NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

On Saturday, March 9th, an extraordinary Meeting of the Society' was held in the Upper School, the Master presiding. A lecture was delivered by T. O. Harding, Esq., on the Telephone, in the course of which the lecturer took occasion to explain the rationale and causes of failure of previous attempts to transmit sound to a distance by means of electricity, and to show how the principle of continuous currents, adopted in the Telephone, succeeds, where all others have failed. The lecture was illustrated by experiments; but as the Upper School was available for so short a time for getting the apparatus into order, several of these, as they say in Japan, "behaved themselves in a manner other than was expected."

The Meeting was very largely attended, as the greater part of the school had been admitted; the goodly array of Visitors included the Master and

SCHOOL PRIZES.

The "Brown" (Classical) Prizes :-
Senior-H. R. Thomson

C. Ll. Davies (an additional prize) Junior-E. F. Simpkinson "Few" (Divinity) :

Senior-F. H. Du Boulay Junior -A. W. Farquarson. Common Room (History):1. W. H. E. Worship 2. E. W. Coghlan 3. W. H. R. Curtler "Clarke" (Geography):(J. C. Godley

J. H. C. Dalton "Congreve" (Literature): 1. W. H. R. Curtler 2. G. H. Weston "James" (Ditto) :1. L. Impey

2. C. H. Sumner

SCHOOL HONOUR.

A. Chandler, Classical Scholarship at University College, Oxford.

Printed by PERKINS & SON, at their General Printing Offices Waterloo House, Marlborough.

EDITORIAL.

IN reviewing the rejected contributions of this term we must at the outset thank the School for the energetic and well-meant, though not always successful manner in which they have supported us. It seems that they are at last awakening to the fact that the Marlburian is a School-paper and not a mere literary exercise for the mental improvement of the Editors. The box has been comparatively well filled, and has less frequently produced an aching void in an Editor's expectant mind. Topics of Schoolinterest have been freely treated; but besides these, not a few contributors have soared into the higher regions of prose and verse: (we forbear to say "Poetry," for in some cases we are sorry to confess that the term would be a mockery).

The principal of the more ambitious efforts in Prose that deserve remark is a critique on Goethe; which though perhaps just, lacks originality and bears marks of having been compiled from an Encyclopædia. The author adds a few metrical translations of some of his poet's gems; but of those we are diffident to speak owing to an incomplete mastery of the German tongue. Next in merit, though more exciting in character, comes a specimen

PRICE 3d.

of a style of composition only too familiar to an Editor's eye, we mean a Dream. The author evidently takes an intense, almost morbid interest in the great Eastern Question; he is also evidently a patriotic son of Marlborough; and these two characteristics combined produce a startling result. He imagines that the Russians have invaded England, and (here his enthusiastic admiration for alma mater appears), instead of making for the capital or any usually recognised centre of national importance, have taken the remarkable step of marching in full force on Marlborough. The defence of this town through singular neglect on the part of the nation in general, devolves entirely on the M.C. Rifle Corps, which gives proof of vast latent powers of action and endurance. The School Corps immediately attains an importance which would satisfy even its most ambitious partisans. Recruits pour in; the Mound is strongly fortified; telephonic communication is established between the Head Master's House, the Senior Prefect's Study, and the Captain of the M.C.R.V.C.'s tent; and the watchman no longer passes nights of lettered leisure in the VIth Form Classroom, but armed to the teeth, patrols around the College precincts. The Russian Commander, evidently cowed by this energetic resistance, pro

poses a "Conference;" a meeting is held; the Sub.-Lieutenant of the Corps is preparing to deliver a powerful and patriotic harangue, when-Chapelbell begins to ring.

But it is in poetry that the literary talent of the School is most strongly represented. This talent appears, however, to have taken a new direction, and is devoted almost exclusively to the production of parodies. Many explanations may be given of this phase of intellectual evolution; for our part we are content to remark that this term is always the one most liable to infectious diseases, and that amongst these we have a perfect right to place the mania for producing "washy" parodies.

Several of the best have appeared in our magazine at intervals during the term; but these bear a small proportion to the heap of "rejected addresses of the same class. We will only notice three. The first and best is a tolerable, but rather feeble, "adaptation" of "Ye Mariners of England" (the author considerately indicates the original in a footnote appended). A state of affairs not unlike that depicted by our dreams appears to be anticipated; when

The spirit of our fathers

Shall burn in every fag;

Shall be left for drill each fav'rite game,
Shall even foot-ball flag.

The author has shewn by previous efforts that he is capable of better things, and we shall be glad to hear from him again if he can make up his mind to eschew parody.

The next is a travestie of "Who will o'er the downs with me," commencing

Oh, who will come down town with me,
Oh, who will dare the deed ?

Oh, who will up and follow me

To smoke the fragrant weed ?

The Porter he has locked the gate,

His pocket keeps the key;
But neither lock nor key shall keep
My own loved smoke from me.

The author goes on to describe how the "deed is dared" successfully, and he returns with impunity. The moral would have been more satisfactory if he had been caught. The last effort in this class is adapted from Campbell's "Hohenlinden.” Each verse begins with "At Lambeth when the tide was low-or high," alternately; which is monotonously repeated ad nauseam. The whole is wretchedly feeble, and we will quote one stanza as a specimen of what a parody should not be :—

"At Lambeth when the tide was high,

A waterman exclaimed, "My eye!"
He saw my body with a sigh
In Thames rolling drearily."

Poems of a strictly original character are also three in number. The first is entitled "The young Martyr," and signed "Pate;" it describes the death of a young Christian at the command of Nero for refusing to worship Jove. This composition, though somewhat commonplace, is distinctly above the average, and we should be glad to hear from the author again.

The second is a very childish production, headed "The ox and the ass." It begins

A (sic.) ox and ass disputed

While walking in a field,

Which most for knowledge was reputed," etc. They consult a lion as arbiter; the response given

is uncomplimentary

"You are both but foolish folk!
Each stared and went away."

The third and last takes the form of a piece of "Advice to Dragon." This gentleman, it may be remembered, in a former number, deplored the lamentable fact that, in spite of all precautions to the contrary, he "only grew fatter and fatter." The "advice," however, thus gratuitously proffered, is exceedingly vague and incomprehensible; out of consideration for "Dragon" we will quote the kind wish contained in the last verse

"Tho' now my advice is quite ended,
I've a word more to say, I confess ;
I hope that, tho' now so "distended,"
Your shadow may never grow less."

And now we have said our say. In conclusion we must again thank the School for their increased support, and express a hope that they will for the future pay as much attention to the quality as to the quantity of their contributions.

THE RACES.

THE races for 1878 have certainly been held under difficulties. It is almost with a sigh of relief that we are enabled now to chronicle the event, and at last to feel that after many delays and many difficulties, in spite of exceptionally unfavourable weather, and bitterly cold winds, the races for 1878 are now a thing of the past, and though held in the face of many disadvantages, have not been found inferior to any of preceding years. From the very beginning the weather was unpropitious. The trial heats, of which the first day had originally been fixed for

Monday, March 25th, had to be postponed till the Wednesday in consequence of a heavy fall of snow. The School were distressed; it was a fag-day and they had confidently hoped for some remission of work : still it was impossible to fight against the elements and the old remedy of "grinning and bearing" had to be resorted to. However on the following day, a warm sun soon thawed the snow sufficiently to allow of "races," and accordingly the second day's programme was carried out, although the wind was so bitterly cold that the feeling with which spectators watched was more one of duty than of pleasure. The weather was a trifle more propitious on the Wednesday, when the races originally fixed for. Monday were

run.

Every one was now expecting that the Finals would take place on the Friday and Saturday; but Dis aliter visum est," more snow began to fall, and by Friday it was clear that races were completely out of the question.

Saturday was if possible a shade worse than Friday and instead of races the more philosophical of the School contented themselves with taking up a commanding position and snow-balling their neighbours.

There was but little improvement on the Sunday and many an anxious thought was cast to the morrow. However when the morrow came the weather really appeared likely to amend; the sun came out, ard as the morning wore away and the sun was obviously doing its work, it was decided that the Races must and should be held.

Considering the amount of snow that had fallen the ground was in very tolerably good condition and with the exception of a very cold wind there was but

little to complain of. Tuesday was much the same sort of day, and it was probably in consequence of the very uncertain state of the weather that the number of visitors did not seem so large as in former years.

Reviewing the races as a whole, we may pronounce then quite up to the standard of former years. The high jump 5ft. lin., the long jump 20ft. 8in., and the 100yds. in 10 seconds, the three best of Hunt's many victories, are distinctly above the average.

In criticizing the management of the Races, we can only hope that we may not appear censorious, since, though to find fault is always au easy task, it is only by calling attention to defects that there is a chance of their being remedied in future.

Any spectator who was present throughout all four days of the "races" could not fail to have been struck by the lengthy and constant delays which took place between the different races. On such occasions, when the wind is so bitterly cold, when there are a very large number of spectators present, when above all there are ladies and visitors present, the comfort of those who are looking on demands some consideration; and to be waiting about for 20 minutes or half-an-hour either at the beginning or in the middle of the races is not an encouragement to those who are not themselves athletic and who have no direct interest at stake. We hope that another year some steps may be taken to avoid so much delay.

As regards the Stewards and other functionaries, on whom the success of the races so much depends, we cannot but feel they might have done more. This is not intended as a sweeping censure on all the officials. The starter, whose duties are perhaps the least interesting and the least enviable of all, did his work with great patience and success. The number of false starts was very small and when once the competitors did reach the starting point there was but little unnecessary delay. This year also there were few murmurs against the time-keeper, and the judges performed their duties very satisfactorily.

But from the goodly array of deputy stewards it seemed as if more might have been expected. These functionaries, and especially those who were entered for no race (though even here there were one or two brilliant exceptions) appeared a little in the dark as to the duties they were expected to perform. Some really appeared to think that they had been presented with the rosette merely as a sort of compli ment, and that the stick with its neatly fastened ribbon was intended for ornament and not for use. Whether this was their idea or not the deputy stewards as a rule showed themselves too painfully aware that there was "safety in numbers." In such races as the 200 yds. or -mile it seemed hardly necessary for more than ten to collect in a knot by the winning post; one or even two might have been spared to keep the crushing, seething lines in order, or to attend to the wants of ladies and visitors.

Before leaving the subject, we may observe in conclusion that on such occasions each official has a distinct responsibility, and should be capable of acting alone; remembering that he does not bear the insignia of office merely as an ornament, which en

titles him to a more comfortable position for looking on than his neighbours, but with one distinct and clearly defined object, viz., that of maintaining general order and general convenience, and especially of paying attention to any ladies and visitors who may chance to be present.

The prizes were distributed immediately after the last race by Mrs. Bell, who very kindly undertook this duty, although the weather was such as few ladies would have cared to brave.

But this distribution of prizes, which should have been by no means the least pleasant part of an otherwise pleasant and successful day, proved a complete failure owing to a distinct piece of mismanagement on the part of the Stewards. Very few of the prizeholders were present and a very small proportion of the School, owing to the fact that since no notice had been previously given, only a small number were aware of what was going to take place.

In a word, the matter had been very badly managed, and in expressing our sincere regret, we feel that we are only expressing the feelings of all who were in any way concerned, that the exceptional kindness and good nature which Mrs. Bell displayed on the occasion, should have met with so poor a return.

The first day of the trials took place on Tuesday, the 25th. A fair sprinkling of the School were good enough to attend; a good many were probably deterred by the severity of the wind which a considerable number of ladies did not hesitate to face.

The first race on the programme was a 200 yards hurdle race. The first heat was won by Napier, who led the way all along; the racing for a place was not very close; Womersley was an easy second and Farquharson third. Time 26 seconds.

In the second heat Cairnes got off with the lead, but was succeeded by Peake, who held his place to the end. Kitcat was an easy third; the time was 26 seconds.

The next race was a hurdle race of the same dis

tance, under 16. In the first heat Leach won very easily; he was two hurdles ahead by the end of the race. Cross was second. Time 29 seconds.

The second heat was won by Gunner in spite of a rather clumsy style. Duncan was second over the last hurdle, but was very nearly passed in the run in by Richardson. Time 31 seconds,

The third heat was marked by the misfortune of Brunton, who was leading easily. When about four hurdles off the end, he stumbled and fell heavily over a hurdle, and was thrown completely out of the race. His place was taken by Thompson, who came in first while Turner came in second. The time was 32 seconds. The time of the last heat was an improvement on that of the two preceding it, viz., 30 seconds. Peat came in first and Hill second.

The next race was the mile, and a general rush ensued for the Eleven. In the first heat Curtler and Womersley got off with a rush, and put on a premature spurt. Curtler managed to keep to the front for the first lap and began the second manfully, but at the half his bolt was shot, and after another he dropped quietly out of the course. Busk then took the lead and kept it for the rest of the race, running very steadily; Arkle kept too far behind in the early part of the race to be able to make up his distance, but by a spurt he caught up and passed Turner, and so secured third place; Bengough was second. Time 5.19 seconds.

The second heat on the whole was a better contested one. For the first two laps Duncan and Law were close together in the front; in the third lap Dawson took the lead, but was passed and completely distanced in the last lap by Law, who had it all his own way and won in a canter; Dawson was passed close to the end by Thompson, and came in third. The time was an improvement on the first heat, viz., 5.8 seconds. As in the last race, so in this, all the interest turned upon the first two as the competition for third place was not very keen. Cairnes started off at his hundred yards pace and wisely stopped when he had accomplished that distance. Napier's stride for the first 50 yards attracted general admiration, but was too good to last; so after showing how he could run he left the field to his rivals. Edgeworth ran well throughout; in the second and third laps he looked so done that it was quite a surprise to see how much spurt he had left. Farrar was second unt he reached the Pavilion, where he was passed by Williams, who was coming up hand over hand. Time 5.11 seconds.

The next event was the 200 yards, under 15, and was remarkable for the ease with which each of the winners gained his place. The first heat was a simple "walk over" for Hawkins. In spite of being