LATE CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the Marlburian. DEAR SIR, Will you allow me to call attention to an expression which has for very many years o'curred in letters in the Marlburian, in opposition to any change and improvement proposed, and which has been repeated with the persistency worthy of a better cause. The expression is "I am a Conservative," and therefore the very word Conservative is looked upon as an argument of enormous potency sufficient to prevent any reform what. ever. It is proposed to change the XX into a XV, bat "I am a Conservative," it is proposed to admit an A. H. three for shooting cup, but the same argument. Esse non potest. Now people who use the expression think that they are merely, in social matters, keeping up a political term. Bat I doubt if a Conservativa Government would feel flattered if they were told they opposed all change; for what would become of Lord Beaconsfield's Imperial policy and fascinating strokes of innovation ? In a progressing age change is necessary, and improve. ments too, and in a school change is not a sign of decadence (as Mr. Balfour seems to have thought apropos of A. H. 3) but admits decidedly of another construction. To change the subject rather abruptly-why is not that motto over the mathematical class-rooms door occasionally rubbed up with a little paint ? No doubt were the words to strike the eye more the mathematical genius of the school would increase to even greater brilliancy. And now, sir, may I suggest a thing which to my mind is one of supreme importance-it is evening chapel. It is not about surplices, etc, because we know that H.B. says-esse non potest-but it is about the ventilation I would speak. Occasionally even the bracing air of Marlborough takes it into its head to get hot and relaxing, and then it is that one longs for even an occasional breeze to cool one's heated brow. However most of the windows of chapel do not open I believe, and there is in consequence no current of air at all, or at any rate it is not appreciable. Another At the risk of appearing tedious, I should like to ask you, Sir, if you can point out the use of the new pronunciation of the Latin tongue which is in general use throughout the School. For, Sir, besides the extreme difficulty of getting at what the ancient pronunciation used to be, there is the additional drawback, that at Oxford it is very rarely used. objection is this: it not infrequently happens that one gets out of the way of pronouncing in the new way when one leaves school, and it occasionally happens that one teaches one's young brother in the holidays: he says the verb 'moneo' and gives moneto, so that it sounds like monato of the first instead of the second conjugation. The result is a row between father and son, or brother and brother, which is solely based on a difference of pronunciation. By the bye, Sir, there is another thing about Chapel: might the eagle of the lectern be brightened up? It is at present all dark, dingy, and dirty. Lecterns are generally meant to look pretty, and when the new pulpit comes, which I have heard rumours of, the lectern, as it is, will be rather mean to outward view. The other day, Sir, I was going across the New Court not far from the College pump, and 1 had to move out of range in pretty quick time to save a dowsing from the hole which is used for amusement as well as use. This hole, Sir, has had a hundred wettings to answer for, and innumerable mouths applied to it, but it is an inconvenient mode of slaking one's thirst. Why, Sir, do you not use your influence to obtain a tin mug, which would render the hole useless, and then this same hole might be stopped, and one epoch of the College pump might be at an end. I beg to observe that the mug might be attached to the pump by a chain. Yours very truly, UNPUBLISHED ORIENTAL LITERATURE. (Continued.) WE now come to the Baboo, this is a sort of title which implies sometimes superior rank, and at others the ability to write and read English, so "Mr." and "clerk" may be fairly considered its equivalents. Baboos are employed in great numbers by the Government and by merchants, and they can write a formal or official letter very well, and they often make curious, not to say comical mistakes even in these; but a letter of a private nature, or to the newspapers is the characteristic Baboo letter;-the one thing he avoids is simplicity; the sentences are most complex, the clauses which compose them would prove highly "insubordinate," (as a school-boy once said), if any attempt were made to analyse them: the meaning, however, is after all fairly evident, although the words are combined in a most unusual and unorthodox way. A great many Baboos have had a University training: the examinations are arranged thus-Entrance corresponding to our matriculation; First Arts, a sort of "smalls" or "little go;" then the B.A., which is only a pass; after which comes the Honour examination, with the degrees of M.A., B.L., M.D., &c. The B.A. is the coveted PRICE 3d. prize of most Bengali youths, and those who have missed the mark have invented a sort of consolation degree. In reply to the question-Have you any University degree? the following answer is by no means rare-" Yes Sir, I am failed B.A.! The first Baboo letter is one taken from the newspaper, it shews how school-fights are managed in India. To the Editor of the Statesman. SIR,-A couple of days back two teachers of the Khooroot Anglo-Vernacular School, one named Girish Chunder Banerjee, and the other Ishan Chunder Chatterjee had a violent affray which has produced great sensation among the young learners, and the passers by that presented themselves to witness the issue of the struggle, which was decided in favour of the former, Girish Chunder Banerjee, who proud of the little knowledge possessed, most imperiously accused the latter, Ishan Chunder Chatterjee, while giving lessons to his class, of having been possessed of no learning and no knowledge of the proper ways to teach the boys, and freely declared that he was of no importance. Having been thus led to put up with the false reproaches in the presence of all the school-boys, the Chatterjee was astonished at these unexpected words, injurious to his reputation, and could not raise his head out of disgrace. He experienced a sense of insult to his heart's core, which made him motionless, and deprived him of his power of speech for a moment. But all on a sudden he appeared with blood-shot eyes, broke his silence, and tossed him down with a thrust, bursting into all sorts of bitterest invectives. The rage that kindled in the breast of the Banerjee in consequence of this sudden attack was convulsive. He found himself too weak to encounter his enemy superior in strength, and consequently he was at a loss to think what course to take. At length he concluded that he is blessed with a son well experienced in fighting, through whose agent he will be able to revenge. He was desperate with rage, and came to the resolution of bringing the affray to a termination which could be effected only through the hand of his son as he is himself useless. For this end he called all possible resources into action, and sent an immediate word to his son, with all the particulars of what had happened, requesting him to call upon him without a moment's hesitation. No sooner the news had reached the ears of the son than he was gone mad, giving way to implacable an anger and hastened to the School with rapid steps, taking hold of a large cudgel in his hand, and offered himself to render assistance. The father seeing his son appear well-armed at once gave him order to wreak a terrible vengeance on his antagonist. So encouraged, the son, like a furious wolf, fell upon effecting a mortal attack, till the poor victim was about to faint away out of an exhaustion of strength caused by tremendous blows. The unfortunate man, whom we pity, would have fallen down breathless, had not some kind hearted gentleman, coming to his assistance, interposed and saved by taking him away from the spot to a place of security.-Yours, etc. R We have suspicions, and sincerely trust they are wellfounded, that the outcome of the affray our correspondent attempts to describe was of a very mild nature, compared with that of his own tussel with the Queen's English.-P.D. The next is an extract from an article in a Native paper on Sir George Campbell, M.P., who was once Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal. "He was indeed Cactus Grandiflorus of Bengal and also flouted native gentlemen with contumelious pranks, but though he flaunted himself, not for ever Behold a horrid banquet rise Of a father, who doth see A new and awful tragedy: On the dish, his sight before, His own sons lie amid their gore; A sickening anguish fills his soul, And o'er his eyes the dark shades roll; Then slowly rising to his height, With a frown of blackest night, Speaks he forth such words of pain As may ne'er be spoke again. For Fate's deepest curse, he prayed, Might on every head be laid To whom of right, belonged a place In old Pelop's godlike race. Ah! great Zeus, a father spare, Who, in the anguish of despair, Recks not of the direful fate, Which on his evil words shall wait. Alas! 'tis vain,-the stern decree Is issued irretrievably : And henceforth, a horror cold Again the curtain rises to our view; Together now a stately pair we see ; A warrior he, that late hath crossed the main, A traitress she, that dared profane the ties And so she stays him, as his tired frame He bath'd, and dyes the water with his gore; -Basest of woman kind shall be her name LIFE IN CEYLON. DEAR SIR,-I enclose extracts from a letter lately received by me as likely to be specially instructive to some, and interesting to all Marlburians. A. H. B. Norwood Estate, Dikoza, Ceylon, Sept. 24th, 1878. Now to accomplish my long-promised letter to you, in spite of mosquitoes and flugs of all descriptions flying round my candles. I really have meant to write before, but I have such a heap of letters to relatives and people that I am bound to write to, that my spare time is pretty well filled up. You have of course heard of me from the young brother, Edgar, and know that I am in the land of the living and pretty well satisfied with my work. It is not the least what I pictured it, being very much less rough and free than I expected-still I am getting to like it, which is more than I did at first. I will tell you what my day's work consists of. At 5.15 a.m. my servant (a black of course), who speaks first-rate English, taps at my bedroom door and informs me that it is time to get up, which I accordingly do, put on a pair of very dirty (by this time) flannels and a flannel shirt and blue serge coat, eat a plateful of toast and (potted) butter and a cup of tea, and then (when the tom-tom has beaten) go down to what we call the barbecue, which is a large level sand yard where the coffee is laid out to dry, and there find from 290 to 320 coolies standing in a double row ready to be told off to different works. My Peri Dori (Tamil for big master), Mr. Sparkes, generally comes and we share that part of the business, sending some to weeding, some to manuring, &c., &c.: when that is done I go off into the 'field' and look after a gang of coolies, sometimes 20, sometimes 120, for some time and then go on to the next gang, and so on till 10 o'clock, when I come into my bungalow and have a bath and breakfast, after which I nearly always have some writing work to do till 1 o'clock, when I am due in the field again till 4 o'clock, and then the names are all taken at the Store, and my day's outdoor work is finished, unless there is pulping to be done that is unless we are picking cherry (coffee-berries are so called) in which case the day's picking has to be pulped. The pulper is a large machine with crushers which breaks the outside skin of the cherry and brings out the two beans which are in each berry. Most people turn the machine by means of a water wheel, but here we have a steam engine, which of course does it quicker, and as in the middle of crop we pick on the two divisions, upper and lower, some 500 or 600 bushels, sometimes, it is rather necessary. Well-in crop season, and even now sometimes, although very early in the season, I don't or shan't get away from the pulping house till 8 or 9 o'clock, having to stand about and see that nothing goes wrong. Well, generally speaking I dine about 6.30, and go to bed, after smoking a pipe, about 8 or 8.30, very seldom later, unless I have got writing work to do, and by Jove, it's 5 o'clock in the morning again before I think I am asleep. sun, you Well, so much for my day's work. Of course at first I could not speak a word of the lingo, and was no good at all, but now after just 6 months of it I am fairly capable of taking care of myself. You would laugh to see "little Box among his coolies; it would take me a month to tell you of their peculiarities, so I won't attempt it. All I know is, they are perfectly different to any other human beings I ever saw before. They are the greatest humbugs under the and must always treat them with the idea that they will lie to you and rob you if they Give them an ace and possibly can with impunity. they will take an acre. When I first came they used to humbug me out of my life, but now that I can understand a little of the language and of their ways they get it pretty hot if they try it on. As far as the country is concerned I am awfully disappointed. I thought it was a riding country and that one could shoot any sort of game for the walking, but, very far from it, up here in the coffee districts there are nothing but the very worst of rough bridle-paths, and as for shooting, I don't let my gun off once in two months and then only at a pariah-dog or a cooly's stray pig. Of course down in the low country there are lots of big and small game from Snipe to Elephants, but you can't get that without considerable to be a great friend of the old 'Box' is just opposite me on an estate of his own; he is a big swell rather, having two or three estates in the island. Also C. L. Hayes and E. A. Jeffreys are not very far off, living together on the former's estate. I met the former on the Government road about a fortnight ago and he twigged me directly as also did I him. Of course just now I have to stick very close to my work and so can't get away much, but after crop I hope to get a week's leave and see some of the numerous fellows I know. I have not been absent from a single muster yet which I think is rather a feather in my cap. Believe me to be, ever yours sincerely, HORACE ODES, i. iii. So may the Queen of Cyprus' isle On thee may Helen's brothers smile, Restrain all adverse gales, And send a western breeze behind Fair ship! the precious freight restore And swiftly to the Attic shore My friend, my Vergil, bear: Bring him! oh bring him! safe to land, Safe o'er the treacherous main : The hour that sees him touch the strand Brings back my life again. His heart was framed of timbers staunch, Who dared the first frail bark to launch, Dark tempests o'er the seas: Nor shunned the furious Southern blast, Lord of all Hadria's waves, Who drives the curling foam-crests fast, Or curbs his restless slaves. Can he fear death in any form, Who has, with eye unmoved, In vain! in vain, hath Heaven, I ween |