Feb 1879

THE

PETERITE. VoL. I .

FEBRUARY, 18 79 .

No .

2.

REFLECTIONS OF AN OXFORD FRESHMAN. NY one coming up to Oxford for the first time will probably do so with intense feelings of curiosity, expectation, and excitement. For, apart from the delightful anticipation of College life, and the charm which surrounds the venerable antiquity and romantic associations of this University, Oxford itself is a city which more than fulfils our hopes . It has been called "the city of palaces, " from a distant view of its time-worn towers and tapering spires ; and it might be called " the city of waters, " so numerous are the streams which intersect it . Its principal street, "the High," is said to be one of the most magnificent thoroughfares in Europe.

Its historical associations are, if possible, still more interesting and impressive . The possible foundation of the University in the almost mythical times of Alfred ; its growth and importance in the thirteenth century ; its intellectual supremacy under Wycliffe, in the fourteenth ; again, its connection with the new learning, and its importance in the stirring times of the civil wars ; and, later still, its connection with the revival of religion under Whitfield and Wesley ; and still later, the names of Newman and Pusey, all combine to make it pre-eminent in our annals . But still more delightful than all is the anticipation of actual life here !

To leave the narrow routine of School life, and enter upon a course so much wider and more varied, where a man can enjoy almost absolute liberty in everything, and choose the pursuits, the amusements, and the society most congenial to his own s

A

18

FOOTBALL SEASON.

peculiar bent of mind . For one may look up almost any branch of learning ; whilst there are all kinds of societies, athletic and literary, and men of every type of character . Space will not permit me to enter more particularly on life in Oxford : and most people, even outsiders, have some notion of what it is.

But I will simply say that my first term, at least, has passed almost before it seemed to have begun, so pleasant has it been : and though some people declare that all the romance and charm of the life soon disappears, I do not find it the case yet : and it even seems likely that a remark I once read to the effect that " College life is the happiest part of a man ' s existence, " will, in my case, prove true .

W . T. J.

FOOTBALL SEASON. HE football season, like the cricket, has been an ex-

T ceptionally good one for the School, the team having scored out of eleven matches played no less than eight victories.

Two more matches were arranged, but were unavoidably put off, owing to the severe weather and the consequent hard and slippery state of the ground which rendered football an impossibility . Of the remaining matches played, one was drawn and two lost, principally owing to the unavoidable absence of the School backs . The team, on the whole, played splendidly together, Walker and Calvert especially distinguishing themselves all through the season . Calvert's forward play was particularly good, eliciting many a cheer from the admiring bystanders, and he was well followed up by the rest of the team .

Not to particularise further, we may congratulate the football team on their uniform success during the past season . Matches were played with the following teams :—York, Hull, Durham University, Richmond and Thorparch Grammar Schools, Leeds Medical College, and St . John's Training College . The Captain (H . Walker) and Secretary (J . Calvert) discharged their duties excellently.

19

THE SCHOOL THEATRICALS .

THE SCHOOL THEATRICALS. OW do you think they went off ? " " Capitally ; quite a a success ; " were the words that caught our ears as we were making slow progress to the door after the second night 's performance . We fully agreed with the speaker whoever he was, and determined to take advantage of the means afforded by The Peterite to endorse and amplify his answer . They were a success ; not only as regards the acting and general management of the entertainment, but from the large audiences and more especially from the number of Old Peterites that assembled to witness it . Seldom, if ever, have so many of our Old Boys met together in the School Hall—a proof, if proof were needed, of the general and increasing popularity of the entertainment.

Amongst those present we noticed T C . Snow, Rev . H . M . Sims, E . Bayly, J . Bayly, E . Mawdesley, J . Griffith, and many others, including nearly all the Peterites now resident at the Universities.

Before we commence the more serious task of criticising the actors, we should like to say a word about the general management . We cannot help expressing an opinion which we believe to have been prevalent amongst the audience,—the performance was too long . No matter how entertaining the plays or how talented the actors, the natural man objects as a rule to sitting more than four hours as spectator . One would have almost thought that the production of that " most tragical tragedy " was a work of supererogation . It was an "cmbarras de richesscs" such as the audience had not expected . But enough of this ; what we have said, if approved of, may serve as a hint for future years . The scenery was worthy of all praise, and does the greatest credit to the painters—anonymous, for we searched our programme in vain for their names . The scene-shifting, too, was speedily and cleverly effected, especially on the second night of the performance . For this we have to thank E . L . Rowe, Esq. 0 .P .), who kindly gave his time and assistance. The difficulty, indeed, is to find what not to praise where all was so well done.

With regard to the music we must say a word . Mrs. Stephenson's kind assistance rendered this part of the performance all it should be . Her singing of " Come away, death, " and " Oh

H

B2

20

THE SCHOOL THEATRICALS.

Mistress mine, " was a real treat, and fully merited the applause it won . We could not help thinking that in the " Cat ' s Duet " a more genuine catawaul intonation from the feline vocalists would have been acceptable . They were scarcely feline enough, though their attitudes and get up were perfect.

We now come to the actors, whom we shall take—such of them as we mention—in the order in which they stand in the programme. Le Maistre as Orsino was exceedingly natural, and fully realized the opinion we formed of his dramatic power two years ago . His delivery of the beautiful opening lines of the play, shewed at once that he thoroughly entered into his part, and for the time entirely lost his own identity in that of the character he represented—the true secret of all good acting.

How feelingly he reproduced the sentiment of the lines " Oh, she that hath a heart of that fine frame To pay this debt of love but to a brother, How will she love when the rich golden shaft Have killed the flock of all affections else That live in her," etc ., and how finely the passionate outburst of disappointed love at the end " But hear me this, Since you to non-regardance cast my faith," etc.

In short, Le Maistre's acting, delivery, and expressions, were admirable, nor could the part have been better bestowed.

O . C . Williamson and S . H . Wade as Sebastian and Antonio, played their respective parts well, the rough impulsive affectionate nature of the Sea Captain being well contrasted with apparent indifference and despairing sentiment of the "Young Gentleman . " In some of the actors we experienced a difficulty in hearing at times, they had a tendency to drop the head and the voice . Sir Toby Belch was admirable, his rollicking drunken humour being wonderfully realized and reproduced by A . H . Wood . His face and " get up " were in themselves enough to draw smiles from a Malvolio . Save in name and profession Sir Toby is no doubt the jester of the play . His acting was well seconded by W. H. Jackson as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and J . Mallinson as Fabian.

The former as Dandy Dancer and Duettist was quite one of the very best impersonations . Nor was the latter much inferior. In

THE SCHOOL THEATRICALS .

21

the garden scene with Malvolio all these three acted especially well . We now come to Malvolio and Hugh Moss, but before we speak of Malvolio we must ask our readers to join with us in congratulating Hugh Moss on a success which nothing but his energy, skill, and practical " savoir faire " in such matters, could have brought about . We have ourselves been a witness of his indefatigable exertions and perseverance in getting up the School theatricals, and speak feelingly. Now for Malvolio, who, in a certain sense is the " Protagonist " of the play, inasmuch as he is the subject of a separate and independent plot in it . He is selfimportant, officious, eccentric, melancholy, and affected, or at least seems so to us, and his self-importance, officiousness, eccentricity, and melancholy—all these characteristics were brought out in bold relief by IT . Moss ; where he failed, if it be a failing, was in affectation, and consequently in intonation . In this respect it struck us that the part was overdone, it became monotonous to the audience from excess of affectation, though otherwise admirably impersonated.

Of all the characters in this play, there are, in our opinion, few harder to sustain than that of the Jester . He is an obvious witness to the truth of the proverb " It takes a wise man to be a good fool "—as the prologue well describes him he is "one who wears the motley of a fool," but "is truly wise ." We almost wonder at Olivia retaining such a wise fool, though perhaps his philosophy would often serve as an antidote to her foolish fancies . It is not too much to say that Griffith acted a very difficult part very creditably indeed . Grahame as the "rich Countess " might well have made Orsino exclaim "My love can give no place, bide no denay," for he looked quite charming !

If any fault was to be found with his acting, it was that he was scarcely demonstrative enough in his passion for Cesario, and did not address his voice to the audience quite enough . C . T. Williamson rendered Viola's part very naturally and prettily ; he seemed to have hit the half modest, half boyish medium, so suited to the character, very happily, only letting his real nature shew itself in the passionate lines " After him I love More than I love these eyes, more than my life," etc .— these he rendered with great feeling . One word for Maria, "the Gentlewoman," and we have done . This part Heaven did justice

22

THE SCHOOL THEATRICALS.

to, and without impropriety threw in just enough fun and flirtation to make it very amusing.

With regard to the "Most Tragical Tragedy" little need be said . Le Maistre, Hugh Moss, A . H . Wood, and C J. Williamson, did full justice to their parts, as was to be expected.

The only actors that require special mention were W . Garwood as Aldiboronte, and F . Chapman as Queen Fadladinida, both of whom acted exceedingly well, and seemed worthy of better parts.

J . H . Piggin, too, deserves special mention as the author of the clever prologue—one almost regrets he did not come forward and speak it.

In conclusion, let us congratulate actors and staff, one and all, on their success, and, if it is not too late, thank them for two evenings' delightful entertainment, and leave them with the hope that when next they appear upon the stage we may be there to see and applaud them . " QUIs . "

For the benefit of Old Peterites who were unable to be present we append a list of officials and actors.

President—Rev . H . M . Stephenson.

Committee—J . H . Daniel, H . Walker, S . J . J . S . Le Maistre.

Hon . Sec G . H . Wade.

Treasurer W . H . Jackson.

Stage Manager G . Yeld, Esq. Acting Master . . J . H . Daniel.

Prompter . . . J . H . Piggin. . F . T. Griffith.

Super-Master . .

Property Man . . . . . J . H . Mallinson.

Scene Master, Gasman, &c.

E . L . Rowe, Esq . (O . P .) . F. K . Hattersley & A. Sample.

Duettists (piano) . .

" TWELFTH NIGHT ."

Orsino, Duke of Illvria, . . . .

S . J . J . S . Le Maistre.

Sebastian, a young Gentleman, brother to Viola, . O . C . Williamson.

Antonio, a Sea Captain, friend to Sebastian, G . H . Wade.

A Sea Captain, friend to Viola, H . Walker.

Valentine, ' G . H . Eyre.

Gentlemen attending on Duke Curio, B . G . M . Baskett.

Sir Toby Belch, Uncle to Olivia, A . H . Wood.

Sir Andrew Aguecheek, friend to Sir Tobias Belch, W . H . Jackson .

NICK NAMES .

23

Malvolio, Steward to Olivia, Hugh Moss (0 . P .)

Fabian, Servant to Olivia, J . H . Mallinson.

Feste, Jester to Olivia, F. T . Griffith.

Friar, G . E . Crawshaw.

F . H . Eadon.

Officer of Military Police, First Soldier, .

T . Moss.

Olivia, a rich Countess, T . E . Grahame.

Viola, in love with the Duke, C . I . H . Williamson.

Maria, Olivia's Gentlewoman, .

P . B . Heaven.

Lords and Pages in waiting, Sailors, Soldiers, and Pedestrians.

"CHRONONHOTONTHOLOGOS ."

King Chrononhotonthologos, S . J . J . S . Le Maistre.

W . W . Garwood.

Aldiborontiphoscophornio, Rigdum Funnidos, A . H . Wood.

Hugh Moss.

Bombardinian, a General, G . H . Wade .

Captain of the Royal Body Guard, .

T . Moss.

Herald, The Fiddler Royal, W . W . Hargrove.

L . A . Ryott.

The Camp Cook, W .

E .

Brockbank.

Doctor, Queen Fadladinida, F . W . Chapman.

C . I . H . Williamson.

Tatlanthe, her Confidante, P. B . Heaven.

Lady in Waiting, .

A Master of Ceremonies, Hugh Moss.

Two Cats, W . H . Jackson and J . H . Mallinson. .

G . H . Eyre.

A Hornpiper, Lords, Pages in waiting, and Soldiers.

NICK-NAMES. T is rather an amusing study to examine into the various means employed by schoolboys in forming nick-names.

The reason that they are formed at all is probably a double one , partly from the dislike of Schoolboys to all formality, they object to call one another by their proper names ; and partly from a natural sense of humour . It may not be uninteresting to attempt a brief classification of nick-names, which will show the fertility of the schoolboy ' s brain . My list will be taken from boys that are or have been in the School, and need not be

I

24

CAMBRIDGE LETTER.

invidious, as readers will not be furnished with a key . I hope that the science, if we may call it one, will receive fuller attention hereafter ; this is only an incomplete introduction to it . The first class I shall call nominal nick-names, i .e. nick-names suggested by the proper name of the nick-named . Any one who knows the astonishing beauty and endless variety of our English surnames will readily understand how fertile a source they form . Phonetic decay and dynamic change (philologists' terms) play a considerable part in the alteration of these names.

I will not give examples, as they might be traced by ingenious readers to their original source . In the second class come verbal nick-names, generally the result of some ludicrous pronunciation or misapprehension of the meaning of a word, e .g. haddock, periphrasis, gubs . The third class I will call personal nicknames, founded on some real or supposed personal peculiarities, e.g. piggy, gooseberry, groom, &c . Fourth class, historical nicknames, from supposed similarity to historical characters, e.g.

Solomon, Pompey. It is useless attempting to give a complete list, as the number might be indefinitely increased ; suffice it to say that one boy alone was variously called by no less than one hundred and four nick-names ! It seems astonishing, but is a fact .

HOPE.

CAMBRIDGE LETTER. VERYBODY seems to have enjoyed " an extremely pleasant vacation, thank you, " with rather better skating, and more of it than any one else . Now at last the frost means to go altogether, if a gentle rain and the thermometer at 38" mean anything . The well known invitations " Ere y ' are, Sir I" " Now Mister !" will cease to be heard, and the persuasive individuals from whom they come can retire for the rest of the year to live happily in affluence and luxury.

We wretched must settle down comfortably to the cheerful period of fog and rain commonly known as the Lent Term.

Since the last publication of the Peterite A . E . Chapman (Christ' s), and E . Mawdesley (Trinity Hall) leave taken their degrees with a second and third respectively in Law ; and E . H . Ainslie (Pembroke) appeared as a Junior Op . in the late Mathematical Tripos . This year the small Colleges have distinguished themselves, Peterhouse and

OXFORD LETTER .

25

Queen's having four high men between them . 'the Senior Wrangler might complete his education by taking a few elementary lessons in writing from one of the junior members of a dame's school . Your correspondent was not up to illumine the ceremony of Degree Day with his presence, but it is generally admitted to have gone off most feebly, like a damp squib, the witticisms of the weakest description.

The Classical Tripos begins on the 17th, but strange to say not a single Peterite, so far as we know, is in for it ; nor did any try for the University Scholarships last month.

Very little has been (lone yet on the river, except that the 'Varsity crew have been amusing themselves for some time with a judicious combination of rowing and skating . It is too early to comment on the chances of Cambridge in this year' s race, but at present we hope to turn the tables on Oxford after our—defeat must it be called ?— last April . There ought to be not a little chance for us if weight can do anything . Work must soon begin in earnest, as the Lent Races are fixed to begin on the 12th of March . Cavendish is to be allowed to start a boat, with what succees remains to be seen.

It is so long since the Theatricals that I had almost forgotten to congratulate all concerned on their success . A little long, perhaps, if one might make bold to pick a hole, but not much the worse for K . K. that . My respects to you, Sir Toby .

OXFORD LETTER. HE frost has gone at last, and with it all the men who used to

but whom we now see and hear in the T line the ice with chairs, ve got no work to do. " The ice has been of

streets singing " For we ' the best, and of long duration, so that now there is no excuse for any one not being able to skate . Old Dons with their wives and daughters, Undergrads, and countless members of the "Town, " might have been seen disporting themselves in their own peculiar way on the flooded meadows : and really some of their vagaries were very amusing . We saw one luckless individual charge a hedge, whether he did not see it or whether he could not stop himself he only knows.

The roads are now ancle deep in slush and mud, the usual accompaniments of a February in Oxford ; while the towpath—it ' s a tow-path no longer . The "coaches " of the ' Varsity boat and the various College Torpids, which drag their slow length along, have already found it out to their cost, and many a pious ejaculation escapes the mouth of the unwary as he literally " puts his foot into it, " and comes down a " cropper " in the mud . As regards the 'Varsity boat,

26

OBITUARY.

we shall most probably have three old " blues " rowing, and we ought to have a good chance at Putney on the 5th of April, although several sinister rumours have reached our ears from Cambridge as to where we shall be when they pass the winning post.

F . M. Hargreaves is mentioned in the sporting papers as a likely man to obtain the much-coveted " blue," and we hope that it may be so ; but unfortunately for the honour of his School and College he has not turned up this Term, and it is feared that he will only come up again in the Summer to take his degree . Keble will experience a heavy loss in him of a leading member of her Eight, her Eleven, and her Musical Society . Of course you all know that he rowed No . 3 in the winning Trial Eight at Moulsford at the end of last Term, when the majority of men had gone down . He has well earned his silver medal . Fausset ' s First in "Mods " was equally well deserved, and we wish him an equal success when next he enters the " Schools " for one of the 'Varsity Scholarships . Another late member of S . Peter ' s also safely steered his hark through the turbulent waters of " Smalls ." We would mention his name, but the honour is too great.

Football, of course, will soon be in full swing again, and the matches with Cambridge have still to be played . For the Association Challenge Cup, on February i, we beat Barnes by two goals to one.

They might just as well have played on the ice . Only four Clubs are now left in . We are to have several Concerts and Entertainments this term . The Choral Society are to give us " Judas Maccabeeus ;" and the Philharmonic the "Elijah, " for which Santley has been engaged . The usual operatic Concert, too, comes off this Term, and we are to have a treat, for Pappenheim and Trebelli are coming, besides M . Musin, the great Belgian Violinist . Brandram also gives a Shakespeare Recital ; and J . S . Tonle an Entertainment.

No Peterites have come up here this Term, and our number has been lessened by the departure of C . A . Close (Pembroke), and F . M. Hargreaves (Keble) .

O . P.

OBITUARY. On the 26th 2dtimo, in London, of acute inflammation,

CAPT . CHARLES ALLIX GRIFFITH, ELDEST CON OF TILE REV . J . GRIFFITH, RECTOR OP PLAXTON, AND PAYMASTER

OF THE 1ST (KING ' S) DRAGOON GUARDS, AGED 30 .

POETRY .

27

POETRY. " YE LEGENDE OF YE STUDENTE SETTINGE FORTH, HOW HE DID COME FOR TO GAIN A SCHOLARSCHIPPE AT OXFORD, AND YE TRAGIC FATE THAT HIM THERE BEFELLE . " [CONTINUED FROM PAGE

8.]

FYTTE III .—YE EXAM. UT now the sunne has ope ' d hys eyn Upon Oxon's towers so fair, And ye Studente awakes at ye houre of nine, Hys head full of head-ache, hys stomach of wine, And he dizzily tramps down-stair.

B

Sondrie forms To ye Warden our Studente doth take hys waie, of law .

To ye College Warden, D .D .,

To show hym ye parchment roll so grand, Whereon in ye registrar general ' s hand, Ye date of hys birthe thou'llt see.

And now to ye auncient College Hall Master Warden, D .D ., leads the waie, And ye Studente sees papers and parchment piled In straunge great heap ; but he onely smiled To behold such grimme arraie.

Ye Exam .

He sitteth hym down on a bench of wood, commenceth And he seizeth a pen of quill ; and lasteth And he scrawled and he scribbled as faste as he could, right sore e'en for six dales . Till hys fingers they ached as ache they should :

Others staid—but our Studente wrote still .

Six sunnes have wheeled upon their waie, And brightened ye College tower; Six wearie nightes have followed daie, When our Studente wrote on by the cool pale raie Of Cynthia's midnight power.

28

POETRY.

At last behold hym lay down hys pen ; The great Hall door opes wide, And in order due, all two by two, Ten Examiners march that great Hall through, And they pause at our Studente's side.

Ye Examiners vex our Studente's papers in a manner grevious to look to.

And they seize on our Studente's papers all, Those gaunt and grammatical men, And they tear and they swear, and they scribble and scrawl, And ye Studente 's papers they grievously maul : In hys hearte he curses those Ten. And when all those papers they'd rudely besmeared With diverse-coloured ink, They tuck up their gowns, and troop out at ye door, And our Studente will see their face no more, But he hears their monies chink.

FYTTE IV .—YE CALAMITIE.

Ah ! poor Sir Studente, thy fate is near, Didst hear that knock at the Hall ?

Dost see the Examiner's minion so blande With a roll of parchment in hys hand, Which he reads to ye Studentes all ?

Dreadful terrour and grief of our Studente.

Ah ! ' tis ye longed-for Scholarschippe Roll, Whereon in characters clear Ye names of ye Studentes fortunate Inscribed are : while—cruel Fate Our Studente ' s cognomen ' s not there Say ! how did ye Examiners chose those names; Oh ! tell me ? " our Studente he cries. " Didst hear ye chink as of halfpenny coin In ye close shut room which doth this adjoin ?"

A comrade quiet replies.

He becoming our Studente he twiggeth ; at Pytch and circumspect of Our Studente was ever a dabbe : foul plaie, is He rushes out from that hateful Hall, grief stricken .

He passes and curses ye Examiners all, He calls full loud for a cabbe

Tosse

POETRY .

In vain ! down street in full retreat, Mad with grief he wildly flies, Till he came where ye waters of Isis glide, In silverie, sacred, and classic tide ; Then pausing, thus he cries, " I hither came with hope elate, And of success full sure, A toss of a Tizzie ' s decided my fate, Though I deemed mine abilities ever so great, A Scholarschippe to procure ."

Hys mournful " A warning take, Oh ! Studentes all, and laste A warning take, my friends ! harangue and Trust not your wits howe'er they shine, sad decease.

Trust nothing, remember your fate like mine, On ye toss of a coin depends."

He ceased and he gazed on those noble spires He had longed-for in many a dream, With one sobbe of anguish he sprange from ye banke, A splash and a scream, and like lead he sanke, Beneath ye cruelle stream.

Ye shadowie moon from behind a cloud, Looked out and beheld hys deathe, The silverie Isis hys funeral shroud ; Hys mourners, ye moone and her starrie crowd ; Her cold pale light hys wreathe.

Strange And folk saie that in winter, the river side rumours have 'Mid mists and vapours dank, since gotten When ye breeze blows cold and ye moone is downe, abroad of Ye ghoste of a Studente sans Cap or Gowne, dreadful Makes moan by ye river banke. visions of ghosts and the like foolish And having moaned with a ghastly shriek, fancies .

Will plunge in the waters nigh

And sinke from sight . On many a nighte Folkes saie they have wakened been in a fright By that shriek,—but I tell them they lie !

29

30

DEBATING SOCIETY.

AMEINON. The Evening Star has risen again in the dewy west, The Mother has folded her children again to her loving breast ; But a million times the twinkling of the Evening Star may die, And a million million children on mothers ' breasts may lie Ah, never shall Ameinon through the cycles' onward roll, Send down the sun to slumber with sweet converse of the soul ; Thrice happy they who welcome the star above the main, Thrice happy who shall fondle their children yet again ; Who never see the storm-cloud that cometh from the sea, Who never feel aforetime the dread things yet to be.

But my heart is sore with sighing for the friend that I have lost, For surely the least is left me, and that which is gone is most, For ever the gods in heaven will grudge the world of its best, And they have taken Ameinon and borne him away to their rest.

And the star that shines in the heavens, full idle is its sheen, And the babe that lies in the bosom is as though it had not been.

For the gods have taken Ameinon, and why should I linger here ?

Let my spirit fly out to his spirit, my soul to his soul so dear.

HOWARD.

THE DEBATING SOCIETY. c The last meeting of the Autumn Session was held on Wednesday, December 4th . After the transaction of private business, G . WALKER moved, " That War with Afghanistan is warranted by circumstances, and generally advisable, " but failed to support his position with argument . He found, however, an able seconder in the PRESIDENT, who traced the events leading up to the war, defended the action of the British Government, and finally suggested that the motion should be made of a more decided character by the addition of a clause attributing the war to the policy of the late Liberal Government.

The hon . Mover readily assented to the incorporation of this clause in the original motion . The opposition, begun by GRIFFITH and followed up by PIGGIN and BASKETT, furnished a melancholy illustration of the disunion in the Liberal ranks, and, after a struggle of brief duration, it collapsed ingloriously . The motion was carried by a large majority.

31

FIVES COURTS .—CORRESPONDENCE .

The first meeting of this Term was held on Saturday, February 1st. moved, " That, in the opinion of this house, Personal Rule has not been advanced under the present Premier, " and spiritedly defended Lord Beaconsfield from the attacks of Verax . PIGGIN and BASKETT, who had the opposition almost entirely to themselves, instanced the bringing of Indian troops to Malta, the Anglo-Turkish Convention, and the declaration of war with Afghanistan, as violations of the spirit of the Constitution, and contended that they were not justified by the subsequent acquiescence of Parliament . The opposition was at first decidedly weak, but gathered strength during the debate . On a division, the motion was carried by a majority of six.

WADE

PROPOSED NEW FIVES COURTS. The following Subscriptions have already been received or promised : a. d.

The Very Rev. and IIon . the Dean of York .. .

The lien . Archdeacon Hey G . Leeman, Esq ., M .P. . . .

Rt.IIon .J.Lowther,Esq .M.P .

The Rev . R. Elwyn . . .

W. D . Husband, Esq .

The Rev . F. Watson The Rev . A. Rose T . W. Badger, Esq The Rev. II . M . Stephenson The Rev . B . Walker, L . L .D. W. S . Turnbull, Esq . . . .

W. II . Cobb, Esq. .. .

G. B . Peirson, Esq. . . .

II . Watson, Esq . .. .

The Rev . G . Edmundson The Rev. T . P. Hudson . . .

Leonard Williams, Es q . M .D .

5 5 5 5

0

0

0 0

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2

0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The Rev . C . Gray .. .

The Rev . G. F. Browne W . L. Newman, Esq R . Pearson, Esq . . . .

T . C . Snow, Esq .

B. Chadwick, Esq T . L . Chadwick, Esq .

S . J . Chadwick, Esq. . . .

Professor Reinold E. Wharton, Esq Clifford Allbutt, Esq. M .D .

IT . A . L . Francis, Esq. E . Smithson, Esq .

Rev . E . Evers .. .

G. B . Foster, Esq. Captain Metcalfe A . H. Hudson, Esq J . R . Wood, Esq. . ..

A . T . Pollard, Esq . . . .

i

I 5 5 e 2 2 2 3 i 5 i I 2 5 I I r e

s. r i 0 0 o 2 2 2 3 i

d. o o 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 o

o0 i i 2 0 I i e o

o o 0 0 o o o 0

CORRESPONDENCE. THE PROPOSED NEW FIVES COURTS AND WORKSHOP. 7i0 the Editors of the Peterite.

DEAR SIRS,—As " Derit " has taken upon himself the task of opening a correspondence on the subject of the proposed New Buildings, a subject about which he appears to know little or nothing, may I be allowed to reply to his letter, and, at the same time, offer a few suggestions to the Committee . The best site for the Fives Courts is the space of ground immediately below the Cricket-shed where

32

CORRESPONDENCE.

" Jim " now deposits his garden rubbish ; while the present Fives Courts—if it can be so called—with a few slight alterations, would make an excellent workshop . " Derit " seems to have some qualms of conscience about the removal of this building, and calls it " a refuge in wet weather" and " the nursery of our Cricket . " The former it certainly is, and would continue to be so when converted into a workshop ; and as for calling it " the nursery of our Cricket . " why the very idea is absurd . Can that be callcd Cricket which is played with a stick in a semi-dark building for five or ten minutes at a time, to the detriment of a persons " eye " the next time he has an innings on the Cricket ground ? " Derit " then goes on to ask a question . " Whether the New Courts will be allowed to be used for the same miscellaneous purposes, or will be reserved strictly for Fives . " Here he displays supreme ignorance about Fives and Fives Courts . Persons are not allowed even to enter a good Court without proper Fives shoes on, therefore, of course, no romping about in heavy-heeled boots, as in the present building, could be permitted . Then, again, there would not be the length requisite for even " nursery " Cricket.

With the last few lines of his letter I cordially agree.

I remain, dear sirs, yours faithfully, RACQUET.

BOATING CLUB. To the Editors of the Peterite.

DEAR SIRS,—As the boating season is now beginning, I will take the opportunity of making a few remarks and suggestions as to how the money of the club might be suitably spent, that is, supposing that all the money is not consumed in giving Prizes . In the first place the Boat-house is in a very precarious state, and before anything can be done it must be fitted with new and stronger doors, as the present ones are partially rotten . The expense of this, however, could be covered by the balance of last year's accounts . The next thing wanted is a tub-pair for practising in, which would be a great convenience and do a great deal of good for the Regatta boat. This could only be done by a little sacrifice on the part of those who win Prizes, and if they are content to have pewters instead of the usual electro-plated cups, the money might be easily obtained . If they are willing to go without cups altogether, better still ; and I hope that the Boating Committe will impress upon the competitors the necessity of doing something for the benefit of the School.

I remain, yours obediently, REMus .

OXFORD: PRINTED FOR THE PROPRIETORS BY W . R . BOWDEN,

59,

HIGH STREET.