Dec 1881

THH;

PETFRITEI VOL . III .

DECEMBER, 1881 .

No . 2.

EDITORIAL. OW that the end of the year is coming round again, we may venture for a few moments to ask the attention of our readers whilst we take them into our confidence and inform them of our position . For we suppose we may almost take it for granted that they, and not we only, have an interest in that position, and are anxious that it should be of the best . If the magazine were a commercial speculation it would be a different matter . Then it would be the proinictor's duty to provide matter to the taste of his readers ; and if he failed to do so, and his magazine consequently came to grief, it would be his concern, not theirs . A school magazine can hardly stand altogether on its own merits . It will be a success if the members of the school, past and present, really care that it should be one.

If they do not care, the probability is that it will be a failure.

During the past year and a half ewe have had a number of difficulties to contend with, not the least being constant and unavoidable changes in the editorial staff both in Oxford and at the School, with all the complications such changes must entail.

And at one time we even feared that when we wrote " Finis " to this volume we should, alas, write " Finis " to The Petci-ite altogether. Happily that contingency has been avoided ; and we must not omit to thank sonic of our readers for the solicitude they displayed in the averting of the catastrophe . Within the last few months our subscription list has been increased, and we are left at the end of the year with a small balance in hand.

Having narrowly escaped from shipwreck once, we are bound to profit by our experience, and take precautions against incurring it another time . We have come to the conclusion that

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in one respect a change is necessary . Our rule has (nominally) always been that subscriptions must be paid in advance : but it has not been strictly enforced, and we regret to say that we have had a number of `bad debts' which have almost swamped the magazine, and have given the blow to all schemes for its improvement or enlargement . Not only have some subscriptions never been paid at all, but considerable expense has been incurred before others have been got in, and the work of the Treasurer— never of the easiest—has been trebled . We are thus reluctantly compelled to announce that next year we shall be obliged to carry out the rule of pre-payment absolutely . We are sorry to take the step, but it seems impossible to carry on the magazine under any other conditions ; and we trust our readers will appreciate our reasons and help us in this matter . Subscribers will oblige by sending their subscriptions for next year as soon as possible to the Treasurer, S . le Maistre, Everingham Rectory, near York.

P . O . Os . may be made payable at York . Notices of withdrawals should also be sent to the Treasurer.

In conclusion, we have only to remind Peterites past and present that original essays and talcs, correspondence, items of news, or practical suggestions, will always be thankfully received by their obedient servants THE EDITORS.

OXFORD LETTER. O begin first with that which is first—the river, we saw the . final heats

T of the coxswainless Fours upon the r ith, when your correspondent' s

anticipations were justified by the fine race that was rowed between Magdalen and Hertford, resulting in the victory of the latter by the very smallest of intervals . In spite of the finish of Magdalen, and above all the splendid rowing of their almost perfect stroke, Higgins, they were beaten by the superior weight and strength of Hertford . B . N . C ., for sometime a favourite, was " out of it " in the first heat (a close one), against Magdalen, while Hertford disposed of Balliol, their heavier but less finished opponents, Worcester in a splendid race beating New, which had failed to answer first expectations . In the New College Boat rowed a Freshman, Bourne, from Eton, who the next week won the mile

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at the Freshmen's Sports. 'I hus it is possible even in these days of the division of labour, to combine two different branches of Athletics ! At the same Sports, Bruce-Williamson, of Balliol, from Glasgow Academy, won the hundred yards in the same time as the 'Varsity hundred was run last time, and that in spite of the disadvantages of a bad start ; a fellowcollegian, Hawkins, being second . Both 1st and 2nd gained scholarships in their College in the recent Exam ., strange to say ! The river is beginning to be more empty now that the College Fours are rowed oft.

In these, Baskett stroked the second boat at Queen ' s ; but the only other O. P . rowing in then, Wade, was not equally successful with his boat at Balliol. Both are now being coached for their respective Torpids, and we wish them success . The trial Eights are getting more or less fixed now, being coached every day from horseback by Paterson of Trinity, the President, assisted by Buck, of Hertford, and Cowles, of John ' s . The Queen's Captain, J . H . Daniel, was for some time rowing in them . Ord, of University, Moffat, of Trinity, and Sharpe, of Hertford, divide the stroking between them ; whilst Todd-Naylor, of University, Maud, of Wadham (who has only recently deserted football for rowing), and Chitty, of Balliol, among several others, seem pretty certain of seats in one of the two.

To come to Football, the 'Varsity seems vcry strong this year, having beaten Sandhurst easily, and Cooper's Hill and Richmond by a try each ; whilst on the succeeding Saturday they beat Blackheath (as they have not done for years) by 2 goals to 3 tries . We have two good new men in Richardson (Unattached), an all-England player, and Asher (of Brasenose) ; whilst among the other players, Vassall (Hertford), and Tatham (B . N . C .), forwards, and Evanson (Jesus), at three-quarter-back, have rendered talented service . Among Colleges, Balliol seems likely to be first, having so far beaten all competitors, including Keble, Hertford, and Trinity, though they have yet to meet John's and B . N . C ., their two most formidable opponents, of whom John's has been beaten

by B . N . C ., the latter having been worsted previously by Trinity.

In Association, Exeter are strong, but have been beaten by Balliol, whilst John's, Ch . Ch ., Merton, Hertford, and Oriel, are the best.

Several College Sports are taking place just now ; Queen ' s is fixed for the 29th, when we hope to hear of O. P.'s distinguishing themselves.

The last Debate at the Union was upon the necessity for the Reform of the House of Lords, and was remarkable for the number of Freshmen who took part in it.

The improvement (?) of the tramway is nearing completion, indeed the hideous monsters are on this clay to defile with their noisome (though noiseless) bulk the sacred paths of the most beautiful street in Europe .

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OXFORD LETTER.

Di talia Graiis (or rather Gothis) Instaurate, pro si peenas ore reposco.

May the spirit of dynamite inspire their opponents, and the infamous machines be spurned by the soil they pollute.

We must wish J . H . Piggin and S . J . J . S . le Maistre every success in the Schools this week.

We are sorry to have to lose AV . V . Faussett (who is now President of his Debating Society, the Brackenbury), for a reason mentioned elsewhere, but hope for his speedy return to a Fellowship.

The last new thing is a Browning Society, for the reading of essays on the subject . We have not yet learnt whether their elucidations have been extensive or not.

Matriculation affcrded a few facetho. One Freshman received the University Statutes with the caution " If that's the New Testament—I ' m a Jew ." Though the Vice-Chancellor set at rest his fears of being sworn in, he failed to express his regret at the consequent peril to his existence as a Jew !

Here is the latest from the Divinity Schools . The Examiner (a head of a College, and an "Ancient Mariner" likewise) :--" On which bank of the Jordan does X1idian lie ?" Examinee—"The right bank . " "Humph, which is that? " "The far side ." "Well, but what do you mean ? Now, if you were going down the Jordan to the Dead Sea in a boat, on which side would you have Midian ? " " Er—er—that depends on whether you were rowing or steering ." Collapse .

X . Y . Z.

CAMBRIDGE LETTER. Cambridge, November 19th, 1881.

O the end of the world has not come yet ! Consequence, that another Cambridge Letter must be indited to satisfy the capacious wants of the Peterite editors. Since last month the chief events which have taken place have been on the river . As was expected, the races for the 'Varsity Fours were all hollow to a degree—the only real contest taking place between 1st Trinity and Jesus . Gubbins, who was rowing two in 1st Trinity, rowed himself out, and, when about ro yards from the post, failed altogether ; consequently bow and 3 rowed stroke round into the bank, and just as they were getting out again the Jesus pistol fired, thus beating Trinity by 3 seconds. The Colquhoun Sculls have been won by Fellowes, of 1st Trinity ; he beat Logan (the favourite, I believe),

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because there was a strong head wind down stream, which he, being a strong heavy man, could hest battle with.

The University Rugby Union Football Team has been very successful as yet this season, having won all their matches : nevertheless the match against Blackheath was a virtual defeat, as Blackheath obtained four tries to one goal scored against them . The University are not nearly so strong behind the scrimmage as last year ; and if Oxford are only as good as they were last year they ought to beat us : I have not heard, though, how strong Oxford is . The Association Team, too, has had a successful commencement of the season . In the Colleges, Caius are very strong both in Association and R . U ., though it is impossible to predict as yet who will carry off the Association Challenge Cup. Should any one ask—What are you all doing this Term ? I should should say, first, that I hope we are all reading ; you see there is that dreadful " Previous Examination," vulgarly yclept " Littlego," looming in the distance . Secondly, some of us are rowing, as llouglas and Mallinson in the Christ's trial Eights, at bow and 7 respectively, Eyre, stroke of Corpus trial : Griffith has been rowing too . Some of us are playing Football—and others running . Eyre has won two first Prizes— mile and half-mile handicap, and two second prizes—at the Corpus Sports . Newman won the 3rd Trinity and King's Strangers' race (three hundred yards handicap) with thirty yards start ; also the hundred yards, quarter-mile, and one hundred and fifty yards handicap in his College Sports ; where Douglas was second in the Freshmen's Race .

1\IAx.

P .S.—I am sorry Gibson, of Pembroke, was omitted in my list of Pete1Ytes.

SCHOOL LETTER. HAT Protean creature,—the School Letter, again claims our attention . It puzzles one considerably to know how to attack it, demanding as it does a little of every kind of information and not much of any . " Hic labor, hoc opus est." However we must attempt to satisfy its exhaustive yet extensive demands.

Theatricals arc of course at present all-absorbing, and rehearsals promise well . The play finally selected is the " Comedy of Errors" : the principal actors are :—Stevenson and Kaye as the twin brothers Antij&holus ; and English and Robinson as the " two Dromios, one in semblance ." Brockbank is taking the part of Duke ,Solinus, Wilton of

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.Egeon ; and the ladies are R . Crawshaw, Anclriana ; Rhodes, Luciance; and Taylor, ..&milia . By the wish of the Head Master, the Theatricals

this year will be strictly private ; only present members of the School and old pupils will be admitted ; the latter must apply to Mr . Yeld before December 15th . The Theatricals will be held on the night of Tuesday, December zoth.

Very active measures have been recently taken by the boating authorities, which certainly reflect considerable credit on them, with regard to the boathouse. W . J . P . Kaye has been elected Captain.

Subscriptions have been ruthlessly petitioned, and the boathouse is at present taking to itself legs ; in plain terms workmen are being employed to elevate it upon brick foundations in order to render it superior to the occasional inconveniences caused by the " tristi palus inamabilis unda ."

The School boats will in consequence be kept in better repair, and be in greater request.

The match Past v . Present will be played Saturday, December rgth.

O . Ps . wishing to play are requested to send in their names as early as possible.

The School Library has at length been re-opened to an expectant world, and literary research is importunate in its demand for volumes.

A list of new books recently added from Mudie ' s Library will be found elsewhere.

The Captain of the XI . for 1882 is L. E . Stevenson ; P . E . Lord has been elected Secretary . Steps already have been taken to secure a really efficient professional for next season .

J . B.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. F, with the best authorities, we recognise in Shakespeare ' s literary activity three periods, we shall assign the " Comedy of Errors " to the first—the lyric and fantastic, as it is called— of which indeed, though it is not the consummation, (this "A Midsummer-night's Dream " rather represents), it may be called one of the choicest fruits ; for it illustrates all the transcendent capacities of the writer's maturity, although as yet undeveloped and rudimentary . It is a play which would requite a far more careful study than that which the present paper can claim to represent : and it is to be regretted that, as this play is to occupy the general attention of the School for some weeks to come, no

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handbook upon it has as yet been published by the Clarendon Press.

Perhaps a few words upon its literary history will not be out of place . The comic situation, upon which the interest turns, was taken up and turned to their purpose by dramatists of a far earlier day than Shakespeare's : the first to do so was in all probability Posidippus, a Greek writer of the new comedy, who seems to have written a comedy entitled "The Twins," a work which is entirely lost to us except in the Roman adaptation of it

by Plautus—the Men(chmei . The latter, in its turn, became the parent of imitations in modern literature : upon it, indeed, was founded the very earliest of regular modern comedies, the " Calandra of 13ilbrina " (afterwards a Cardinal), acted at Venice in 1508 ; and the plot became a favourite with the modern, as it had been with the ancient public . (Is it fanciful to cite Virgil's production of twins upon the stage of epic action ? .Eu . x . 392 , Daucia, I_aride Tiymberque, simillima proles Indiscreta Buis gratusque parentibus error which we would rather that our readers translated for themselves .)

In England a prose translation of the "1llenmchmei " by \V . Warner appeared in 1595, but this, as we shall see, was a year after the production of the "Comedyof Errors ." We may of course assume that Shakespeare (who could hardly have read the original) saw Warner's translation before it was published : but it is more likely that, during the century that had elapsed since the beginning of the renaissance, the main details of the plot had been embodied in one or more modern imitations : and in fact we know that among the Christmas performances exhibited before Queen Elizabeth in the year 1576 was " The Historic of Error, showen at Hampton Court on new yeres daie at night, enacted by the children of Powles," viz ., by the choir-boys of St . Paul's : and this was acted again at Windsor, in 1583 . The date of Shakespeare's performance is fixed at December, 1594, on two grounds,—a notice in the Gesta Giayorurn (Gray's Inn Records), " After such sports a Comedy of Errors (like to Plautus his Menmchmus) was played by the players, so that night was begun and continued to the end in nothing but confusion and errors . Whereupon it was ever afterwards called the night of errors ." The second ground is to be found in a chronological notice afforded by the play itself, Act . iii . Sc . 2 .

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S.—Where ' s France ?

S. —In her forehead : armed and revolted making war against her hair.

A double entendre it is supposed : an allusion being intended to King Henry IV. the heir of France. From the assassination of his father in 1589, a civil war had raged in France ; in 1 59 1 Lord Essex, with 4000 troops, was sent to the King's assistance, followed by others : finally on July 2 5, 1593, Henry IV . sacrificed his faith for his crown, embracing the Roman Catholic creed : his coronation followed in 1 594 .

Thus far of the history and date of the play : which was first printed in the folio of 1623 . We find ourselves left with but little space for the many words that might be said on its merits, as a drama of action and of character, not to speak of minor questions of rhythm and diction . At the outset we claimed for it the character of a fairly representative Shakespearian drama ; this claim we arc bound to vindicate . Taking the dramatic composition of situation and incident, it is to be premised that in a " Comedy of Errors " the probability of each incident should not be examined too strictly. Is then the "Comedy of Errors " only a farce ? It is this, but it is more . Plautus gave the main features of the plot : (though even here Shakespeare has completed by complicating the boisterous confusion of the action, the introduction of the Dromios, a second pair of twins, being due to him ;) the English poet has embroidered on the naked old canvas of comic action those flowers of elegiac beauty which vivify the scene—his is a strange and sweet mixture of farce with fancy, lyric charm with comic effect . The magnificent contrasts, the depth of tragic woe heightened by the height of comic glee, the lurid background of iltgeon's suspense throughout the play's long length, the set-off in Act ii . Scene 2 of Dromio's pursuit by a "wondrous fat marriage," against the ;passionate advances of Antipholus S ., to Luciana, these are Shakespeare's . The capricious god of Chance gives unity to the action ; yet Chance is not blind accident : the brothers must meet, as must the husband and long-lost wife, unless all the foundations of the world are out of course. If it be asked, where in this play is the mirror held to human nature as it is in the riper works of the poet's genius : we must not indeed look for a Therissa in Luciana, or a Ilamlet in Antipholus of Syracuse : but the action Ant. Drn.

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does not allow of the energetic exercise of such characters : yet the complaint of Antipholus S . (Act i . Sc . 2 " I to the world am like a drop of water That in the ocean seeks another drop )," and the speech of Luciana in Act ii . Sc. 2 will bear a comparison even with those greater creations.

Some commentators see in the characters of Andriana and Katharina (in the "Taming of the Shrew "), the reflection of Shakespeare's own domestic troubles into his poetry . We know that his match with Ann Hathaway, seven years his senior, proved not altogether happy . Still, it would seem that any such conjectures are very hazardous when they relate to poetical conceptions so impersonal and so little individualistic or egotistic as are those of the genius of Shakespeare. The " Comedy of Errors " does, however, supply internal evidence of its place in the series of his Dramas, in the rhymes into which at first he cast his highest poetry, subsequently abandoning them altogether—in the language, often that of the pro-Shakespearian " Comedy of Marlowe "—in the sometimes clumsy dialogue—lastly, in the flavour of classical learning, which still lingered from the poet's six years' discipline in Edward VL's School at Stratford . The address in Act ii . Sc . 2—" Arc you a god . . . . "—is considered Homeric (Od . 6, 149) . And here we are compelled to close this hasty survey : Antipholus S . himself will tell us : " I knew 'twould be a bald conclusion ."

W . Y. F.

FOOTBALL. v. LEED'S GRA1MASCHOOL. At Leeds on October 29th . Stevenson won the toss and decided to play with the wind . The Leeds forwards followed their kick-off well, and the visitors were compelled to touch down . After some dropkicking between the backs, Brockbank obtained the ball and was only collared within a few yards of the 1 .eed's goal . Templar and Kershaw by some good play carried the ball some distance back, but Brockbank, by a fine run, rounded their backs and obtained a try, which Crossley converted into a goal . Then their kick-off was returned into touch, and a scrimmage taking place near the half-way flag, Stevenson got the ball and ran in . A plea that he had gone into touch wns disallowed, and

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Crossley again succeeded in scoring a goal by a splendid kick . The game after this was very even, and continued so until nearly half-time, which was called whilst Williamson was running in . After the kick-off, Leeds were compelled to touch down, and soon afterwards Crawshaw and Williamson obtained tries, but in each case the kick failed . On this Leeds pulled themselves together, and, by some good dribbling, Templar obtained a try for Leeds . Some good play of Lane after the drop-out prevented any further score, and Stevenson, H . Clayforth, and Brockbank frequently threatened the Leeds goal, but Heaton's good collaring averted the danger until H . Clayforth obtained the ball, and on being collared near the goal line passed to Stevenson who obtained his second try : H . Clayforth obtained one shortly after. Stevenson converted both tries into goals. Thus the game resulted in an easy victory for St . Peter's by 4 goals and 2 tries to r try.

YORK :—H. Crossley, F . Ware, backs ; L. E. Stevenson, H . Clayforth, W . E. Brockbank, three-quarter backs ; C . J . Williamson, L. T . Crawshaw, half-backs ; A . Peters, E . W. Clayforth, F . \V . Chapman, H . G. Joy, A . F . Wade, R. C . Wilton, E . A . Lane, and F. Robinson, forwards.

LEEDS :—F . Heaton, back ; G. H . Peacock, R . W. Beehle, threequarter backs ; A . E. Oldroyd, H . S . Jones, half-backs ; C . L . Templar, G . D . Barrell, R. S . Scholefield, J . Thorp, H . Davies, R . Kershaw, G. A. Pyper, W . Henderson, A. E . Dixon, G. Wilson, forwards. v. HULL. This match was played on the School ground on November 5th, during heavy rain . Hull won the toss and elected to play up hill . L. E . Stevenson kicked off, and after the ball had been returned, Brockbank, by a good run, carried it to the visitors' twenty-five flag . For some time the play was very hard and the game fluctuated, but Hull gradually worked the ball up towards the School goal, and Hoskins obtained a try close to the touch line . Lovell made a very good attempt at goal, the ball falling near the goal post . At this point of the game H . C . B . Clayforth came to the front with a good dribble . The score was not increased by any important additions till after half time, when Hull began to press the home team, and 3 tries were gained, from which there resulted r poster.

As the School failed to score, Hull won by 4 tries and minor points to nil . Kaye ' s punting was again of great avail, and H . C . B . Clayforth and Brockbank played well behind the scrimmage . E . W . Clayforth, F. W . Chapman, and Peters were the most conspicuous among the forwards.

ScHooi. :—W. J . P . Kaye, H . Crossley, backs ; L . E . Stevenson, AV. E. Brockbank, H . C. B . Clayforth, three-quarter backs ; C . J . H .

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Williamson, L . T . Crawshaw, half-backs ; E . W . Clayforth, A . Peters, F. W . Chapman, H . G . Joy, F . Ware, A . F . Wade, R. C . Wilton, E . A. Lane, forwards.

HULL :—D . Lovell, back ; F . Hawks, G . W . Braithwaite, three-quarter backs ; G. A . Hoskins, A . Smithson, half-backs ; N . Brough, C . Brown, W . j . Tull, H . Tull, W . J . Close, E . Braithwaite, S . Butler, T . E . Aind, T . R . Hooney, A . H . Tyacke, forwards.

CORRESPONDENCE. THE BOAT HOUSE. To THE EDITORS OF " THE PETERITE . " DEAR SIRs,—Repeated attention has been called to the wretched state of the Boat House, and a subscription has been started in the School for the purpose of raising it on brick foundations . The sum required is Z'35 ; towards this £I2 has been collected and several other subscriptions have been promised . It is a disgrace to the School that, when we have such a fine river close at hand, so little interest should be taken in the boating . I hope that old Peterites and other friends of the School will take the matter up, and aid us with their subscriptions . Apologizing for trespassing so much on your valuable space, I am your obedient servant, THE CAPTAIN OF THE BOATS .

P.S .—Subscriptions will be received and acknowledged by W. J . P. Kaye, St. Peter's School.

THE PROFESSOR. CHAPTER III. (CONFiNU ED FROM PAGE 103 .)

Ouis te, juvenum confidenti,,ime, nostras lussit adire domos?

T will be remembered that the sailor upon recovering consciousness found himself—he could not tell where— certainly in no world-like region.

To continue his narrative : "As the drowsiness which followed unconsciousness passed gradually away . I looked up with a vague

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notion of having rapidly rushed through the water hugging closely my hydrogen-bag, which in some way seemed to enable me to keep alive.

This I now found burst by my side, and as I raised it up it seemed still to have some power that enabled me to breathe . " [The probability is that the rascally sellers of the bag had substituted oxygen or even common air for the more expensive hydrogen, and so had unintentionally preserved his life.—I'RoF .]

The whole place was filled with what seemed a dense but transparent steam or lighter form of water, which increased in density upwards, where it, as it were, thickened into a violet-blue dome apparently about half a mile above our heads, though I could not judge with any probability of accuracy of the distance.

This dome I afterwards found was occasionally at certain rare seasons streaked with the most brilliant purple and scarlet, such occasions being about as rare as with us eclipses of the sun, and it was considered by many of the learned among them that it would be possible to predict their recurrence hereafter, or at least to construct, by careful observation, such a cycle as should enable the inhabitants to make regularly such use of them as they were wont to snatch when they appeared at favourable seasons.

The ground whereon my feet rested was full of a warmth that lifted for nearly two feet the moisture that made me fetch my breath so heavily, but as I leant down to catch such freer air as I might thereby have found, a taste of sulphur made me rapidly withdraw again.

At such seasons as the air sufficiently lightens I afterwards observed that this land rises on either hand where, in the midst of a cloud of vapour too black to sec through, it blends with the dome above . [From his subsequent narrative it appears that he was at one end of a region which is shaped like a boat, the parts where the land rises to meet the dome above being the t~fo sides of the boat, and his situation about one fourth of the way from the stern to bow, a covering over the whole representing the dome .—PROF .]

How I explored the whole land so far as I could shall be hereafter learnt. Suffice it to say I felt now not only the symptoms of one recovering from a faint but likewise from intense cold, such as I can remember in my boyish days before the new protectors were used, which were invented to keep warmth in winter time .

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The men, if I may call them so, who stood around me next claimed my attention . Like those I have known in most respects, they were at the same time unclad, but a membranous sheeting covering their shoulders and arms and hanging down to the knees had somewhat the look of wings . [More like the old fashioned gowns that a short time ago survived in our ancient but obsolete Universities.—PROF .] With these by a leap they could elevate themselves in air and remain for a time suspended, partly owing to the greater density of this atmosphere higher up, partly by inflation with the warm vapours that rose from the sulphureous ground, and whilst in these higher elevations, as I learnt, they absorbed from the circulating moisture part of the nutriment which they required from air . And for breathing this nation had likewise gills or a membranous covering to the mouth, and this five or six of them hastened to tear from one another ' s faces and set over my mouth, now that, my bag being exhausted, I staggered and was faint . What became of those involuntary benefactors, whether they crawled off to die, or whether the humidity possessed a regrowing power I knew not then . Such self-sacrifice I saw was part of the kingly courtesy of the inhabitants, who seemed ill to comprehend my thankful acknowledgements, as with words that sounded sweetly between the smacking splash of two porpoise tails meeting in the fight, and the grinding of a stone-crusher with a mingling of oil gurgling from a narrow-necked bottle they pressed their service on me much as follows :—" Pfkshagrrq terontllotlobli zcntchlk ggrgpzsht." When you come to know the language it is the easiest and most natural of all to speak, but to pronounce it at home I should have to tie a wet cloth over my face and shout.

I took some time to learn to use the gills so provided, but meantime they pressed upon me such nutriment as was in use in the country, the manner of taking which I knew not, nor could learn save by observation . Such grew my hunger that I reeled and fell overpowered by the want of food and the strong smell of sulphur prevailing ."

Here the Professor put in his note : " I have let the sailor thus far tell his tale, with a little arrangement, as it was read off from his brain . But before I continue I think some explanation due of the apparent impossibility of such a region which, as readers will sec, must be beneath the sea . In the centre of the Atlantic,

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as the most elementary knowledge of sea-soundings shows, lies a valley five miles at least in depth . Near this locality by my calculations I saw the ship would be driven by the tempest, and to the bottom of this the sailor would be hurled by the violence of his fall . But as the superior density of the water would contract his body, at the same time bursting the bag of hydrogen he carried, he would have less and less tendency to rise, until he reached the point where the coldness of the water caused it to assume a viscid condition . Here originally over the valley ice would have accumulated . But the warmth caused by volcanic action underneath would hollow it out below, the water being sucked back by the hungry mouth of the open submarine crater, and so, as the ice blocked the way to the entrance of fresh, the water was there at least less dense, the most condensed part having a tendency to accumulate against the ice which formed the dome above . Either by the violence of the ship's explosion or by some rising of subterranean fires that for a time melted the ice, the almost lifeless lump which had thus far sunk was borne through the coating of ice ; when meeting the current of rising hot air he was wafted under, and from superior density sank to earth partly revived by the warmth . All other details of the account I drew from him I shall endeavour when they require it to explain in passing, but such an elucidation seemed to be due to my readers at the beginning of my scientific theory, lest, in disgust at its apparent improbability, they should be tempted to uncalled-for abuse of me. The existence of men under these circumstances I was at first unable to account for . Before the evolution theories of the last century were exploded, it might have been said that the survival of the fittest among the monsters of the deep had gradually produced a race like men on earth suited to live in such a region, or that germs in the ocean had in time worked their way through the ice and sprung into life in the warmth.

The most probable explanation seems to me that men had by some means like our sailor been landed there from some great catastrophe and, on the Electrodynamicobiogenealogy principle almost universally accepted, had been given that which was required for their existence, as I hope to set forth in a monograph upon the point . " J . V.

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POETRY. TO A SKY-LARK. Thou madly happy sprite, that seems to taste Of joys that we on earth can never know, Wanton explorer of the deep blue waste That with thy ceaseless mirth thou makest o 'erflow What untold raptures must inspire thy song !

How free from every pain and earth-born care Must be thy breast Thou leavest grief among The things of earth, and s parest the free air; Thy never tiring wing still strives in vain To reach some far ideal Being adored To whom thou chantest forth thy thrilling strain— A glorious hymn of praise, yet ne'er a word.

Though like thee ever trusting mortals raise Their deity to whom they pray and cry, Ne'er can they emulate thy burning praise, To seek their God ne'er venture half so high Thy song of gladness deprecates no ire ; The god thou singest must be all benign ; Thou dreamest nought of ever-torturing fire, Freedom and love alone, alone are thine.

THE LIBRARY. The following is a list of the new books added to the School Library : A Cambridge Freshman.

American Senator, by A . Trollope.

Chaplet of Pearls.

Charles O'Malley.

Dick Rodney, by Grant.

Endymion.

Helen's Babies.

History of English Railways.

Homes without Hands.

Journal of a Voyage Round the World, by Darwin.

Kenclm Chillingley, by Lytton.

Lays and Legends of Greece.

Mary Anerley, by L'lackmore.

Modern Greece, by R . C . Jebb.

Mudfog Papers, by Dickens.

Ocean Waifs.

Out of School at Eton.

Parson O'Dumford.

Stories of Inventions and Discoveries.

Strange Adventures of a Phaeton.

Thackeray—Ballads and Tales.

Roundabout Papers.

Irish Sketch Book.

To the Arctic Regions and Back in six weeks.

Villette, by C . Bronte.

Voyage Round the World, by Jules Verne.

Voyage in the Sunbeam.

White Melville—Digby Grand.

Katerfelto .

128

NOTES AND ITEMS. W . Y . Fausset has been elected to the Busby Theological Scholarship in Balliol College, Oxford.

The same gentleman has taken his degree this week, and will next Term proceed to the Composition Mastership of Manchester Grammar School.

C . Wood has been elected a member of the Yorkshire County Football Committee.

G. F. Chadwick has been playing for the Edinburgh University (Rugby Union) first XV, and made the run of the day against Oxford University.

R . A . Scott and W . Overton have been added to the list of O . Ps . at Edinburgh University.

We extract the following from the York 11craki ; " Our readers will regret to hear of the death from fever of Deputy Assistant Commissary-General W. H . AVINSPEaR, only son of Mr. \Vinspear, of Micklegate, in this city, at the age of 27 years . Ile was educated at St . Peter's School, and obtained a Free Scholarship for two years : He obtained his appointment in 1874, in one of the Civil Service Examinations (in which 179 young men competed for 15 appointments), gaining highest rank for arithmetic and the second place for mathematics. He served nine months with the forces in Africa, marched with Lord Chelmsford to the relief of Lkowe, and was present at the battle of Ginghilhovo . lie was at Ulundi when Cetewayo was brought in a prisoner, and saw the treaty of peace signed . He was then seized with fever, and was left behind at St . Paul's, returning home when somewhat recovered on six months' leave . At the end of four months, however, the troubles in Ireland pressing hard upon the department to which he belonged, he volunteered for duty, and joined the forces at Dublin . In August of this year he was ordered out to Barbadoes, but having small-pox on board had to go to Jamaica for quarantine . On the 4th October he joined the garrison at Trinidad . On the 8th he wrote home in good spirits, but the next day he was laid down with fever, and on the 14th he died . DIr. AVinspear was a most zealous and energetic officer, and devoted to his duties . He was a great favourite both with his comrades and his superiors, and gave every promise of an honourable and successful career ."

We beg to acknowledge the receipt of The Lily, Th Lw-ettou/air (2), The Berroviau, Sullen Valence Jfa.,a .,ieze, The A lleyuiau, Ulula, Want of space compels us to hold over the account of the match between the School and Yorkshire Wanderers .