The Waltz—Mosco Carver. Covent Garden—D. Shawe-Taylor. The Golden Age of Vienna—Hans Gal. Literature, Reference, Religion : William Temple—F. A. Iremonger. The Diary of Samuel Pepys—ed., 0. F. Morshead. The Wooden Horse—Williams. Passage to India—Forster. Sixteen Self Sketches—Bernard Shaw. The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Whittaker's Almanack, 1949.
THE DEBATING SOCIETY Once again the Society has had a successful term. Attendances have been large and more people have been prepared to speak from the floor of the house; there is still, however, a shortage of platform speakers, a fact which became apparent towards the end of last term. Three full debates have been held and the last meeting of term was devoted to an experiment which we are assured has been a success. The first meeting of term was held on 22nd January, when Mr. Rhodes proposed "that Britain is like an old lion which has lost its teeth, and whose tail anyone may tweak". He contrasted the present situation with that of the war period and said that it was indeed lamentable. Mr. Wiseman, opposing, said that an emancipatory policy was essential for the future of the world. J. B. Mortimer seconded the proposition; he said that we commanded no respect abroad and, indeed, appeared as a minor power. J. C. Griffiths, speaking fourth, said that it was our duty to pursue a policy of self-restraint. Speeches from the House were made by Royle, Cobham, Wilson, Unwin, Chatterton, Hamilton, Wheatley, D. A. White, and Walter. The motion was carried by 60 votes to 29. The second meeting was held on 5th February, the motion being that "This House believes in ghosts". Canon Patteson, who proposed, said that there were far too many reported instances of ghosts for there to be any doubt as to their existence. Mr. Waine opposed. He divided ghosts into two classes—pure inventions and illusions. J. S. Berg, seconding the motion, stated that man could produce manifestations through the agency of his subconscious mind. 27
