The Fritillary, March 1912 by Oxford Women's Colleges Hub

THE FRITILLARY.

MARCH, 1912.

Ebitor Miss JEFF, Lady Margaret Hail.

treasurer : Miss PHILLIPS, St. Hugh's. College.

Committee Lady Margaret Hall. Miss JERROLD, Somerville College. Miss PYM, St. Hugh's College. Miss CHErrix, St. Hilda's Hall. Miss NAPIER, Oxford Home-Students. MISS HAY,

No. 85.

MARCH.

1912.

CONTENTS. PAGE

PAGE

PAGEANTS AND PAGEANTRY ODE TO THE HOCKEY STICK

•

THE GODS OF THE AUSTRALIANS

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OXFORD STUDENTS' UNITED HOCKEY CLUB, HALL MATCHES HUNDRED MOOT

• .

THE MIRACLE

•

A SUGGESTION

RONDEAU

•

LADY MARGARET HALL

SOMERVILLE COLLEGE

31 33

OXFORD STUDENTS' DEBATING SOCIETY NEWS OF THE TERM O.U.D.S.

STRAFFORD

•

HALL NOTICES

S. HUGH'S COLLEGE

S. HILDA'S HALL

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OXFORD HOME STUDENTS

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On 'pageants ant Vageantrr. To delight in " dressing up," even if it merely consists in wearing somebody else's clothes, seems inherent in human nature. The child who has never borrowed feathers from the hen-run to stick in its hair that it might feel itself the Great Chief of the Plains, or pinned a shawl to its inadequate skirts to represent the dignity of caller or courtlady, is not only pitiable but abnormal. The reason for this love of mimicry is a matter for psychologist or anthropologist to deal with, but quite apart from profound questions of symbolism and ritual, quite apart from all intelligent interest in historical survivals, the simple pleasure of the appeal to the eye and the stimulus given to the imagination by this means, are worthy of attention. We live, or most of us live, in a somewhat gray world. Fortunately we cannot make it an ugly one—brick walls and factory chimneys have an elusive power of fitting themselves into the landscape '—but why because Wordsworth has taught us to see beauty in • " The common growth of mother-earth," should we turn up our noses at everything that is not common ? It is a fashion to sneer at pageants because many places have had them. But I have never yet fathomed the logic which says that because I0,000-people in Yorkshire have seen something beautiful, have gained some insight into * If anyone feels inclined to challenge this statement I would commend to their notice that interesting and instructive book, The Colour of London, in which the wellknown Japanese artist, - Mr. Markino, shows how beautiful a thing an advertisement hoarding or a railway bridge not may be, but is.

34 35

the magic fascination of such words as " medieeval " and "romance," therefore it is absurd for 10,000 (or ro for the matter of that) people in Cornwall or Surrey to enjoy a similar experience. What innate virtue lies in starving fancy to death ? What evil in decking oneself in chain-armour or Stuart curls and standing about in picturesque attitudes ? The very fact that the attitudes are picturesque in itself justifies the proceeding. A great procession —such as that at the King's coronation—would be worth the money it costs if it were only that it gives thousands of the poorest of our people an opportunity for gratifying their thirst for beautiful colour, for pomp and ceremony, which does so much to keep human nature from becoming merely utilitarian. The superior person who would not dream of walking across the road to see anything of the kind, seems to me worthy of all compassion as a being deficient in one of the most vital and elementary of senses. To take no joy in the blaze of scarlet and gold, of purple and orange, to gaze unmoved at line after line of stately horses—without taking into consideration any thought of patriotism, any thrill at the sight of a particular flag, any conception of majesty as the incarnation of the country, all of which are debatable points— is surely to be out of sympathy with all that passion for sensuous beauty which inspired so many of the great Italian painters, which sweeps us away in the poetry of a Spenser or a Keats. We talk about the absence ofran artistic sense in the English, and sigh over our achievements in painting or sculpture. But in one domain we have always had a right to walk unchallenged ; and even to-dayafter centuries of comparative disuse—the dramatic faculty has not become atrophied. Pageants and pageantry are one manifestation of it. I believe

THE FRITILLARY.

that Sir Gilbert Parker asserted that he had never yet organized a pageant without discovering genuine talent for acting among some of the per. formers. Any awakening of the artistic sense is in itself a clear gain ; an awakening which comes through beauty is a double delight, and a spontaneous awakening which is not carefully prepared by a few cultured persons but comes simultaneously to North and South and East and West, is one worthy of serious consideration. It is a strange frame of mind which delights in reading of Prince Richard's visit to the City in 1377—when "ye Commons of. London made great sporte and solemnity" with knights and minstrels, emperor and cardinals, and " 8 or 1 o with black vizardes like deuils appearing nothing amiable," and " ye prince and ye lordes dansed on ye one syde and ye mummers on ye other a great while,"—or of Queen Elizabeth's entertainment at Kenilworth, and despises our modern Bottoms and Nathaniels. We should rather be rejoicing in the knowledge that a scientific and commercial age has not lost the love of beauty for beauty's sake, and that we are still ready to " dress up," even if we lose money bytt. G. E. H.

The Elder's timely bloom with club-moss brave— And every blushing tint Of Roses Whyte and red with maidenhair Entwined pleasantly. Life-giving lemon and the healing lint There let us see Around one glorious blossom sweetly wave The imperious almond-bloom, crown of this galaxy.

Illitelcome to tbe lbochep Stich. AN ODE.

Oh Hockey Stick, Or thick Or thin and cracked, Wherewith we whacked The Bounding Ball, All Hail I Thee scarlet-skirted Somervillians, S. Hilda's and S. Hugh's, and all the maleAbhorring brood of Margaret Do greet— Thereto withal That goodly fellowship of studious maids Whose haunt is in the dim domestic shades 0' the home, Save when in brave array They sally forth to bear the Cup away, A trophy to their Kernel's captaincy— These too, I weet, Do give thee welcome meet. Ye Nymphs, bring garlands of fresh flowrets blentThe colt's foot, token of light-tripping feet, Speedwell and windflower sweet, And many a climbing thing That round the unmoved battlement Of massive Masonry cloth closely cling—

Thus then, oh Hockey Stick, with joyous mind, We greet thee—To thy votaries be kind— May Isis' daughters bear to Isis' flood From vanquished Cam in glad triumphant mood, The Silver Cup, the guerdon of their toil. Grant this, and grateful hearts shall ever pay Due homage at thy shrine from day to day, Pouring libations of the shining oil.

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tbe Gobs of tbe australians. THE definition of religion is more elastic and more variable according to the individuality of the writer. It is still a question of great discassion, whether there exist people without any religion. Of course it is obvious that the answer depends entirely on the meaning we give to this word. Taking as the most narrow definition possible, the classical expression of E. B. Tylor, that it is a " belief in spiritual beings," we may remark that some savage gods are different from the natives, have the power of going everywhere and seeing everything, but still are not " pur sang" spirits. So Dr. Tylor would not grant a religion to a people possessing such unspiritual gods—and, we would ask with Mr. Andrew Lang, " Why must a god be a spirit " ? Dr. Fraser insists, that only those " supreme beings " which demand sacrifice and disinterested worship can be the " corpus delicti " of the religion ; and would accuse us of dealing here with Magic and not with Religion. But we would ask Is not any belief always the belief, whether accompanied by the organ or by the voice of a " bullroarer " ? The objects of worship are far too different to be compared, but belief, in its structure remains always the same, that is to say, a feeling as pure as that to which the nature of the worshipper can attain. To find a definition with a wider meaning let us take the position of the French sociologists with Mr. Durkheim at their head in France and Mr. R. R. Marett in England. Where there exist supreme beings and obligatory ceremonies, mysteries, ritual-myths and priests (medicine-men) connected with them, there there is religion. Starting from this point of view, we shall treat the Australians as a people who possess their re:

THE FRITILLARY. ligion specifically, strongly and individually developed, rather than in germ.1.—a religion so far individual that till lately one could not place it under, any of the existing shelf definitions. As, according to Dr. Tylor's theory, the earliest form of religion is called animistic, we shall give to the earlier stage, as that which may accord with the position of the Australian, the name of preanimistic or " rudimentary " stage of religion. We must now pay attention to a few expressions connected with Australian beliefs. Malta, a Polynesian word, -defines a supernatural, mysterious power or influence, which though in itself impersonal, is always connected with some person (or thing) who directs it ; the ghosts of distinguished persons possess it, and it may belong also to some men, especially when they are performing' sacred ceremonies. The person or thing " with mana " is, as being sacred, set apart from others, or, using the technical expression, is tabooed. " Taboo, also a Polynesian word, implies being separated either as forbidden, or as sacred." There is taboo of marriage among the people of certain groups ; food-taboo, &c. The breach of the taboo is supposed to be a great crime, often punished by death. One writer gives us an example of how strong is the taboo influence upon the primitive mind. When a native learnt that one year ago he unconsciously ate the tabooed food, it shocked him so violently that he died. Mana-Taboo is, as we see, a two-edged expression. To take the nearest instance. Because the principal of a college has some local kind of Mana, he becomes tabooed to confidential relations, and on the other hand, being tabooed he comes into possession of Mana. The Mana-Taboo used in reference to animals, plants or inanimate bodies brings us towards a new term—Totemism, which has a very important place in the system of Australian religion. Totemisnz is "a mystical, connection uniting certain individuals with a class of natural objects, animals or plants "; the totem may be also an inanimate body. All individuals having the same totem (which is often considered as a blood-ancestor), even though they belong to different communities, are regarded as brethren. The totemic animal or plant is tabooed as possessing a kind of Mana, and can be eaten only under special circumstances, during the performance of the totemic ceremonies. The totem is a patron, and his name and representation, used as marks of distinction, remind us of the arms used by civilised people ; only the significance of the former is much more vital and active. There exists all over Australia a very specific power symbolised by the bull-roarer, or, as the natives call it, Churinga, or Tjurunga (tju—kept ; runga—my own). Churinga is a flat piece of wood or stone, one .

by two feet long, which has a hole at one end, and through this hole passes a string. When we turn the string, it becomes vigorous and the Churinga cutting the air produces a noise (just like that of the fire-alarm rattle) which is supposed to be the voice of the god. Churinga is used in all ceremonies, as every god and even totem have their own Churinga. The most sacred Churinga are preserved from the eyes of the women and non-members of the community —hence Churinga is tabooed, has Mana and sometimes represents a Totem. How far the Bullroarer is considered to be sacred we may judge from the instance of an Australian, who rubbed his chest *with Churinga on purpose to become " glad " and " good " and " strong." Another type of Churinga has this power : if it is rubbed on the chin of a young man it induces a growth of beard. The medicine-men are intercessors between gods and believers ; they perform different kinds of magical practices which are developed to an extreme extent in Australia owing to such special circumstances as scarcity of food, infrequency of war, plain landscape. In S.E. Australia medicinemen have more influence and political importance than in the central and northern parts. Besides, as a rule the medicine-men in this continent have less power than those among other primitive societies, owing to the great influence of the whole class of the " old-men," who take an active part in the ceremonies. Although not only to-day, but as far back as 1688, explorers have tried to determine in what and how much the Australian native believes, still the most reliable materials about this question are to be found in the works of Howitt and those of Spencer and Gillen. In Central and North Australia, Spencer and Gillen could not find many proofs of what they would call religion. They assert, nevertheless, that with the Arunta tribe traces are to be found of the mischievous spirits Oruntja and a kind of bogey (bull-roarer) Twanyirika, by which the women were gulled. Already, however, the boy who is initiated into youth learns that the spirit-being, whom up to that time from boyhood he has regarded as all-powerful, is merely a myth, and that such a being does not really exist, and is only an invention of the men to frighten the women and children. There exist many myths about the prehistoric ancestors of Arunta, heroes named "men-animal," by which title, perhaps, the totemic ancestors are signified. These ancestors have certain ceremonies associated with them, but, as they are supposed to undergo reincarnation, this belief precludes the development of ancestor worship. The Warramunga tribe has as ancestor a huge snake, to whom the natives perform a ceremony of fear " to keep him quiet" in the place where he lives, that is. in a certain spot of the Murchison Range.

THE FRITILLARY. The Kaitish belief belongs to a somewhat different degree of development. Their Atnatu, a gigantic person living in the sky, made " himself," and has another sky beyond the one in which he lives. He was discontented with his children and dropped them through a hole in the sky down to the earth, saying : " I shall all day long sit up here Atnatu, but you will sit down there men, with plenty of flesh !" Atnatu then must be a kind of spirit, if he reproaches man about flesh. He (Atnatu) is also rich, but not with the kind of earthly riches, as "he has also many lubras (wives) who are very thin." When Atnatu hears the voice of the bull-roarer on the earth he is supposed to give his sign in recognition ; if he does not hear it, he is angry with man and drags him up into the sky. The " lubras " (women) know nothing about Atnatu, not even his name, and think that the bull-roarer is the voice of Tumana, a less important god, the son of Atnatu. The Bibinga, Analu and Ulara tribes believe that in the sky live two ill-disposed spirits, but in the wood lives a friendly one, who sometimes prevents the bad actions of evil spirits. The medicine men can see all three of them. The good spirit of the Analu tribe has the name of the " man to cure nation." A more favourable account of the South-East Australian supreme beings is given us by Howitt. These tribes have advanced comparatively in their social arrangements. There is a being amongst them analogous to that of Atnatu, called by the natives " Father." If we observe now that " father " is the name given not to an individual who is the husband of somebody's mother, but to all men of his age, and that the supreme god is called Father by the people of all ages, we shall understand that he is supposed to be Father of tribal fathers, older than the oldest—the Eternal. According to different tribes he is called Daramulun, Baiamie, Kohin, Mungan-ngaua . . . Kohin of the Herbert River natives is a gigantic warrior, who can make himself invisible. He sends thunder and lightning, and the blacks talk to men during the storm and spit, and the natives hold up their hands towards the sky, as if to ward off the lightning. When the frogs are croaking, it is said that they are " calling on him to send the rain." Kohin is offended when anyone takes a wife from the prohibited class, or eats the forbidden food, and sooner or later the offender dies in consequence. Kohin gives also Tikowina the war-charm amulet worn by the men, but kept away from the women, who seem afraid of it. There are some differences among the tribes in the description of the " Father," but this may be due only to the individual " licencia poetica " of the native who describes him: In fact myths and

ceremonies seem to point to one level of mental development among.the S.E. Australians. We take for example Daramulun as one of the best known to us. " He is able to go anywhere and do anything. The earth was in the beginning bare like a sky and as hard as stone. Daramulun first placed trees on the earth. Then he went up to the sky and watched from the sky the action of man. He gave to man law and power of performing magic. When a man dies, his Tulugal (spirit-shadow) goes to Daramulun. Usually Daramulun is invisible, but when he makes himself visible, it is in the form of an old man of the Australian race. He is evidently everlasting, for he existed from the beginning of all things, and he still lives." But when Mr. Howitt asked a woman if she knew who Daramulun was, she answered : " All that I know of Tharamulun ' isthat he comes down with a noise like thunder, to make the boys into men (the voice of bull-roarer). We call him papang (which means also father in the popular language)." The being most worshipped is Mungan-ngaua of the Kurnai tribe. Mungan-ngaua formerly lived also on the earth, but when a man made him angry, by betraying to women the secret of the initiation of the boys into men, he sent Aurora Australis on the earth and went up into the sky, whence his voice comes. If we consider now (t) that the Australians have strict customs, so-called " rites de passage," for such moments of life as birth, marriage, initiation into manhood and older manhood, death, (2) that their ritual is formed and differs from myths, (3) that the god is a judge who " watches the youths from the sky, prompt to punish, by disease or death, the breach of his ordinances," but, on the other hand, comes into communion with the natives through the bullroarer symbol and the intervention of the medicinemen —if we consider all this, we must conclude that the Australian religion is developed on its pre-animistic line, and that the origin of this religion seems to be founded on a positive admiration of morality, as well of such qualities as creativeness, cleverness, immortality, which the gods are supposed to possess. The ideas of god all over Australia have the same psychical characteristics, but are not in the same stage of evolution. Is the bogey Twanyarika a germ of Mungan ngaua, or degenerated from him ?—that is the question to be answered. The Arunta's Twanyarika has without doubt fewer merits than Mungan-ngaua, so we may suppose that the former is on the way to become the latter. If, however, we draw attention to such features of the Arunta's social organisations .as: eight matrimonial classes, the members of which marry each other under certain rules, or to the hereditary chiefs and local totemic groups, or to such philosophy as that " every soul (vitality) after death is reincarnated in a new member of the tribe "—it is difficult to see among Arunta that dawn of the

THE FRITILLARY. idea of a god, which is evolved in S.E. tribes— rather we perceive some dregree of decadence. There is also still a doubt as to whether Spencer and Gillen were not made to play the role of women, children and uninitiated, to whom is told only the name of Twanyirika, the mysteries of belief being kept for the faithful members. It is remarkable indeed how extremely distinct is the line between the internal and extErnal side of Australian religion. The fullest, conception of god is to be found in the innermost circle of those whb possess mana and are tabooed. He is known also to the spirits of the dead, for their " shadows " go to him, and to the animal world, as " frogs are croaking" to him, asking him " to send the rain." In the mind, how ever, of an average Australian who is on the external side, this god may be what the European God is in the mind of a non-educated European peasant, "the old man of local type with beard, living in the sky.' •

M. A. CZAPLICKA.

the Miracle. THE legend on which the pantomime " The Miracle" is founded is well known. It is -the story of the young nun who, while praying in front of the image of the Holy Virgin, is tempted by the world outside, and after a brief struggle, yields to the tempter and leaves her place of seclusion. When she is gone the miracle occurs ; the image of the Blessed Virgin begins to move, descends from the pedestal, and when the Mother Superior and the other nuns enter, she has taken the place of the young runaway and is kneeling at the foot of the deserted pedestal. The idea which is embodied in this legend is mediae val, but it has also been adopted by a modern writer—M. Maeterlinck in his Sister Beatrice. The deep interest which this idea has aroused in our age, is yet another illustration of that curious affinity which exists between the mediaeval and the modern mind, and which is so well borne out by the close resemblance of the last scenes of Ibsen's Peer Eynt to the morality play—Everyman. But " The Miracle " as performed at Olympia in London is a pantomime ; and as no words are spoken, the method of representing the legend has to be somewhat different from that of a literary treatment of the subject. This method consists in the use made of the plastic element, i.e. the rhythmical movement of the human body. The vastness of the arena, and the great number of people taking part in the performance, besides

producing striking effects of their own, both serve to bring out this element ; the rows and rows of nuns, advancing with the even movement of long waves rolling up on the sea-shore, are only one manifestation of the plastic art ; while the space of the floor, when used by messengers darting forward as if swept along by the wind, gives opportunity for revealing the graceful force of the human body in violent motion. But the culmination of the art of plastic movement is the dance, the significance of which is brought out in " The Miracle " by representing it as the moving power in the moral conflict of the old legend. It is the genius of the dance which becomes the tempter of the young novice. The moment she enters, the spectators are struck by the harmony and grace of every movement of her body; it is a delight to see her walk across the floor, her feet hardly touching the ground, and the suppleness with which she kneels down in front of the image is exquisite. But even here, in the presence of the Virgin's image, her evil angel is not far away. He comes in the shape of a Spielmann, a small, sneaking figure with an evil smile on his face. He steals nearer and nearer to the praying girl, and begins to play on his flute. The moment she hears the music, she starts, a quiver passes through her, she tries to resist the temptation, but she cannot. She begins to dance. The children who have been playing outside the church door havebeen led by the Spielmann right into the cathedral, and are whirling round and round. She joins them in the merry dance. To her, dancing does not mean the performance of some artificial steps, it is the very breath of her life. Some have been endowed with the gift of painting, some with the gift of singing, and to her has been given the gift of dancing. She floats along, as if carried by some invisible power, her whole body moving in the most intimate harmony with the music. The freshness of spring, the lOveliness of trees and flowers, all that is beautiful in life, is to her expressed by the one thing--dancing. This is what one feels throughout the performance in regard to this wonderful creature. But it is not only the divine nature of the dance which is revealed to us in "The Miracle." It is the mystery of the dance, as of so many other elements of beauty in life, that good and evil are inextricably interwoven into one shimmering fabric, and this is recognized and powerfully brought out in the pantomime. The figure of the Spielmann, ever" hovering round the beautiful vision of the young nun, is an impressive personification of her evil genius : the continuous vibration of the top of his pointed cap gives one the sensation of a mysterious force, ever at work in order to cause ruin and destruction ; and one shudders, haunted by the same uncanny feeling which creeps over one on some dark autumn

THE FRITILLARY.

night, when the dry leaves are perpetually waving to and fro in the wind. When the young nun has gone out into the world which looks so dazzling through the cathedral door, and is galloping away with the knight who has come to fetch her, there is an intense stillness in the vast cathedral. But, after a few minutes, the image of the Virgin begins to stir, and with slow movements which form the very perfection of plastic art, she loosens the heavy embroidered cloak and lets it slip to her feet. She too understands the fascination of the harmonious movements of the human body, and she is ready to take the place of the girl who has been carried away by a force which was stronger than herself. It would be tedious to enumerate all the scenes which represent the various stages through which the girl passes in her wanderings through the world. The divine gift of dancing becomes more and more debased, and the Spielmann grows ever more triumphant in his power over her. Some of these scenes are merely sensational; but they are always to a certain extent redeemed by the • .apparition of the girl, whose dancing, though having lost its ideal character, has still an irresistible fascination on all who see her. The scene where she is represented as a camp-follower is purely melodramatic; and the appearance of all her dead lovers, whom she has ruined through her fatal gift (now become a curse) cannot be defended from an artistic point of view, as it brings in an .element wholly alitn to the original conception of the pantomime. The performance ends with the girl's return to the convent church; she gives the body of her dead child to the Virgin, who has now resumed her old position ; and the scene closes with a procession of the nuns carrying the image, while harmonies of music fill the vast cathedral with heavenly sounds of forgiveness and peace. But the lasting impression of the wonderfully staged pantomime is the vision of the young nun, trembling with the joy of life, dancing away on the green fields—the embodiment of all the beauty that is expressed in the divine art of plastic movement. M. N.

•

They are, as Dante says, "hard stone, which talks and hears as though it were a lady," images of saints to be worshipped, not to be questioned or understood. And this treatment of women characters in literature is not entirely confined to what we are accustomed to consider artificial poetry. Shakespeare's portraits are coloured by it, and traces of it may be found up even to the present day. ShRkespeare never identifies himself with a woman character : he paints them always from the outside. He gives, it is true, the impression of living personalities, but they live for us as our sisters or friends live for us, never as we live for ourselves, and they have that fragrance of individuality which evaporates with intimacy. Again, Shakespeare's women have a tendency to become typical, humourous in the Elizabethan sense, as the men never do. Cordelia might be an image of truth ; Cesario's dead dream sister is not the only "patience on a monument." In the last plays our attention is directed to this quality by the names Miranda, Perdita, Marina. The women characters are on the one hand, then, decorative figures, having a pictorial value, on the other, something approaching abstract qualities warmed by beauty into life, and the combination seems to give them the sort of quality of a conventional design. It is in the Comedies and the Romances that the women are most prominent, and perhaps the two most representative heroines are Rosalind and Perdita. Both are to be taken very closely with their settings. Rosalind engages in her " love-prate," so like the contests of the Pastorals, wandering about in a half-enchanted forest, where rain never falls and it is always summer. Perdita is the mistress of the shepherds' feast, and we never think of her but with the pale golden gleam around her, of the daffodils that have infected the March winds with beauty. The backgrounds of these two plays suggest the sources of romantic comedy and probably also the streams of tradition which resulted in this highly artificial use of women characters. The " Winter's Tale " has most affinity with the earth festivals, pagan in origin with their half-ritual dances and games and songs when " Lenten is come with love to toune." Rosalind's courtly world " under the greenwood tree '! is surely reminiscent of the "fruitful gardens of great girth, Filled with the strife of birds, with water-springs and beasts that house i' the earth," of which the poets of the Rose had dreamed. These gardens, which appear again and again in the courtly allegories, seem to enshrine the secret of medimval poetry. We get a lovely vignette of one in Troilus and Cressida. •

.%uggesttott. the world's deare orna" BUT ye, faire Dames ! ments and lively images of heaven's light." " Utterly frozen is this youthful lady, Even as the snow that lies within the shade." Of how many fair, dim heroines of Elizabethan and Jacobean love poems might these lines be written !

"This yerd was large, and railed alle th' aleyes, And shadwed wel with blomy bowe's grene ; Y' henched newe, and sonded alle the weyes."

We know, too, that beneath the grey wall of

THE FRITILLARY. Cressida's palace that abutted on the garden there was a cedar green, where a nightingale sang all night long. When the poem is a narrative and not an allegory, the central incident generally takes place in such a pleasance. It does so in the Knight's Tale and in the Kinge's quair; the more characteristic poem, however, is an allegory in which the poet, dreaming, finds himself in the garden, and presently comes on a company mostly of ladies who are usually dancing and singing. The ladies have always an abstract quality. In the Romaunt of the Rose all the figures, except the poet's, are abstractions. In the Flower and the Leaf they are groups of people with a single character. In the very interesting Assembly of Ladies the personages, except the poetess, are again abstractions, but they talk with such pretty triviality that one feels them to be very human. In " The Pearl " we find the rose garden in Heaven, and this suggests a spiritual origin for it. One notices that the characteristic of these pleasances is that they have flowers rather than fruit, and know nothing of the world where men are labouring for bread. They exist only for and in beauty. They had their models in the real gardens of the Italian princes, and in an age of brute force their sunlit, fragrant plots shut in by high walls must have seemed indeed what they are so often called, gardens of Paradise, scarcely of the earth at all, but suspended, as the legend told of the garden of Eden, between earth, and heaven. The Middle Ages were greatly preoccupied with Platonism, or rather with the curiously symbolic thought it called Platonism. The genius of the time was pictorial it thought in form and felt in colour. Might not the rare gardens, then, be the embodiment of Plato's world of ideas, and the abstractions that weave their gracious dances in this visible system of thought be identified at once with the ideas and with the stars that move in obedience to a Heavenly harmony ? :

" For Love is a celestial harmonie Of likely harts, composed of starres concent Which joyne together in swete sympathie To work ech others joy and true content."

And the lord of these gardens is Love—not the boy Cupid of Latin verse, but the " mighty god " crowned with a sun instead of gold, whose face shines so bright that the poet can scarcely look on it. If this identification is possible there is probably also a memory of the dances of the country maidens which call the dead Proserpine to life. In the love poetry of Spenser and in Donne's " Second Anniversary of the Death of Mistress Drury," women have become in some sense the soul of the world. This theory shocked Ben Jonson, who said that the poem was blasphemous. " If it had been written of the Virgin Mary, it had been something " ; to which Donne answered that "he described the idea of a woman and not as she was." It looks as if on the one hand Plato's

ideas had become identified with the women in whom they had been incarnated, gaining in the process a certain divine quality ; while on the other hand, the women had lost human character and become conventionalized. "For she is no more moved than is the stone By the sweet season which makes warm the hills And alters them afresh from white to green."

1Ronbeau. Translated from Charles D' Orleans.

morning of the First of May, When out of bed at break of day Before the light was fully brought Within the garden of my Thought, I with my heart alone did stray.

THE

God knows how sore was my dismay, I saw with weeping every way What cruel havoc frost had wrought The morning of the First of May, When out of bed at break of day, Before the light was fully brought. The buds and leaves all ruined lay. Then said I to the gardener, "Pray Is it Displeasure, good for nought With clouds, or *wind with tempest fraught Who makes this piteous disarray The morning of the First of May ? " H.

Ogforb Students' IDebating Societr. Michaelmas Term,

1911.

President—Miss WAYTE (O.H.S.). Secretary—Miss CRAVEN (S.H.H.). Junior Treasurer—Miss ODLUM (S.H.H.). Private .Business.—The President read a letter from Manchester University inviting the O.S.D.S to send speakers to an inter-University debate at Manchester, and announced that as the debate would take place in vacation, the invitation had been accepted, and Miss Carr (Ex-Pres.) and Miss Rogers would represent the O.S.D.S. Public Business.—Motion " That Western civilisation cannot be adapted to meet the need's of coloured Races." :

THE FRITILLARY.

Hon. Mover—Miss PASII (S.H.H.). Hon. Opposer—Miss CROOK (O.H.S.). 3rd Speaker—Miss MADGE (L.M.H.). 4th Speaker—Prof. D. S. MARGOLIOUTH, D.Litt. The Hon. Mover gave a well thought out speech, but one that rather failed to carry vigour and conviction. The Hon. Opposer spoke fluently and well. She made her points clearly and showed a careful study of the subject, combined with a refreshing freedom from nervousness and hesitation. She should, however, guard against a too free use of gesticulation. The 3rd Speaker spoilt her speech, which contained some good points, by her jerky and uneven method of delivery, which deprived it of force and coherence. The 4th Speaker made a very interesting speech, in which he related many of his own personal experiences while travelling in the East. It was a great pleasure to the Society to welcome Professor Margoliouth, who is the first resident graduate to speak in our Debate. Public Discussion was unfortunately distinguished by a tendency to concentrate on the more trivial and less important aspects of the question, whilst almost entirely neglecting the deeper and more serious problems. There spoke :—Miss GILES (S.H.C.), Miss SHAW (S.H.C.), Miss CHAPPELL (S.H.C.), MISS BAMBER (S. H H.), Miss WEST (S.H.H.), Miss MUSCOTT (S.H.C.), Miss IBBERSEN (S.H.C.), MISS LEVETT (ex-Pres., L.M.H. & S.H.H.), Miss WHELPTON (O.H.S.), Miss AINSLIE (S.H.H.), Miss ODLUM (S.H.H.). .

Hilary Term, 1912. President—Miss H VETT (L. M. H.). Secretary—Miss IBBERSEN_(S.H.C.). Junior Treasurer—Miss HOMERSHAM (S.H.C.). Jan. 3oth.—Motion : " That it is criminal to pursue any sport involving serious risk to life or limb." The Hon. Mover, Miss Purdon (O.H.S.), attacked the subject from a somewhat remote standpoint, whence she surveyed with lofty scorn the sporting tendencies of her fellow-creatures. Her eloquence was rather too extended ; she would do well to pay some attention to the bell, which is usually an index to the feeling of the House. Miss Purdon has a singularly nice voice, but she does not give her hearers the full benefit of it at the end of her sentences. The Hon. Opposer, Miss Bowden (L.M.H.), asserted her intention of treating the subject from a more practical point of view. She showed a tendency to quibble over the meaning of the motion by confining. the word " criminal " to its legal significance, but she produced very forcible arguments -in favour of the encouragement of

sport. Miss Bowden showed admirable coolness in delivering her maiden speech, but she adopts the manner of the instructor in a way which perhaps lessens the effectiveness of her excellent matter, to a House which has reached years of discretion. The 3rd Speaker, Miss Darwin (S.C.), emphasized the want of proportion in the outlook of those who think sport worth the risk of life. She spoke with an energy which must have been refreshing to a House too often oppressed by a bored attitude on the part of its speakers. The 4th Speaker, Miss Roechling (S.H.C.), reasserted the value of the sporting instinct, and produced fresh illustrations to prove her points. She spoke with an ease and fluency which promise well for her debating powers in the future. Public Discussion suffered from the rival attraction of an unwonted sport, which deprived the House of the presence of its more athletic members, through the dissipation of their time upon the ice. There spoke :—Miss WAYTE (ex-Pres., O.H.S.), Miss HEAWOOD Miss GRIFFITH (S.C.), Miss DAIRS (L.M.H.), Miss MADGE (L.M.H.), Miss HOMERSHAM (fun. Treas., S.H.C.), Miss WALLER (S.C.), Miss PYM (S. H. C .).

Feb. 5th.—Motion : " That the Socialistic policy of the Labour Party is a grave menace to national welfare." The Hon. Mover, Miss I,evett (ex-Pres., L.M.H. and S.H.H.), covered the very extensive ground laid out by the motion with a three-fold attack on Socialism in its political, economic, and moral aspects. She deplored the low ideals of the Labour Party, and their methods of appealing to material interest and sentiment, and feared to see them predominant in the State. She was inclined to believe that a Socialistic system would lessen production, and would therefore do nothing to improve the condition of the working-classes. She had grave doubts as to the welfare of minorities under Socialism, and quoted from Mr. Keir Hardie's writings to prove that the Labour Party neglected important moral considerations. Finally she claimed that Socialism would diminish struggle, and that struggle was more important to the race than achievement. It was a real privilege for the House to have Miss Levett to perform the difficult task of opening the debate on this important occasion. The Hon. Opposer, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., followed the line of the Hon. Mover's speech, and answered her arguments in detail. He assured the House that low ideals and methods had not been imported into politics by the Labour Party, and he pleaded for a fuller democracy and the representation of all experienced members of the community in the State. The Labour Members were less subject to

TI-It FRITILLARY. coercion by their party than those of the other parties, and they were none the worse for being— what many statesmen had been in the past—" professional politicians." He pointed out that all existing parties are tinged with Socialism, and that though the struggle of the future lies between Socialist and anti-Socialist, there is no anti-social party. Socialism aims at making income proportionate to the amount of service given to the State. Industry will be little affected, because no man works for himself under present conditions, he works for wages, and these he will receive in the same manner under State ownership. He attributed the standstill of wages not to Socialistic legislation, but to the increase of profits owing to the recently strengthened defence of capital. He denied the assertion that Socialists neglect moral considerations, and pointed out the growing conception of the State as a moral organism ; the struggle under Socialism would be a struggle for better things than those which now occupy men's minds. Public Discussion produced interesting speeches from Miss HADOW (ex-Fres., S.C. & L.M.H.), Miss JamisoN (ex-Sec., L.M.H.), Mrs. FISHER (ex-Pres., S.C.), Miss ADY ((ex-Sec., S.H.C.), Miss MOBERLY (ex-Pres., L.M.H.), Miss HOMERSHAM (Jun. Treas., S.H.C.), Miss BICKMORE (ex-Sec., S.H.C.), Miss SKRINE (L.M.H.), Miss SNOW (S.C.), after which the Hon. Opposer answered some of the criticisms, and the Hon. Mover made a short reply. There voted for the Motion, 53. Against, 79. The Motion was therefore lost by 26 votes. Miss Carr (L M.H.) proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. MacDonald for coming to the meeting, which was carried with acclamation.

'news of the term. OXFORD has been accused of undue dampness, but when dampness is followed by a frost accusation is hushed. The glorious week's skating with which the term opened will not soon be forgotten. THE theatre has catered largely for lovers of farce, melodrama and musical comedy. But there have been bright spots, notably the performance of ' Hamlet " at the beginning of term. THE Drama Society has been fortunate this term in securing a lecture from Professor Gilbert Murray on the staging of " CEdiplis." It has also the prospect of the Interlude " Jacob and Esau," and of Mr. Basil Dean's plays later in the term.

WE congratulale the 0.S.D.S. on having secured a distinguished visitor in the person of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald ; perhaps, however, the most original departure in debating circles is the debate between Balliol and Somerville Colleges. WE regret our inability to congratulate the winner of the Intercollegiate Hockey Cup, owing to the fact that the final match between Lady Margaret Hall and St. Hugh's College has yet to be played. THE Bishop of Oxford's lectures on " The Reconstruction of Belief" have been a notable feature of this term. The course is, however, not yet complete, and we hope to see a further notice of them as well of Prof. Sir Henry Jones' lectures in a subsequent issue. .

JULIUS

C/ESAR."

IN vigour and spirit this year's O.U.D.S. was a great advance on the " Winter's Tale." We cannot agree with the Oxford Magazine on the subject of the scenery, which in our opinion was both beautiful and impressive. The picturesque variety of the dress, ranging from the dignified togas of the senators to the simple tunics of the rabble, was not the least satisfying part of the performance. The splendid scarlet and flashing accoutrements of the soldiers and the wonderful Egyptian costume of the Soothsayer deserve special comment. Antony showed an artistic restraint and intellectuality in the murder scene ; while the rendering of the great speech was distinguished by perfect self-command and a flexibility sensitive to every mood of the crowd. Brutus looked the part to perfection, and his voice and manner were admirable; perhaps he, more than any other person, suffered from the systematic weakening of all the characters. Caesar was a moving picture of an old and worn-out man living on his great name— an interpretation giving extraordinary unity to the play, since one felt that the name of Caesar, dead or living, dominated the action. Cassius gave a spirited rendering of the part, while Casca was perhaps one of the finest pieces of acting in the play. We refuse to believe that " Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia," was an eaves-dropper. The animal spirits of the crowd, amusing in the first act, brutal in the very wisely included murder of Cinna, form one of the pleasantest memories of the whole. The " Elizabethan elocution," by which the pace of the speeches approximated to that of real life, was highly successful, especially

THE FRITILLARY. in the case of Antony's " I know not, gentlemen, what you intend . ." But why should modern fate-swept weaklings be substituted for the men cast in heroic mould whom Shakspere chose to portray ? J. M. P.

Ztrafforb. PERHAPS the chief social event of the term was the performance of Browning's " Strafford" by members of Lady Margaret Hall, in celebration of Miss Lodge's twenty-first anniversary as a Don. The ambition of the actors was fully justified in the result. The three chief parts —Strafford, Pym and the King—were very ably sustained. Miss Hyett's conception of Strafford was marked by fine sensibility and pathos. The dignity and weight of Pym's character was rendered most impressively. It was a notable performance. Miss Hay's was an artistic and refined impersonation of the essential weakness of Charles' character. The difficult part of Lady Carlisle was played most sympathetically by Miss Moberly. Charming as the Queen looked, her frivolity and the evil influence she exerted over the King were fully brought out. Among the smaller parts, Hollis, Rudyard, Lord Holland and the Puritan were excellently done. Every part was rendered with spirit, and the stage-manager is to be congratulated on an artistic and vigorous performance. J. M. P.

Ogfort) Ztubents' 'Unita lbochep Club, Matches.

Nov. 3oth. Northern Universities, won 8—o. Feb. 15th. East Gloucester, won 3-2. „ 17th. Chelsea Physical Training College, won 5— r.

somewhat quicker at getting together at the beginning of the game, though there is still great room for improvement in this respect. In all the matches it has shown itself superior in pace and in power of lasting to its opponents. This was especially conspicuous in the game with the Chelsea Physical Training College, where, during the last quarter of an hour, Chelsea found great difficulty in checking the repeated rushes of the Oxford forwards. The passing is not yet as accurate as it should be, and the forwards tend on the whole to trust too much to individual rushes, The defence is generally sound, and the halves and backs have improved at hitting the ball without stopping it. Miss Latham and Miss Prior (S.C.) played as substitutes v. East Gloucester, and Miss Malleson (L.M.H.) v. Chelsea. Team. Goal: Miss Mason (S.C.) Backs : Misses Elder, Newbolt (L. iVI.H.) Halves: Misses Horner (L.M.H.), Whyte

(S.C.), Skipworth (L.M.H.). Forwards : Misses de Putron (S.H.C.), Tree, Kirk (S.C.), Almond (Capt., O.H.S.), Matson (S.H.H.).

lbuittneb !Boot. THE meeting for the Hilary Term was held in St. Hilda's Hall, on Saturday, February Toth, when Mr. Graham Wallas gave a lecture on "Bureaucracy and Party Government, Psychologically treated." Mr. Wallas' reputation ensured a large attendance, and it is safe to say that nobody was disappointed in the lecture he delivered. A very interesting discussion followed, in which several members of the society took part.

bail notices.

Fixtures.

Feb. 24th. Columbines. Tues., March r9th. Cambridge (at Richmond). Tickets for the Cambridge Match (price Is. each) may be had on application to the Secretaries in the various Halls, or to Miss Mason (United Sec.), Somerville College. At the end of the Michaelmas Term colours were awarded to Miss Skipworth (L.M.H.), Miss Tree (S.C.), and Miss Matson (S.H.H.). The team has improved considerably in combination since the beginning of the season, and is

LADY MARGARET HALL. HOCKEY CLUB (Captain, M. L. ELDER ; Hon. Sec., M. NEWBOLT). Results of Matches. v. Edgbaston High School, scratched. XI. 1st

v. St. Hilda's Hall, won 12-2. v. Oxford Home Students, won 8—o. v. St. Hugh's College, not yet played. v. Old Students, not yet played. v. Oxford High School, not yet played.

THE FRITILLARY. znd XI. v. St. Hugh's 2nd XI., scratched. v. Somerville 2nd XI., scratched. First XI, Forwards: Misses Malleson, Whitehorn, Ward, Calvert, Challoner*. Halves : Misses Skipworth, Austin, Homer. Backs : Misses Newbolt, Elder. Goal Miss Esdaile. • * Colours. Second XI. Forwards: Misses Wharam, Bishop, Bowden,

WatkinsOn, Wilkinson. Halves : Misses Heawood, Irons, M'Gonigle. Backs : Misses Eyre-Matcham, Bodley. Goal: Miss Leeper. This term, owing to frost and rain, has been most unfortunate for hockey—only two matches and very few practices have been possible. The rest seems to have been beneficial to the team however, for they have improved considerably since last term. This is particularly noticeable in the forward line, who play very much better together and whose passing, especially that of the centre-forward, is sometimes excellent. There is room for improvement in shooting, particularly at the beginning of the game, when all the forward play lacks judgment. The left wing has been doing some useful work individually, but should not ignore the rest of the forward line. The defence is strong and play well together. Second XI.

The Captaincy of the 2nd XI., which fell vacant by the inclusion of Miss Challoner in the 1st XI., has been filled by Miss M'Gonigle. As both practises and matches have had to be scratched, criticism of the team is impossible. Both Miss Wharam and Miss M'Gonigle have proved useful substitutes for the 1st XI. For the House Cup, Old Hall challenged the Rest (Wordsworth Buildings, Gunfield and Ascham Lodge) and lost 6-4.

BOAT CLUB (President, Miss LODGE ; Secretary, Miss BROWN). There has been so little boating this term owing to ice and floods, that very few coaching-boats have been able to go out, and as yet there are no new captains. The following qualified at the end of last term Sculling—Half-Captains: G. Watkinson, M. Wilkinson. Canoeing—D. Austin, K. Littlewood, D. Ward, E. Thomson. Punting—Half-Captain : D. Ward.

POLITICAL DEBATE and SHARP PRACTICE (President, Miss CARR ; WhipS, Miss CALVERT, Miss HEAWOOD).—There have as yet been only two political debates this term, the subjects being Compulsory Greek, and Home Rule. Excellent maiden speeches were made by Miss Cattley, Miss Edwards and Miss Jarrett. The House voted Conservative -on both these Motions. Besides discussing whether the Word is stronger than the Deed, there has been a real Sharp Practice debate this term, at which a number of different questions were debated, and in which no one took part without distinguishing themselves.

MISS LODGE'S OFFICIAL MAJORITY.-011 SaturFeb. 17th, a large assembly met at L.M.H. to do honour to Miss Lodge. It was the occasion of her official " coming of age," and as many friends and old students as were able, joined with the present students in the celebration. Miss Lodge received the guests to her party," and when the dining-hall was fuller than it has ever been, the Hall presented an exceedingly good performance of " Strafford " to Miss _Lodge and her friends. A criticism of the play from an outside point of view will be found elsewhere, so that instead of analysing our pleasure, we may be permitted to say that we enjoyed it thoroughly, with the real enjoyment which shines through tears. At the end of the play the stage-manager, who has worked indefatigably for weeks, and a large number of the actors were called on to receive the tribute they so richly deserved. All was felt to be complete when Miss" Lodge, for whom everything had been planned, rose and said how much she had enjoyed the evening—and her twenty-one years at the Hall. Long may she continue to do so. day,

SOMERVILLE COLLEGE. HOCKEY CLUB (Captain, R WHYTE; ViceCaptain, P. MAsoisf; Secretary, M. KIRK; Treasurer, E. EAST). First XL Forwards : East *, Fisher, Kirk *, Tree*, Elli-

gott.

Halves : Hollowell*, Whyte * (Capt.), Evans. Backs Latham *, Prior *. Goal: Mason* .

* Colours.

t Tit, LARY. Matches.

Feb. loth. v. Bedford Physical Training College. Lost 4-3. Feb. loth. v. S. Hugh's. Lost 4-2. Second XI.

Waller, Macalister, Arnold, Lewis (Capt.), Wilson. Haloes : Chester, Kidner, Hume. Backs : Tillery, Hodges. Goal: Hughes. Forwards:

Matches.

Feb. r6th. v. Home Students. Won 15-5•

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.—OH

Feb. 7th, Professor Sir Walter Raleigh read the Society a most interesting Paper on Persian Poetry, dealing especially with Omar Khayyam and the translation of the " Rubaiyat " by Edward Fitzgerald. We are looking forward to a paper on " Realism in Art" by Miss Hadow on March r 2 th. •

PARLIAMENT.—Parliament met in the fourth week of term, the Conservatives being in power. A resolution was brought in by the Government in favour of Tariff Reform. The Prime Minister, Mr. Scott-Scott, who has just been called to the leadership of the House, spoke ably in moving the resolution. He claimed that some alteration in the fiscal and commercial policy of the country was dentanded,. not only by way of recognition of our imperial responsibilities, but as affording a solution, partial if not complete, of the problem of unemployment. He bewailed the steady stream of emigration from the mother country, and advocated a policy of retaliation on the ground that, in safeguarding our national industries against " dumping," we should be giving a stimulus to home-production, which would result in an increased demand for labour. Mr. Scott-Scott found in Mr. Dymond, leader of the Opposition, a spirited Opponent armed to the teeth with economic maxims. Mr. Dymond contended that the protection of our home-industries would not stimulate production or increase the amount of capital available.for the payment of wages—that it would merely result in the deflection into other channels of production of the supply of capital already existing. He charged the Government with neglect of the interests of the consumer, and declared it to be in error in supposing that a commercial policy based upon the principle of titfor-tat could, if made to work efficiently in this direction, be at the same time a means of lightening the burdens of our taxpayer by taking money out of the foreigner's purse.

The second speech in favour of the resolution was made by Mr. Ryland, Secretary for Home Affairs, and was an eloquent appeal for imperial preference. He was answered by Mr. Darwin. The debate was exceptionally lively throughout, able speeches being delivered both from the Government and from the Opposition benches. There spoke in favour of the resolution Mr. Dismore, Mr. L. P. Scott and Mr. Wilkinson; against it Mr. Waller, Mr. M. C. Scott, and Mr. Macalister. Mr. M. C. Scott's reply to the speech of the Secretary for War was, as usual, full of point and sarcasm. Sir M. Hayes-Robinson, a well-known member of the Opposition, made a short but welldirected attack on the Government. When at length the House divided, the Government's resolution was lost by zo votes to 33. This result of the evening's proceedings had not been altogether unforeseen, as a numerous body of Unionists found themselves unable to support their party in any proposal for revising the commercial policy of the country. Among the most eminent members of the Government who were driven to the cross-benches was Sir M. K. Pope, who is noted as being, on most occasions, one of the weightiest assets of the party.

THE JOINT DEBATE OF SOMERVILLE WITH THE ARNOLD SOCIETY.—What the Delegacy did offi-

cially for Oxford Women Students has since been unofficially confirmed° by the Arnold Society of Balli91 College in an unexpected and delightful manner. This Society invited Somerville Parliament to take part with them in a Debate, adding to the compliment by proposing Woman Suffrage as the subject for discussion. The meeting was held on February zrst, at the New Masonic Hall, Mr. A. L. Smith kindly consenting to take the Chair. He was supported on the platform by Mr. Monckton, President, and other officers of the Arnold Society ; and by Miss Scott Scott (Prime Minister, Somerville College), Miss Dymond (Leader of the Opposition, S.C.), and Miss Ryland (Ex-Prime Minister, S.C.). Mr. A. L. Smith welcomed us very kindly, pointing out what a great gulf separated the time when the appearance of a woman-student in Balliol caused the Senior Fellow to take to his bed, and the present unique and unprecedented occasion of.a joint debate between Bailie). and Somerville Students. Miss Hunter (SomerMle College) moved the motion :— " That this House is resolved that in matters of franchise no distinction should be made between men and women." In an excellent introductory speech, she discussed the relation of the Suffrage Movement to the general history of Woman's Emancipation, and to the development of new labour conditions

THE FRITILLARY. necessitated by the_ ever-increasing use of machinery. She contended that women's actual position in the labour market inevitably entailed their admission to political rights and responsibilities. The second Speaker, Mr. Purcell (ex-President, Arnold Society), took a pleasure in expounding all the conventional views of Anti-Suffragists in the most amusing form. One could not help suspecting that he was driven to this course by concealed Suffragist convictions. One remark reduced the House to helpless laughter, " Has it never occurred to anyone that the influence of a mother is peculiarly strong ?" The third Speaker, Mr. F. K. Griffith (cited as ex-President, Arnold Society), made a thoroughly sound debating speech. He emphasised the fact that to vote is a duty for all citizens, and effectively replied to the points raised by the second Speaker, which are familiar to Suffragists under the headings of " Home Influence," "Physical Force," Pedestal," and " Women do not want the Vote." The Suffragist Cause has a very able supporter in Mr. Griffith. Miss Dismore (S.C.), who spoke fourth, was much appreciated by the House ; she took the line of attempting to prove that the welfare of the Empire would be materially impaired if women exercised the franchise. The place of the next two speakers on the list, Mr. Wrong (A.S.), and Miss Wrong (S.C.), gave occasion for the humorous remark that they could not both be " wrong " Mr. Wrong expressed firm faith in the probable results of the granting of the Suffrage to women, one of which he believed would be the extinction of war. With Canadian downrightness, he remarked that to say that Woman Suffrage means the loss of chivalry is BOSH I Miss Wrong quoted Galsworthy to prove that to certain types of women a vote would be either useless or burdensome ; she cited woman's excitability as an argument against her having political power. The seventh Speaker, Miss L. P. Scott (S.C.), claimed that women could, with the help of the vote, do much for the State both materially and morally; while Mr. Monckton (President, A.S.), in the last set speech of the evening, contended that women could find full scope for social work in the local Government offices now open to them. In Public Discussion, there spoke for the motion :—Miss Hadow (ex-Prime Minister, S.C.), Miss Pope (S.C.), Mr. Kean (A.S.); against the motion, Mr. Mallett (A.S.). A vote was taken by show of hands, the result of which was :—For the motion, 86; against, 26. The meeting then adjourned. The Arnold Society is to be congratulated on the success of what might well have seemed a difficult if not impossible undertaking. The debate itself was most interesting and stimulating, and the very generous welcome extended to us, the efficiency of the Stewards, the pleasant gather-

ing before real business began, even the horrors of a flashlight photograph, make this a memorable evening for those Somervillians who were present. Above all, the general atmosphere of good-fellowship, and, as the Chairman remarked, the recognition by this meeting, that the two societies had a common interest and a common end, cannot fail to promote that co-operation between the different student bodies of Oxford which we believe to be to the best interests of the University.

ST. HUGH'S COLLEGE. HOCKEY CLUE (Captain, L. V. SOUTHWELL ; Vice-Captain, E. DE PUTRON Hon.-Secretary, E. ROECHLING). Hockey has of course been disappointingly scarce this term, so it is difficult to report on it at any length. We have been sorry to miss our weekly practice with Lady Margaret so often, on account of frost or bad weather. ;

First XL Forwards : Misses Gwynne,

A. de Putron#, Addison*, Muscott# Chappel*. Halves : Misses gouthwell*, Spink#, Potts*. Backs: Misses Roechling*, Horne. Goal : Miss Giles. Colours.

There have been one or two changes in the team since last term. Right-back has been moved from the forward line, and shews promise as a defence player. Centre-half has played well all through the season. The forward line is rather slow in the field, but good in the circle ; centre and left-inner are especially to be commended in this respect. Matches.

A match against Reading University had to be scratched, on account of the weather. 1st X. v. The Laurels, Rugby, Feb. loth. Won 13-0. To be played— v. Etceteras, Feb. 24th. v. Old Student's, March r6th. v. Somerville znd XI. znd Xl. 1st XI. v. Somerville 1st XI. (cup-tie), Feb. zoth, won 4 2. Our victory was mainly due to the forward line who played with a dash and combination which surpassed any of their former efforts, and pressed hard during the greater part of the game. Centre and left-inner were especially quick at shooting, but many of their best shots were brilliantly saved by the Somerville goal. The half-line backed up the forwards well, and played a very steady game. The Finals v. Lady Margaret Hall are to be played on Tuesday, February 27th. -

THE FRITILLARY.

SHARP PRACTICE (President, L. V. SOUTHWELL; Secretary, I. R. E. HART). —Dialectic still claims its own on Saturday evenings. A searching analysis of the Sporting Instinct has led us to declare it the most valuable element in British characters. The Society argued the motion " That it is better to be Greedy than Dainty," almost exclusively in terms of Crumpets, refusing to be lured off into a discussion of the fastidious in literature ; but it vindicated daintiness with proper scorn and a substantial majority. At the remaining meetings we propose to decide whether Similarity of Opinion is essential to Friendship, and if Probability can be called the Guide of Life. Discussion is not left to a few specialists, Seniors and Freshers alike contribute to it freely. The pithy brevity-is-thesoul-of-wit-type of oratory continues in vogue ; one might almost call it ejaculatory ; but at the end of the week who cares for logic ? Laughter is perhaps the best form of applause.

SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY.—The choice of " The Taming of the Shrew " for the readings of this term has proved a very happy one. The only drawback is that such stage directions as, " strikes her," "strikes him," " throws the meat, &c., about the stage," sound a little tame after the dramatic rendering of the speeches, and some members feel that actions would be more appropriate.

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY (President, Miss JOURHAIN Committee Members, Miss SOUTHWELL, Miss SUTTON).—A series of papers on " The Problem

of Philosophy at the Present Time," and "Principles of Psychology : the Self and the External World," have been read by the President, and vigorously discussed by the Society. A good many members continue to attend Prof. Jones' lectures on " Spiritual Realism." •

BROWNING SOCIETY (Pres., EVELYN BLADES).— We are reading " Paracelsus " this term, and although at present some of us are groping in the dark, we are looking forward to being enlightened at the end of term, when Miss Deneke is kindly reading a Paper for us.

S.T. HILDA'S HALL. DEBATING SOCIETY (President, D. M. ODLUM ; Vice-Pres., D. WALKER; Secretary, M. B. CORKE ; Hall Member, G. ELLioT-SMITH).--Two meetings of the Society have been held this term. At the

first, the Motion, " That the character of a nation is better expressed in its politics than in its literature," was proposed by E. Pash and opposed by M. Aslin. The second meeting took the form of a Sharp Practice. The Motions were, " That the Higher Education of Women is a mistake," " That the Secretary of this Society is a bigger fool than the Vice-President," " That looks are indicative of character." Lately the debates have become somewhat too conversational in tone : we hope that the Old Students' debate, later in the term, will tend to rectify this failing. HOCKEY CLUB (Caftiain, Miss CORKE ; ViceCaptain, Miss CRAVEN; Secretary, Miss NEvE).— This term has been an unfortunate one as far as hockey is concerned. Floods, frost and " flu " have combined together against us, and practises have been few and badly attended. No outside matches have as yet been played, and the Cup match against Lady Margaret Hall ended in a doleful defeat—(r2 goals to 2). But though we are humiliated we are not despondent, and still hope for better things in better days. THE LITERARY SOCIETY (President, MISS NEVE ; Secretary, Miss BRIGHT).—A meeting was held on Friday, February 9th, when Miss Chettle read a Paper on "Browning," a comprehensive subject, which she treated with much appreciation. There will be another meeting in the second half of term, when Miss Sandys will read a Paper on " Frances Thompson." CHILD EMIGRATION SOCIETY.—The Child Emigration Society has made an excellent start in the Hall, which is rising nobly to the task of " moneymaking " in its aid. All kinds of expedients have been resorted to—one of the most original being a Fire Chute practise, with varying entrance fees. Two very delightful entertainments have been given by Miss Retallack and by Misses Gurner and Lenanton, which resulted in most welcome additions to funds ; and several other kind friends have promised similar assistance. RIFLE CLUB.—Owing to various rival attractions such as skating, the attendance this term has been rather poor. We hope to remedy this in the second half of term, When competitions for two medals, as well as two spoon competitions, are being held. The above events ought to stimulate the zeal of the members. ART CLUB (President, Miss NORDENFELT).—The first meeting this term was held on Feb. 7th, when Miss Burrows read a very interesting paper on Romanesque Architecture.

THE FRITILLARY. An open meeting has been arranged for this term as well as for last, and will be held on Feb. 24th, when Mr. M. W. Brockwell, the great art authority, who has had a large share in arranging the Grafton Gallery Exhibition in London, will lecture on the Florentine pictures in the National Gallery BOAT CLUB. —There has hardly been any boating at all this term, owing to the floods and the strong current. The following qualified at the end of last term :—as Boat Captain, A. Sandys ; Boat Half-Captain, E. Clark ; Punt Captains, G. Ainslie, E. Clark.

OXFORD HOME STUDENTS. TENNIS CLUB.—Our membership this term is very good considering the weather and counterattractions. We hope to have a record summer term with double the number of members, and a court to play on every day, and a Tournament before Eights Week. We have not yet heard this term of a Test for the Central Club. We have a few members waiting for it, and hope they will be successful when the Test takes place. HOCKEY -CLUB (Captain, Miss ANDERSON ; Secretaries, Miss WAYTE and Miss WEST). First XI.: Misses West, Clarke, Dussin, Robin,

Anderson, Wayte, Fletcher, Hasluck, Almond, Barclay, Goodeve. During this term arrangements were made for two practises a week, at Summertown v. the Etceteras on Mondays, and on Fridays by the

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courtesy of Lady Margaret Hall we have had the use of their ground. Unfortunately Mondays and Fridays seemed fated to be either wet or frosty, so up to this date we have only been able to hold two practises, with the result that the team though individually promising have failed to get together in matches. In the Cup matches we drew the Bye. Matches. v. Somerville II., lost 14-5.

(Purcell, Thurston, Batt were substitutes for Almond, Anderson, Wayte.) v. Etceteras, scratched. v. Lady Margaret Hall, Cup match, lost 8—o. v. North Oxford, not yet played. NEW STUDENTS. Jennie C. Bartleman, Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., U.S.A. Lisa Enhorning, Sunderalt School for Girls, Sweden. Elisa Fleischer, Amalia Hansen's Girls' School, Bergen, Norway. -Mary H. Fletcher, Leyton Hill Convent, Blackpool. Beatrice A. Gray (old student returned). Dorothy M. Hardman, Franciscan Convent, Taunton. Dorothy C. Oakley Hill, Bedford High School. Juliet S. Poyntz, A.M., Columbia University, New York. Isabelle M. E. Purgold, Convent of Notre Dame, Birkdale, Southport. Rosamond V. Smyth, Penlee School, S. Margaret'sat-Cliffe. Student Leaving.

Mrs. M. M. Higgins.

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