March 1885

THE

PH;TERITE. - Vol, . VII . MARCH, 1885 .

No . 50.

HUMANUM EST ERRARE. Do not be alarmed . This is not a moral essay on the frailty of human nature ; it is merely a compilation of literary " howlers " —only one of the many bye-paths down which mankind strays from the narrow way of truth . The instances collected come from many sources and cover a wide area—from the times of Moses and Homer, to the latest geographical explorers (certainly the truth of some of the discoveries mentioned here are not yet recognised by the world at large)—perpetrated in National School and University alike—by every age, from a cherub-faced chorister to a clod-hopping Yorkshire farmer. Quite unworthy though they be of the grand philosophic platitude that lends weight and dignity to their frivolous levity, their varied source may still serve in some degree to point out its truth in every age and place.

But, as was said above, this is not their object . They are intended to afford some amusement by commemorating the mistakes of fellow creatures . And since they are compiled for a school magazine, they are mainly such as will appeal to a schoolboy as he struggles over his work—be it classical, mathematical, or any other " ical " whatsoever . It is to be hoped that when he ever conies a " howler" himself, the memory of these may comfort him, by reminding him that there are others, in school and out of school, younger and older, who were as bad or perhaps even worse.

Probably the commonest classical error is the everlasting " col bone?" of the newspapers . But the slight mistake between "what's the good ? ' and " for whose good ?' is far below the ordinary schoolboy . He takes an insane delight in confusing a common word with an uncommon one—all because he abhors

2

HUMANUM EST ERRARE.

dictionaries, and trusts to the light of nature . To judge by the unnatural meanings tortured out by this process many hours must be spent in elaborating his work that would be saved, if he could bring himself to reverence those books a little less, and be not so religiously scrupulous about keeping their pages clean . It is a good habit, but has its proper limits . The following is a fair specimen :—" At rubicunda Ceres media succidilur aeslu " becomes " The ruddy Chinee sinks into the middle of the tide ." To speak of no other mistakes it contains, the confusion here Is remarkable—Serer confounded with Ceres, and that goddess in turn with some faint recollection of Venus Anadyomene the wrong way round . Classics is undoubtedly his favourite sphere . A mistake in history or geography is a different affair . Nec pluleum caediI nec demorsos sap ./ ungues . In other words it is generally a case of bald ignorance, unadorned by any ingenious desperation . A few instances will make this clear : The isthmus of Panama divides Europe and Asia.

The Alps are the principal mountains between England and Scotland.

The Amazon rises in the Saskatchewan valley, and flows through the plain of Thibet.

The Acts of the Apostles were written A .D . 22, and this last, after profound thought.

But nature will always assert herself ; even in history the old muddleheadedness must sometimes come to the front in its happiest form . It ought to have been enough to have located Pontius Pilate' s ghost on Monte Pilato in Switzerland, without any schoolboy embellishments . But no ; historical remembrances of the same country must crop up and result in a gigantic anachronism, and heaven knows what beside . This mountain was " the place where Pontius Pilate shot the apple off William Tell's head ."

Mathematical blunders are only a slight improvement ; the rigidity of the subject as a rule cramps all ingenuity . The mistakes arise in most cases from a juvenile incapacity for clearness of expression . Definitions, etc., afford ample scope for such :—e.g.

Postulates are things asked for that cannot be proved ; axioms are things proved without being asked for .

HUMANUM EST ERRARE .

3

Definitions are given to perform the work ; axioms are too true to be looked into.

Axioms are common sense.

Instances of confused thought, where they do occur, have not the high flavour of their classical brethren ; they are more akin to the geographical, and are rather relapses into simple ignorance . _ A circle is a straight line enclosing a space.

Problems are done directly ; theorems directly or indirectly, sometimes even both.

Or again, when one unhappy examinee referred his torturer to " divination 29 ." Occasionally, however, we rise above the hard and fast laws of geometry . A scholar of a Cambridge college, whose mathematical abilities were not equal to his classical, when asked at school such questions as " Can two straight lines enclose a space ? " " Are the angles of a triangle equal to two right angles ?" always warily replied, " Not necessarily so ." This was distinctly ingenious. But then he was classical.

To turn to science, the following anecdote told to me by the late Editor of Punch, though hardly a genuine " howler," is too good to be lost . Buckmaster, while lecturing in one of the southern counties on agricultural chemistry, stated that oxides were brought to the surface by ploughing . When returning home afterwards, a farmer observed to his companion, " Weal ! A'ev bin a farmer forty year an' A'ev ploowed shallow an ' ploowed deep, but nivver turned up a ox- ' ide yit . " " Mebbe," replied the other, "the gentleman come fro' the fen country ; A' ev 'card as how they sometimes turn up 'orns an ' ' oofs theiire, an' mebbe if ye ploow deep enow yell turn up 'ides too ." This reminds me of another country tale, the truth of which I can personally vouch for.

A farmer by his love of grandiloquence had won himself a renown for vast learning, and was looked upon as the wise man of the parts . He had a liking for quotations, and probably used them to impress his neighbours by the weight thus added to his conversation . However that may be, when called in to prescribe for a sick cow, he pondered deeply, and at last sententiously remarked that he never " acted rash, but allays hefoore gi'ing aught to a sick beast loiked to maake a post mortis examinaiition ."

Classics is, however, the grand preserve for good speci-

4

HUMANUM EST ERRARE.

mens . Such trivial things as rum for the accusative of rus or solecisms like bonissintns, though that has been perpetrated as high as the fifth form, may be passed over at once . Only one of this kind need detain us for a moment . A master of the first form asked what difference was to be noticed between 7Ifidpa and µoUQa obviously referring to the variety of declension . After one or two attempts that nearly hit the truth, all gave up except one fellow down at the bottom who was seen leaning forward in a tremor of excitement, with his arm frantically outstretched to attract attention, lest the question should be answered by someone else, and he should lose the credit for his profound knowledge . The master, observing this dumb appeal, hurried down the form and asked him, " Well l What is it ? " " Please, sir," replied the boy " uouva means a mouse " —a distinctly ridiculus gnus after what had gone before . The real classical mistake has something more in it than this . Its beauty may sometimes be that a translation, strictly correct in itself or only slightly wrong, sounds ludicrous from associations it may call up . For example, in speaking of Scylla, when (aTm) TE Tr€Xwp KaKOV is rendered " now she herself was an awful beast, " or HpoTCvs . .,ae\atvil 95pcl Ka\vc5Oets "Proteus clothed in black hair " (a confusion with Tpixt), where we insensibly connect the venerable old sea god with Darwin ' s primitive man . Again, simplex munditris when translated "neat but not gaudy " forcibly calls to mind another monkey who is traditionally reported to have made that remark on painting his tail sky-blue.

The following may be quoted as a splendid instance of the ingenuity of despair . An unhappy wretch struggling with a piece of prose wanted the Latin for stick . He knew that candelabrum was " candlestick," and candela was " candle ." Hence he resorted to the remaining part " bruin " for " stick . " It reminds one somewhat of Ennius' tours de force, when he split up an awkward word and produced such things as " saxo core—comminuil—brunt ." This expedient cannot be too strongly recommended to young versifiers as a certain way to secure correct scanscion . It is a sure method of filling up corners and has good authority . A few pieces of translation, pure and simple, are too happy to be passed over . It is difficult to know whether to admire most the go-ahead dash of " He was left shot " (TOVITg4 iX ;] OO,~) or the unassailable literalness

HUMANUM EST ERRARE .

5

of " lying in state ; " (splendkle menda.r) . You can't get round this last ; " mendax " is " lying " and " splendide " is " in state ; it is simply impregnable . Then there is the old stager—Rara avis in tern's nigroque sirriillinia cygno " a rare grandmother in the lands and very like a black sign . " Then the ingenuity spent on subjiciunt veribus prunas el viscera torrent, instead of resorting to a dictionary, is amazing : (r) They place coals under in the springs and burn their entrails. (z) They prefer plums to truth and burn their insides.

(3) They launch the hulls in spring, and their hearts are hot within them.

But all pale before the astounding attempt to translate the lines beginning Barbara Celarent Darfi Ferioque prioris, so well known to students of logic . One energetic worker could not understand that they were mere jargon, nothing more than memorial lines to assist in remembering the moods of the syllogism . He loyally tried to extract a meaning from the Latin ; unfortunately he could not get beyond the first line ; the absence of verbs in the remainder baffled him . Still what he did evolve was better than nothing. " If the Darians would conceal their barbarous acts, I struck the leaders . " What a splendid example of Latin idiom—construction by parataxis —vivid conditional—historic present—all in one ! Truly a marvel of ingenuity !

Studies of the New Testament are often productive of good things . I quote two, both remarkable in their way, and both the work of the same person . He once stumbled across pi) erxiawµco &\\ \axwPco (Let us not rend it but cast lots) in a divinity paper.

Neither of the words seemed familiar . vXlvwnev certainly had a look of " schism " about it, but Xaxwµcv was a mystery . He argued " it must be a mistake ; there isn't such a word ; probably a misprint for Aa/3wpco . " The end of it all was "Let us not dispute but receive him . The second was in connection with the grain of wheat, of which it is said N y 7rc h .7 .A . — rnless it falls into the ground and dieth it produceth no fruit . Not being acquainted with the economy of this plant he imagined that the meaning must be "if it do not die," and consequently conjectured an ellipse of the negative from the first half, and put a note to that effect .

6

HUMANUM EST ERRARE.

Repetition next calls for attention . It is, no doubt, valuable, but, if taught by ear alone, has its dangers . Hymns learnt in national schools when reduced to writing sometimes look rather queer. A few examples with the correct version appended may be worth mentioning.

Hawthorns compose so rich a crown.

Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

He gave some brass bfire he burst.

The gates of brass before him burst.

Has stole our father ' s lead Hast all our fathers lead.

Ere he bid His tender lass farewell.

His tender last farewell.

Of the same kind are the following misquotations ;—" Our fathers .did eat mamma (manna) in the desert ; " " His right hand was roasted (restored) whole ; " " I knew that thou Wert an oyster (austere) man ." Again, a child when asked for the most merciful man replied, " Og, King of Bashan ; for his mercy endureth for ever." Another described the Magi as " horizontal (oriental) kings ." Though this is, to a certain degree, pardonable in a village child, what is to be said 'of a grown-up man in a church choir, who twice a day firmly declared his belief in the " collusion of saints " ? or the mistake so commonly made in the marriage service, " with all my goods I thee and thou (thee endow) . " An Oxford undergraduate was almost as bad, when he concluded the parable of the Good Samaritan with `if there be anything more, when I come again I will repay thee . ' This he said knowing he should see his face no more .' " Undoubtedly viva voce is the most miserable ceremony for the examinee in existence ; he is so completely at the tormentor's mercy . Consequently it is welcome to hear of a " score off" the examiners, and two cases, though not mistakes, may be mentioned.

One undergraduate, sitting at a table opposite to four dons, was requested to quote a passage from the New Testament . He promptly replied, " And round about the throne were four beasts ."

Another, when asked if he knew a saying of Elisha, settled the examiner with " Yea, I know it ; hold ye your peace . "

I

OXFORD LETTER .

7

Finally, let nie conclude with a mistranslation that bears a lesson to school b )ys with it . An unfortunate, when translating the lament over Ajax in Sophocles, saw the terrible words ivoTpd7cX0s "Alas looming ahead . Not having the vaguest idea of the meaning, he managed to communicate his distress to his neighbour . The other scribbled back the correct translation, "stubborn," but owing to the hurry in which he wrote it, that word presented a different appearance . The effect of such an expression as " stillborn Ajax " in a passage like that can be better understood than expressed . The moral of this is obvious ; see that you . profit by it .

OXFORD LETTER. "Varsity" have at last been defeated at football ! It is T HEthree years this February, if my recollection serves me right, since they were beaten by the Edinbro' University (when, by-thebye, it was an old Peterite, G . F . Chadwick, who won the game for them), which, with a beating from the same Club on Monday, February q, makes the second defeat in four years . For the last three years there have been men playing—Rotherham for one, Wade for another—who have never played on the losing side in any first-rate match—saving this with Edinbro' University and the "Varsities" z' . London last November . ' It was pure generalship that won the match for Edinburgh.

They knew that our weak point—or less strong point rather—was our forwards ; behind there are few teams in England or Scotland that could hope to stand against us—certainly Price-Jenkins, Bolton, and Stoddart could not ; so knowing their strength forward they played a game which seemed mean to many partisans of the "Varsity," whose partiality outran their judgment . It has been said in a newspaper—I would not like to say it—that Oxford would have beaten if they had had to play Edinburgh University alone, and not Edinburgh University—its umpire . Personally I could not find much fault with him . Kensington played us on Saturday, February l .i., and we managed to beat them by a dropped goal to nil . They played much the same game as Edinburgh .

8

OXFORD LETTER.

E . D . Court having obtained his International Cap, there only remains one of Vassall ' s team who has not done so . All the other fourteen have played for their respective countries.

Matters do not look so hopeful on the river . We have taken to a heavy stroke--Girdlestone, of Magdalen, who is over 1 z stone in weight . Rowing, he is a good stroke ; paddling, he is hardly all that might be desired . Still, if the boat were made up as it promised to be at the beginning of term, circumstances might justify investment on the chances of Oxford for winning the race.

But it is not so made up, and there lies the rub . Walrond, of Exeter, who, of all the new men in the boat, seemed surest of .his place . is turned out to make way for a fresher of this term (though nominally for Taylor last year ' s No . 3), who did not even row in the trials, whose name is McLean, and who is an Etonian, and the brother of the President . He rowed well at Henley for Eton last year, but is hardly at home in a boat behind an Oxford stroke.

Then, again, another Etonian, Fothergill, is to row. No . z, who was an egregious failure in the New College four last year, and in his brief career as stroke of the New College Torpids, whence he has been promoted to the " Varsity " eight, showed up as not quite so good as the gentleman who occupies that distinguished position now, and behind whom his boat will not improbably descend.

G. C . Bourne is reserve man, I hear . The boat is not officially made up ; but I have every reason to believe it will remain with the blemishes I have named, and another I have not named, viz ., Carter, who was far away the worst man last year . Fothergill, H. Maclean, D . H . Maclean, G . C . Bourne are all of New College.

The Torpids begin on February 19 . Corpus Christi, I believe, will remain head of the river ; Exeter will go up, and so will Pembroke, if they can last . The rest of the boats are, if anything, below the average . There are twenty-seven boats on.

We have had at one time three theatres open in Oxford this Term, if you can dignify the Town Hall, the Victoria, and the Queen's with the name of theatre . The scheme for building a real theatre is fallen dead . Attempts are being made, however, to revive it . With much music, a dynamitard ' s threat, a few mission services by C . T . Studd, S . P. Smith, and S . Beauchamp, the two former of whom are about to start as missionaries for China, term has been

9

SCHOOL LETTER .

pretty lively . Revival (socialistic) meetings by William Morris and E . D . Aveling are also announced . William Morris is always popular here ; but I hesitate to say what Aveling' s reception may be, after I witnessed Henry George's reception, which he might well characterise as " the most disgraceful lie had ever met with ."

BEBI.

SCHOOL LETTER. A wet Shrove Tuesday! Great was the disappointment ; but notwithstanding the rain most managed to spend a very enjoyable day. Boating has now been started in earnest . The Day-boys, Junior, was the first crew seen on the river, and they will certainly need a great deal of practice before they get into anything like form . The School-House, junior, goes very creditably, considering the time it has had for practice, and should turn out a very fair crew . Mr . Clarke ' s House, Junior, has not yet been seen, but we hope it will make its appearance shortly . With regard to the seniors, the Day-boys will not meet with nearly as much opposition from Mr . Clarke ' s House as they did last year, although the School-House may give them a little more trouble . Another good race may be expected between the Civil and Sixth . The boating prizes this year will again be restricted to a moderate price, as money is still needed to pay off the debts for the boathouse and the two new boats, which will in all probability be exchanged, as it has been found that they do not quite suit.

Football has continued for the first fortnight of the term, but the attendance at the pick-ups was so small, and no matches had been arranged for either the first or second fifteens, that it proved rather a failure.

The Debating Society, which was re-started last year, seems unfortunately to have fallen through ; it might possibly be continued, but I have heard no rumour of it.

Mr. Clarke has been presented with the living of St . Martin-leGrand, York, vacant by the death of Rev . \V . Bresher, and a new master has not yet been appointed to succeed him .

10

CAMBRIDGE LETTER.

CAMBRIDGE LETTER. Far be it from inc to ape originality enough to break through existing conventionalities, and so to my preface . A Cambridge letter, as some of your readers doubtless know to their cost, is no mean task under any circumstances ; but when a few hours is all that editors allow their unfortunate victim for collecting and arranging his mater ials, surely he deserves the pity rather than the criticism of your readers, if his task be but indifferently performed.

The burning topic of the day is the great " Blue " question.

A meeting, open to all the "Varsity," was held last night in the Union, when a motion, censuring the action of the Football authorities, was lost by a large majority . The general feeling in the " Varsity " seems to be that the Football men deserve their full "Blue," but that the action of the Football authorities in assuming it contrary to the wishes and decision of the three clubs whose rightful possession it is, is a gross breach of etiquette, and a dangerous precedent to establish.

It is still too early to speculate with any safety on the result of the coming Boat race . The odds are at present in our favour, and I believe with good reason . Pitman is rowing in better form than ever, and, as far as can be seen at present, there is no weak point in the crew . 7 was the hardest place to fill satisfactorily ; but the present occupant of that responsible position is almost certain to give ultimate satisfaction, as he is a most painstaking and consequently an improving oar.

Fausset, handicapped though he is by lack of weight, has proved himself no unworthy representative of the school on the Cam. IIe rowed bow in the Corpus 2nd boat, which succeeded in gaining a place on the river, against very great' competition . His style was quite an object of admiration to many on the tow-path ; though on the first night of the races, he was somewhat hampe r ed about the knees, owing to mismanagement of his nether garments . Another 0 . P. has been figuring in a new capacity lately, which seems to suit him admirably. "'Tis easier to teach the art of rowing than to learn," though this cannot boast of classic antiquity ; it is nevertheless a truism, which one O . P. at least will endorse . Crawshaw is to be congratulated on rowing in a boat which went up, though not as fast

FOOTBALL .

11

as it deserved . The only other Peterite representative on the river would have a veil drawn over his achievements . Suffice it to say that it is, to say the least of it, mortifying to find yourself landed high and dry ashore, within 50 yards of your starting post, owing to a broken rudder string.

"Such is the fate which clogs the feet of some ."—Shakspeare (?)

We have to mourn the loss this term of one whose form was familiar in all the various fields of athletics . It is a thousand pities he could not see his way to accepting the Secretaryship of the C. U . B . C ., which was offered him last year . IIad Eyre been available for the boat this year, the great difficulty as to who should fill the place vacated by Moore might have found an easy solution.

We are highly favoured this term in the musical world . Neruda paid us a visit a few weeks ago, and next week your correspondent hopes to lay himself at the feet of that king of instrumentalists, Joachim, and there passive to have his soul charmed out of its mortal case, by the mystic power of horse-hair, sheep's guts, and resin .

Yours truly, CLAVIGEP.

FOOTBALL. The Football season of r 88I . has bran most successful . Only twice has the team been defeated, and on both occasions by the Old Boys . On the first, the School's opponents, with the assistance of two Cambridge Blues, only managed to beat them by two tries to one . On the second, the School played without Lord, Rhodes, Wilson, Rose, and Wade, and so could hardly be expected to win.

Leeds and Thorparch each went away defeated, although against Thorparch two of the School three-quarters were away . The combined play and passing are the principal points on which the team can congratulate themselves, and had it not been for this, there is little doubt that the number of victories would have been smaller. The weak point is the collaring . With two or three exceptions, the members of the team persist in trying to collar their opponents by the shoulders, and the forwards, though on the

12

FOOTBALL.

whole they play well together and follow up well, leave a great deal too much to be done by the backs . Taken as a whole, however, the team is the best the School has had for some years.

The number of matches played was 11, of which 8 were won, I drawn, and z Lost.

% P . E . LORD (188z-83-84) .—Good three-quarter back, collars well, and a good place kick . His drop kicking has been of great use to the team . (r I st . 3 lb .) % H . W . RHODES (1882-83-84) .—Good half-back, where he played at the beginning of the season . Played three-quarters in most matches, but was not so useful as at half ; fair drop kick. (ro st . I lb .) % F . R . BRANDT (1882-83-84) —A splendid full back, one of the best the School has ever had . Collared and punted very well . A sure and certain place kick . (1 z st . 'lb .) % W. G . WILSON (1883-84) .-Splendid half-back, dodges grandly, but should pass more . (ro st . 71b). % C . B . CLARKE (1883-84) .—Decidedly the leader of the forwards. is fairly fast, dribbles, and follows up well, and makes good use of his weight . (Io st . 12 lb .) %R . C . D . ROSE (1883-84) .—Fast three-quarter back, in some matches ran and dodged very well . (ro st . 6 lb .)

R . CROSfHWAITE (1883-84) .—Good forward, made some good dribbles, but should go through the scrimmage instead of round it . (9 st . I2 lb .) %A . WADE (1883-84) .—Heavy forward, working hard in the pack, collars fairly . (ro st . I lb .) %E . NOBLE (1883-8+) .-Disappointing three-quarter back, rather inclined to be lazy. Collared fairly at the beginning of the season ; fair place kick . (II st . 1 lb .)

J . WILSON (1884) .—Good forward, dribbles and follows up very well . (9 St . 4 lb .) %A . MARRIOTT (1884) .—Very good forward, dribbles splendidly, and always on the ball . (9 St . 12 lb .)

W . S. GoFTON (1884) .-Fair forward, works hard in tke pack, but should dribble more . (i 1 st . 7 lb .)

T . H . LITTLE (1884) .—Fair forward, should keep cool.

(II st . I I lb .)

J . E . GoFTON (1884) .--Fair forward, collars well . (Io st . 6 lb .) % W . MURRAY (1884) .—Good forward, working hard, and generally following up well . (9 st . 6 lb .)

R . CRAWSHAW (1884) .-Played in most matches at half back, where he passed well, and played a plucky game (9 st . I lb .)

Will have left before next year.

13

CORRESPONDENCE .

LIST OF MATCHES PLAYED. School Score.

OPPONENTS .

Opponents ' Score.

Result . ' Goals .

Tries.

Goals .

I

O

z

0

0

0

O

O

1

Tries.

Old Boys

lost

O

York Wanderers

won

3

York Wanderers

won

I

St. John's College

won

1

3

0

0

T . Walker ' s Team

won

0

2

0

0

Durham Grammar School

draw

Beverley

won

2

Leeds Grammar School

won

6

Thorparch

won

Old Boys Old Boys

!

I

O

O O 0

0

9

0

0

lost

z

2

3

won

3

I

28

3

15

4

8

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editors of the Peterite.

As the School Boat Races will soon be taking place, I should like to refer the captains of the three divisions of the School to an excellent letter by " Cantab " in the number of this magazine for July, 1882 . That letter contained most valuable advice and instruction ; but, like most of those which appear in The Pete/rite, has received little or no attention . It would be well for the School to study it carefully, and, as far as is possible, to act up to the suggestions made in it . For the benefit of those who have not a copy of the number referred to, I will repeat the gist of portions of it . The first proposition is that the older members of the Boat Club should take out the younger members every half holiday for about twenty minutes in tub pail's, and keeping them to a slow

14

CORRESPONDENCE.

stroke, instruct them in the proper style of rowing . The older members would, of course, have first to learn themselves. " Cantab ' s "'letter would teach them much . The next suggestion I will repeat in the original words—" Again, when the House fours first begin going out, would it not be far better for them if they were kept for the first fortnight or so to a slow stroke, which would help the crew to get the true uniformity of swing and catch, so necessary for the attainment of pace . No crew can row a fast stroke effectively without first having learnt to row a slow one ."

This, again, is a most sensible piece of advice, and was advocated by a member of the School not many years ago . His colleagues, however, did not approve of his radical opinions . The above proposition of " Cantabs ' s " would equally apply to the Regatta Boat.

St . Peter ' s has, I know, a certain reputation at the Universities, or, at any rate, at Cambridge, for being a good boating school, and this reputation is, to a great extent, justified by the number of University oars which it has turned out in proportion to its size. But what would its admirers think if they could take a walk on the banks of the Ouse and see the respective crews preparing for the School races ?

Some time ago a man at one of the Universities said to me, " I don' t believe in ` Varsity ' style ." No, poor fellow, and no wonder, for he had learnt such an unnatural way of rowing at the school where he was educated, that he found it almost impossible to acquire the proper art.

Lastly, I would suggest that more use should be made of O . P ' s resident in York, especially of those (if there are any) who have been or are at the Universities .

I remain, Yours truly, USTL. P .S .—I hope this letter will receive more attentian than is usually paid to letters which appear in The Peterite.

SIR, It may not be known to many of your readers that the Boating Club is carrying on its operations under great difficulties.

Since the time money prizes were abolished the number of entries

NOTES AND I- TEMS

10

has been gradually growing smaller, and the interest taken in the races less . Now boats have been, indeed, ptarcliased, but are a severe tax on the resources of the Club ; further, a debt of some £19 remains on the boat house . This being the case, the committee find it extremely (iiiiicuit to offer suitable prizes . The consequence is, as I have said above, that there are fewer entries and less interest taken inn the races . Of course the School should be content to race for honour ; but honour, especially to juveniles who find themselves out of pocket by their practising, is but a word . (rood prizes are given at the Athletic Sports, and the winners of boat races justly claim similar prizes . These, of course, the committee are unable to give unaided . If, however, benefactors would offer prizes for at least one or two of the races, as they so generously do for the Athletic Sports, they would both aid the committee and give a special interest to those races they grace with their names . For instance, the chief prizes given at the Midsummer Examination carry with them a special honour from the names of their donors, and so with the Sport ' s prizes.

It is to be hoped that this suggestion will be taken up, and taken up this year .

VERBER.

REVIEWV. THE SCRIBBLER'S lONTILLY, Vol . I ., 1883 ; Vol . II., 1884 . If . Ward Carroll, Hon Sec ., Chislehurst, Kent.

Now that, through the kindness of Mr . Carroll, copies of the two volumes of The Seribbler's Monthly have been deposited in the School Library, it seems fitting to pass a final verdict on the literary venture which has just been brought to a close . Some of the earlier numbers have already been noticed in The Peterite . The first volume contained a novelette by Mr . E. P . Allanson (O . P .)

The second volume contains two shorter serials, both of which will be found very interesting . There are also a large number of ablywritten stories, grave and gay, and all manner of essays and poems . Such papers as the essays on " Rossetti and G . F . Watts,

by E . S . R . ; or Mr . F . S . Boas's essays on Matthew Arnold ;" or Dr . Lindsay ' s articles on " Education," would do credit to any magazine . Peterites will be specially interested in the neat essays,

16

EDITORIAL.

"Four Squares without a Flaw," contributed by the Rev . W. Routh to the first volume . The second volume has had its interest enhanced by illustrations—a daring experiment for amateurs to make . The magazine has now been discontinued, not because of any sort of failure, but because the Secretary can no longer spare the time necessary to conduct it successfully . The Secretary is to be congratulated on the talented circle of contributors whom he has gathered round him (one of them, by the way, has just been appointed editor of Time) ; and, on the other hand, the contributors are certainly to be congratulated on the geniality and energy of the Secretary, pleasant memories of which will remain with them long after the decease of the Scribbler ' s Monthly.

J. H . F.

NOTES AND ITEMS. W. J . P . KAYE, of Queen' s College, Oxford, was 4th out of 12 successful candidates for University Cadetships at Sandhurst.

H . H . SPINB: has passed the Final Examination of the Incorporated Law Society.

CANON T. P . HUDSON has been appointed an Examiner for the Mus . Bac. Degree at Cambridge.

W . BARBER, Q .C ., of the Chancery Bar, has been elected a Bendier of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, in place of the late Mr . Overend, Q .C . Mr . Barber was called to the Bar at Lincoln 's Inn in 1862, and was made a Q .C . in 1882 .—Times.

J . DEWIIURST passed the preliminary examination of the Chartered Accountants.

IT may interest some of the readers of the Peterite to know that there exists in the School a branch of the Public Schools' Bible Union, which is open to any member of the School who may wish to join for the new year . Cards of membership may be obtained from C . B . Clarke.

EDITORIAL. The Editors beg to remind Subscribers that their subscriptions are due for 1885.

The Editors beg to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following magazines :—" The Leodiensian," " The Lorettonian," " The Alleynian," " The Barrovian," " ° The Lily," " The Sutton Valence."