We have again had the use of a court at Lady Margaret,',Hall, and some of the Freshers show promising signs of becoming good players. Unfortunately, so far, the weather has hardly been favourable to their efforts.
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THE FRITILLARY.
(President, Miss FURhave been very regular, as is proved by our having already read the whole of " Richard III." The Society owes a debt of gratitude to Miss Macrae for her able rendering of the part of King Richard III. It is proposed to read next either " Henry VIII." or " Coriolanus." SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY
GUSSON).—Meetings
BOAT CLUB (Captain, Miss STUART).—There is never of course much boating this term, still we have found a trip up Magdalen reaches a delightful way of spending the bright afternoons we have had this autumn. Our new members have been duly impressed with the beauties of the river, so that we hope to have a flourishing club next summer. HOCKEY.—The Hall furnishes a small contingent of four members to the Etcetera Hockey Club. Matches have been played with the Somerville First Eleven, 'the Games Club, and the Somerville Second Eleven.
borne 5tubents. READING SOCIETY.—The Society has met fortnightly during the term, and has continued reading Browning. Miss Leather read an excellent paper on Browning, and Miss Sidgwick also read one on "The Grammarian's Funeral." The number of members has increased in a very promising manner, and their attendance has been regular. We should be glad to see a little more discussion take place. TENNIS CLUB.—Lawn Tennis has not been played this Term, owing to the fact that only five names were sent in for membership. It is not worth while to hire the court, unless at least eight join. The subscription in that case is half-a-crown, or less, for the Term. Tennis can be played twice a week on the Lady Margaret Hall ground. It is hoped that next Term more members will join the Club. Names should be sent in if possible during the first week of Term, to the Secretary, 22 Beaumont Street, Oxford, that she may arrange about the court, &c.
List of New Students, Honours, and Recent Appointments.
SOMERVILLE COLLEGE. New Students, October, 1898. Scholars : Johnson, F. E. (College Scholar), High-
bury High School. Morris-Smith, H. (Gilchrist Scholar), Grove School, Highgate. Storr, E. (Clothworkers' Scholar). Exhibitioners : Horace-Smith, M., Winchester High School. Rowlands, E. M., Univ. College, Cardiff. Bhore, M. Bradfield, B., Redland High School. Church, H. F., „ 99 Davies, E. D., Oxford „ 93 Davis, C. H., Roedean School. Davey, L., North London Collegiate School. Fairbairns, M. Goodwin, U. Jowitt, L., Eclgbaston High School. Lucas, R. M., Bedford College. Maude, D. C., Cheltenham Ladies' College. Muir, G., Ashe's School, Hatcham. Pinwill, S. L., Clifton High School. Tate, L., Bradford Grammar School. Taylor, A. W. Wedderburn, D. H., St. Nicholas, Folkestone. Wedderburn, E. Maclagan, Clifton High School. Willis, 0. M., Roedean School. Zoete, B. D. de, St. Nicholas, Folkestone. Appointments during the Year.
A Research Studentship of „so a year for years, given by a member of the College, has been awarded to Miss Deverell, formerly Exhibitioner of the College, and Scholar of the London School of Economics. 2
Students leaving 1898.
Ereaut, Hilda, Assistant Mistress, Oxford High School. Shekleton, E. A., Head Mistress, Bath High School. Small, F. E., Assistant Mistress, Manchester High School. Former Students.
Hurlblatt, E., Principal, Bedford College. Hurlblatt, K., Principal, Aberdale Hall. Tate, F., Head Mistress, Blackburn High School. Philipps, E., Geoffrey Fellow, Newnham College.
THE FRITILLARY. Gaul, L., Head Mistress, Private School, Edgbaston. Ilbert, L., Schplarship, London School of Economics. O'Brien, M., Lecturer, Southward Pupil Teachers' Centre. Chard, S., Assistant Mistress, Bournemouth High School. Francis, J., Assistant Mistress, Streatham Church High School. Russell, A., Assistant Mistress, Hereford High School. Wilson, M., Assistant Mistress, Municipal Technical School, Gravesend. Shipley, A., Assistant Sister, London Hospital. Nicholls, M. M., Assistant Mistress, Private School, Edgbaston. Pesel G., Private Secretary, Royal Holloway College. Honours gained by Students during the Term. Scott, Madeline, Classical Moderations. Class II. „ III. Ereaut, Hilda, 1/ 1) „ III. Ogilvie, Juliet, 71 77 Satisfied Examiners. Sowden, Mary, /2 Lit. Hum. Class I. Oakeley, Hilda Diana, „ III. Price Hughes, Dorothea Katharine, „ Hanson, Lucy Marguerite, Mod. Hist. „ I. „ II. Chappel, Hilda, 7) 7) „ II. Davies, Amy Frances, ,, ,, „ II. Fox, Evelyn, /7 /7 „ II. Ross, Mary Cassels, 1) )7 „ II. Schuster, Dorothea, 7/ )7 „ II. Shekleton, Emily, 77 7) „ II. Smale, Florence Edith, )7 77 „ II. „ „ Staveley, May Christophera, „ III. Cowlard, Ethel Mary, )7 7) Eng. Lang. and Lit. „ III. Smith, Janet, „ III. Watt, Mary Hewitt„ 2 11 ff Steward, Mary Louise, Math. Moderations. „ II. Mr. Russell's Mathematical Prize—Mary L. Steward. Diplomas Awarded. (Equivalent to Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours.) Rose Graham, Melicent Wilson, Hilda D. Oakeley, Dorothea K. Price Hughes, Emily A. A. Shekleton, Florence E. Smale, Margaret H. Watt.
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LADY MARGARET HALL. List of New Students. Scholars—Cullis Editha (Mathematics), King's High School, Warwick. ' Belcher, Ethel (Latin and German), Bedford High School. Young, Evelyn (History), Worcester High School. Philips, Mabel (English), St. Mary's College, Bayswater. Blewitt, Ethel, Kensington High School. Gamble, Dorothy, „ 1) 72 Healey, Maud, Sandhome, Waterloo, Liverpool. Hurlbutt, Hilda, Cheltenham. Jameson, Evelyn, C.E.H.S., Graham Street. Lovell, Violet M., Hamilton House, Tunbridge Wells. Meadows, Ruth, /7 Nickalls, Muriel, Elmhurst, Rock Ferry. Sheepshanks, Evelyn, Oxford High School. Verney, Ruth, The Cottage, Winslow. Appointments of those who went down from L.M.H. in June, r 898. Miss Kempe, Librarian at L.M.H. Miss Wright, Assistant to Professor of Geology at Oxford Museum. Miss Sanders, Mistress at Queen Anne's School, Caversham, and assisted Professor Poulton in his work for the British Association. Miss Milroy, Mistress at High School, Bournemouth. Miss Bell, Mistress at Clifton High School. Miss Taylor, Mistress at Bath High School. Miss Luard, Mistress at Bradford Grammar School.
ST. HUGH'S HALL.
Certificates (3 years' residence and Honours). Hilda Chappel, Amy F. Davies, Evelyn E. Fox, May C. Staveley, Ethel M. Cowlard, Hilda A. Ereaut.
New Students, Michaelmas Term, 1898. Batchelor, F. M. S. Blamire Brown, R. E., Convent School, Woodstock Road. Coombes, L., Sheffield High School. Crick, M. M., Winchester High School. Lidbetter, E. M., Hamilton House, Tunbridge Wells. Price, H., Edgbaston Church College. Rickards, H. A., Monmouth High School. Titley, E. M., Haberdashers' School, Hatcham. Woodhouse, A. J. Wyld, F. M., Godolphin School, Salisbury.
Certificates (Honours with shorter residence). Lucy M. Hanson, Dorothea Schuster, Janet Smith.
CONGRATULATIONS to C. D. Barter and M. A. Rice on obtaining a First Class in English.
THE FRITILLARY.
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Recent Appointments. Rice, M. A., Assistant Mistress, Godolphin School, Salisbury. Abdy, D. C., Assistant Mistress, Tunbridge Wells High School. Sparks, B. M., Assistant Mistress, Grey Coat Hospital, Westminster. Barter, C. D., Assistant Mistress, Nottingham High School. Joel, C. S., Junior Science Lecturer, Bishop Otter College, Chichester. Simpson, M. L., Assistant Mistress, Private School, Surbiton. Penny, E. M., Assistant Mistress, Private School, Slough.
ST. HILDA'S HALL. List of New Students. Davidson, E., Ladies' College, Cheltenham. Goslin, F., Hamilton, B., „ Higginbotham, J. M., Sutton High School. Stiff, M. H., Ladies' College, Cheltenham. Welch, M., „ Wright, G. M., „ If
If
Sides, M. L., Assistant Mistress, Private School, Southampton. Pickersgill -Cunliffe, M., Lady Superintendent, Teachers' Hostel, Salisbury. Ross, M. H., Classical Lecturer, Westfield College, Hampstead. Allnutt, A. A., Mistress of Boys' Preparatory School, Aberystwith.
Egcbange anb Mart Column, SOMERVILLE COLLEGE. To be sold:—Small Revolving Bookcase. Bamboo Cakestand. i5th and 16th Cent. Histoire de France (Martin). German Prose Composition (Lange). Longmans' German Composition. Political Economy (Walker). Latin Primer (Kennedy). Cmsar's Gallic War (Moberley). Latin Prose Composition (Bradley). Latin Exercises (Bennett). Elementary Ger. Prose Comp. (Buchheim). Apply E. Atkinson or E. S. Hodgkin (Fritillary Representatives).
17
CONGRATULATIONS to M. Hayes Robinson and G. Beattie for their First and Second in History.
HOME STUDENTS. New Students, Michaelmas Term, 1898. Ballard, C. E., Oxford High School. Bradley, C. M., „ „ Dodgson, V. E., „ „ „ Dowden, F. A. A., B.A. Columbia, U.S.A. of Holy Family, Kensington. Goldring, M., Goody, J. M. F., Osney House, Oxford. Homer, W., Croydon High School. Pitman, C., Ladies' College, Cheltenham. Pye, K. M., Monmouth High School. Rhys, 0., Oxford High School. Sealy, A. L. H., Monmouth High School. Stone, M. G., B.A. Wellesley, U.S.A. Wilson, E., M.A. Lawrence, U.S.A. Zigany, J. von (Frau), Buda Pesth. Zwaardemaker, J., Amsterdam. CONGRATULATIONS to our three First Classes this summer :—M. H. Ross (Lit. Hum ), Mrs. Banks and E. M. Miller (English). Recent Appointments, &c. Lange, D. G., Assistant Mistress, High School, Leicester.
LADY MARGARET HALL. To be sold:—Sargent's Easy Passages for Translation into Latin. is. 6d. Apply G. A. Cullis. Clayton's Prose Translation of the Aeneid I.—VI. Perfect condition, is. 6d. G. M. Craik, L.M.H. Cwsar's Gallic War, (Moberley's Notes. Clarendon Press.) Perfect condition, 2S. Cwsar's Gallic War, (Merryweather and Tancock.) Almost new, 25. Smith's Initia Graeca, Part I. Rather old, is 6d. Euripides' Alcestis (Macmillan's, with Vocabulary). Perfect condition, is. Euripides' Hecuba (Macmillan's, with Vocabulary). Almost new, 9d. Student's Guide to the Gospels and the Acts. Hawkins (for Scripture Mods.), is. Euclid I. and II. (Hall and Stevens). Almost new, is. Livy XXI.—XXII. (Capes). 6d. Livy XXI., Translation and Subject Matter. (Hawkins.) 2 Vols. is. each. Apply G. M. Craik, Fritillary Representative. ST. HILDA'S HALL. To be sold :—Horace's Epistles and Satires (Macmillan). Livy, Book V. (Cluer and Matheson), and Book XI. (Stephenson), price is. per volume. Also De Stael's Dix Annees d'Exil. Apply E. K. A. Macrae. THE EDITOR acknowledges with thanks the -receipt of the Girton Review and the Holloway College Magazine. Printed by
JAMES
PARKER & CO.,
Crown Yard, Oxford.