ON Monday the whole School disperses for the Christmas Holidays, not to re-assemble till Friday, 23rd January.

THE annual concert has necessarily been given up this year owing to the appropriation of Upper School for divine services.

UPPER School Singing, in spite of the attack made on it some time ago in our columns, has been resumed with its customary vigour in the "Tin Tabernacle."

OWING to the new arrangements by which almost all the Oxford and Cambridge Scholarships are held in the middle of December, several distinguished members of the Sixth have been prevented, or partially so, from participating in the joys of examinations.

We have to chronicle a very satisfactory series of honours, a New and a Corpus Scholarship and an Exhibition at Worcester, gained by present Members of the VIth, and we must heartily congratulate Ussher, Chambers and Alington on their success.

THE Sixth Form Examiner this term is T. H. Warren, Esq., Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxon. We are glad to see Mr. Harding among us again for a short time as Mathematical Examiner.

WE understand that the competition for the Foundation Scholarships this year, though not large, was distinctly good.

ON Sunday, the 6th Dec., Mr. Richardson preached the second sermon by a lay preacher in the College Chapel.

WE noticed in the columns of our excellent contemporary, the Marlborough Times, that Poynton's Balliol Scholarship has earned us a whole holiday. We hope the authorities will take the hint, and not let the event belie this statement.

Ir will deeply grieve our readers to know that the ancient borough of Marlborough is to be disfranchised by the new Redistribution Bill; in fact it is at present nearly the smallest borough in point of population that returns a member.

WE acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following contemporaries :-Carthusian, Ulula (Manchester), Bromsgrovian, Cheltonian, Tonbridgian, Wykehamist, Carliol, Cinque Port, Epsomian, Blundellian, Brucian, Glenalmond Chronicle, Eastbourne Cliftonian, Mill Hill Magazine, Durham University Journal, Radleian, Geelong Quarterly.

MATTHEW ARNOLD.

WE do not propose in this short sketch to dwell on Mr. Matthew Arnold's merits or demerits as a critic, or to discuss any of the numerous controversies in which he has from time to time engaged. All that we desire is to point out a few of the most striking features of his poetry, which to our mind far s ur passes anything else he has written.

Matthew Arnold, being a critic as well as a poet, has a theory of his own about what true poetry should be. It should take as its theme the greatest actions and thoughts of men, and represent them so as to afford pleasure to the reader. We cannot help being struck by the resemblance of Matthew Arnold's theory of poetry to his theory of criticism, which is "to know and make known the best that is thought and known in the world," but surely poetry should be something more than a mere criticism. The true poet, like the true artist, must not be content with a mere faithful representation of his subject. He must possess a creative power of his own and invest his characters with fresh life. Thus we see that Matthew Arnold's theory of poetry, like Wordsworth's, is an inadequate one.

Fortunately, also like Wordsworth's, Matthew Arnold's practice is a great deal better than his theory. In the majority of his poems indeed he curiously fails to come up to his own ideal. He insists that poetry must be judged not by its details, but by the greatness of its action, and the manner in which this action is pourtrayed; yet the beauty of his own poetry lies even more in the exquisite grace and delicacy of the style and the harmony of the details than in the action. Indeed this latter in many cases moves but slowly and frequently wants connection.

Several of Matthew Arnold's poems are elegies upon other writers and thinkers. One of the most exquisite of these is the poem called 'Thyrsis.' The subject of this is his own intimate Oxford friend, himself a poet of no mean repute, Arthur Hugh Clough. The three men whose writings appear to have exercised the greatest influence over Arnold are Goëthe, like himself, both poet and critic, Wordsworth and Etienne de Senancour, the author of Obermann, the man on whose tombstone is engraved the inscription 'Eternité! deviens asile!' But it is the influence of Wordsworth that is most strong in Matthew Arnold's poetry. It was through Wordsworth that he learnt to look at Nature as a refuge from the turmoil and strife of life, and to study her with the love and reverence which he manifests all through his poetry. Man, he says, soon passes away; Nature is immortal.

Will ye claim for your great ones the gift
To have rendered the gleam of my skies,
To have echoed the moan of my seas,
Uttered the voice of my hills?
When your great ones depart, will ye say:
All things have suffered a loss
Nature is hid in their grave?

Race after race, man after man
Have thought that my secret was theirs,
Have dreamed that I lived but for them,

mon

And again :

Keep fresh the grass upon his grave
Oh Rotha, with thy living wave!
Sing him thy best, for few or none,

Hears thy voice right, now he is gone.

Having discussed Matthew Arnold's theory of poetry and the influence of Wordsworth upon him we may now notice some of his special beauties and charms. As far as the mere outward form of his poetry is concerned, Matthew Arnold approaches more nearly to perfection than any other living author. Everything is carefully finished off; there is no roughness, no incompleteness, a false rhyme is almost as rare as it is in Tennyson. Such poetry can only be the product of a highly refined and cultivated mind. Mr. Arnold has one of the greatest charms a poet can have, the gift of melody; whatever his subject is, he can always command beautiful harmonious rhythms to enshrine it in. Quotation cannot do justice to this gift; but it will be obvious to all who read his poems. Mr. Arnold has the honour of having invented a new metre, the lyrical blank verse. very good specimen is The Youth of Nature,' one of his most beautiful poems.

A

Another charm which Mr. Arnold possesses to a great extent is the power of description, of bringing pictures vividly before the mind's eye, of word-painting. Some of the most beautiful examples are be found in Tristram and Iseult,' and 'The Strayed Reveller.' The following too is very beautiful :

Raised are the dripping oars,
Silent the boat! the lake,
Lovely and soft as a dream,
Swims in the sheen of the moon.

The mountains stand at its head,

Clear in the pure June night,

But the valleys are flooded with haze,
Rydal and Fairfield are there,

In the shadow Wordsworth lies dead.

We have said that the beauty of Matthew Arnold's poetry is to be looked for chiefly in the details, in the lovely pictures, the beautiful and tender descriptions which surround us on every side, as well as in the exquisite rhythm and melody, and the pure and perfect versification. But we do not wish to be misunderstood: Mr. Arnold does not exalt the details at the expense of the connection, he does not insert brilliant purple patches.' just for the sake of bringing them in; all the details are in subordinaproper tion, and the whole impression is one of faultless harmony. To take a typical instance, he scrupulously

6

refrains from overburdening his poems with multitudinous descriptions of flowers, after the fashion of many poets. And yet no poet has ever sung of flowers more sweetly or with a truer insight into their beauty than Matthew Arnold. Even at the risk of being tedious, we cannot refrain from quoting a stanza from Thyrsis.'

I know these slopes; who knows them if not I?
But many a dingle on the loved hill side

With thorns once studded, old white blossom'd trees,
Where thick the cowslips grew, and far descried
High towered the spikes of purple orchises,

Hath since our day put by

The coronals of that forgotten time;

Down each green bank hath gone the ploughboy's team,
And only in the hidden brookside gleam
Primroses, orphans of the flowery prime.

Mr. Arnold's language is always taken from the 'pure well of Saxon undefiled.' He has too great a horror of barbarities in language-who does not know his denunciation of the plebeian names Bragg, Stiggins and Bugg ?-to admit the laxities and inelegancies of expression to be found in the works of too many modern writers. His epithets are well chosen, and chosen, too, with a view to sense as well as sound, instead of being dragged in merely to fill up a verse or supply a rhyme.

Modern critics will not admit a poet to remain a poet, he must needs be a philosopher as well. Mr Arnold's philosophy is not very distinctive. His earlier poems are marked by a spirit of quietism, a desire to escape from the hurry and stir of existence and repose in the calm enjoyment of the beauty of life. He thinks of the world as ruled by an irresistible destiny.

Seeing this vale, this earth, whereon we dream,
Is on all sides imprisoned by the high

Uno'erleaped mountains of Necessity,
Sparing us narrower margin than we deem.

It is this desire for calm which led him to find his
inspiration in the old world Hellenic life, rather
than in the stir of modern existence. He has
certainly been wonderfully successful in
cases in reproducing the spirit of Greek poetry.
His poem of Sohrab and Rustum is much closer to
Homer than many professed translations. His
most ambitious work was an attempt to put himself
into sympathy with the feelings and difficulties of
the Greek philosopher Empedocles, one of the
most interesting figures in Sicilian history. This
poem, called 'Empedocles on Etna,' was suppressed
by Mr. Arnold shortly after its publication, but has
been republished owing to the favour it found in the
sight of Mr Robert Browning. It is a very beautiful
poem, consisting chiefly of a long monologue of the
philosopher, interspersed with exquisite lyrics, sung
by the harp-player Callicles. We cannot help
observing that this intimate acquaintance with
Greek forms of thought has slightly paganised Mr.
Arnold's imagination. For instance, in Thyrsis, he
says-

Hear it from thy broad lucent Arno-vale.
(For there thine earth-forgetting eyelids keep
The morningless and unawakening sleep
Under the flowery oleandas pale).

This is very beautiful poetry, but not Christianity. There is in Mr. Arnold, as in Wordsworth, a tinge of Pantheistic feeling which leads him to put a very high value on the moral and spiritual lessons to be drawn from Nature.

But in the last volume of Mr. Arnold's poems a change may be perceived. He seems to have in some measure arisen from the sleep of quietism and discovered that after all this world is a world where action is a necessity. This change of view is a commentary on the lines :

I slept and dreamt that life was beauty;

I woke and found that life was duty.

We find in this last volume (New Poems, 1867) less of the striving after classical exactness and faultless perfection of form, and more sympathy with the struggles and trials of humanity. Speaking of 'Youth,' he says :

It hears a voice within it tell,

Calm's not life's crown, though calm is well.
'Tis all perhaps which man acquires,

But 'tis not what our youth desires.

To conclude, Mr. Arnold's poems are very pleasant to read. They are not difficult of comprehension, and entirely free from the craving for sensationalism which corrupts so much of the poetry of the present day. They are deeply tinged with melancholy, and sometimes wanting in powerful inspiration; yet their pathos and melody must always render them a lasting source of pleasure to a true lover of poetry.

MEMORIES OF THE SEA.

Thou hast many voices, O sea,
But one that is dearest to me,
One song of the fresh and the free
Spirit of energy.

Thou art the master-musician
Within whose passionate soul,
Are centred all sounds that control-
Through harmony's myriad mazes-
All life in its infinite phases,
Whose only murmur of sadness
Is prelude of ultimate gladness
In full and final fruition.

Thou hast many voices, O sea,

And I love thou shoulds't sing to me,
One song that is fresh and free.
When oppressed by pain or slumber,
Days of sloth or cares that cumber,
I would hear thee once again
Sing me that reviving strain,
While the fancy, wild-winged sprite,
Brings me to thy glorious sight,
Lifts me on her wings of wonder-
Hearing still thy rhythmic thunder-
To the brink of some sheer height,
Sunned by slanting shafts of light,
Through the level cloud-plain breaking,
When the sea, like one awaking,
Opens with a glad surprise

All his thousand thousand eyes,
Galaxy of star-points dancing

In the sun-beam's wayward glancing,
Such a healthful heartening mien
As will glorify the scene

Of the struggle on the morrow,

And the dark days, fain to borrow
Light from such redundant treasure,
Squandered here in lavish measure.
Not where the spent tide, idly rocking,
Idle seaweed to and fro,

Lisps a siren music, mocking
Wave-worn seamen with the show
Of a peace that knows no ending,
Of a life without a qualm,
All its lazy murmurs blending
With the cradle-song of calm;
Not there can I catch the crying
Of thy spirit past me flying,
Every dream of sloth effacing,
Every nerve and sinew bracing,
For the combat by and by,
For the coming victory.
There where the racing light,
Matches the waves in flight,
Darting a rain-bow ray
Thro' the swift ocean-spray-
Salt rain that follows
Breakers upon the shore
Leaping with wild uproar;
Where the flaked feather flies,
Sunlit transparencies

Glance thro' green hollows;
There rings the strain, O sea,
Dearest of all to me;

This to the hungry soul
Landward afar shall roll
Songs of endeavour,
Echoing ever;
This like a trumpet-call
On the glad ear shall fall,
Lending new heart to bless
Thoughts that aspire,
Pregnant with hopefulness,
Instinct with fire.

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

DEAR SIR.-I happened to see a recent number of the Marlburian in a friend's room the other day, and was much struck by the Debating Society notice, which showed me that at the last meeting there were only five members present, and that in the house, including visitors, there were twelve persons. This seems worse than it has ever been before, and it has often seemed on the point of death in the course of the last two or three years: something ought certainly to be done. Many schemes have been tried at different times to help it on

when it has seemed to be about to vanish, and here is another which from the nature of things, would be I hope more permanent.

Three or four years ago it was one of the most popular of the school institutions, we had to rush across from chapel as fast as we could go to get seats at all, and I think that that popularity was entirely due to the eloquence of two or three individual members; obviously, then, no such members exist now, and it is the duty of the school to see that they should exist; certainly there is more chance of hearing a good speech out of a hundred fellows than out of five; so the first thing is to get the place full; and there seems to me no better way of doing this than by getting hold of some of those speakers who in their time brought a crowded house together. Let the President (or Speaker, as the case may be) secure for each debate the attendance of some O.M. or some master who shall address the meeting; the President's duties are not very onerous at present, and he could, I expect, find time to write the letters which would be necessary for securing some one who was able to come down; I grant he would often find it a difficult matter, but I think he would generally be able to get somebody; and then there would always be the masters to fall back upon. Then on the notice of the Debate, which he should not only put in a conspicuous place on the School Notice Board, but send round copies of, to all the house notice boards, he would add to the bare announcement, "So and so Esq., O.M." (or "Mr. so and so," a master,) "will be present to speak." By inserting this, Sir, you might at least suggest such an idea to the school, and I shall be anxious to see what is thought of it, and, if it is tried, how it succeeds.

Yours,

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

O.M.

DEAR SIR, I have always been told by my wearers that the Marlburian is a sure opening for all who have a real complaint to ventilate their grievance. Sometimes I have, by much peering, been able to read the columns of your paper, and what I have seen justifies what I have heard. Emboldened by this I write to ask your aid to procure for me more starch. It seems to be the general opinion that such things as collars and shirt fronts have no feeling of pride in them. Sir I can assure you, on the word of a gentle-collar, that this opinion is utterly false. We all of us like to look nice just as much as any man. I pray you, indulge us a little in this vanity. Besides this, you seem to forget that starch is to us what food is to you. How would you like to live on a crust of bread for a week? Yet really this is how we are treated.

But perhaps it would be better for me (you men are so selfish) to appeal to your own intersts. If we are not starched enough, we give you infinitely more trouble. We have to be washed oftener, we cannot be worn so long, and we do not make you look so nice.

I trust, Sir, some notice will be taken of the appeal of a poor helpless

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

STICK UP.

DEAR SIR,-I cannot allow a letter of "A. Gordon Knott" in your last number to go unanswered. Its weakness is almost sufficiently evident to need no proof, but it is hard to refrain from publicly protesting against such a proposal as he supported.

In the first place I noticed that he takes no account of the existence of the Marlborough Nomads Club, and of the fact that the proposed change would necessarily destroy this club. Moreover he shows no real reason for the change, and confines himself to bare assertions. To say that Association requires more skill than Rugby is absurd. Surely to be exerting all one's powers shoving, and at the same time to be guiding the ball with one's feet, more skill is required than in Association. But the merits of the game should not so much be argued theoretically as practically, and as the game to be played at Marlborough. A. Gordon Knott" does not seem to have taken into consideration the fact that the grounds here are for the most part on a most decided slope, which renders

COCK HOUSE GROUND.
FORD'S V. WAY'S.

1ST DAY.-Played on the LXXX. Ford's playing with the wind, by their superior forward play, gradually forced the ball into Way's quarters, and the ball settled down for some time in the mud. After some uneventful squashes in which neither side gained much ground, by the combined play of Williams and Michell, the ball was brought up to the top, and Alston after a clever run landed the ball behind Way's line. Nockolds was successful in his attempt at goal. Way's drop out was well returned, and the ball continued to stagnate at the bottom. Ford's behinds, however, could not get off, owing to the good play of Hart-Smith, and the next try was obtained by Michell out of the squash. The try was not a success. Way's now played better and led by Wilding, who had gone three-quarters, brought the ball into Ford's quarters. The latter however were not to be denied, and after some good dribbling by Ferguson-Davie and Tate, Dobie got a try very low down. The place again failed. After change, owing to the depth of the mud, the game became uninteresting, and was confined to long and tedious squashes, and though Way's frequently passed back to Wilding, the ball was too slippery for him to do much with it. Shortly, however, before

the call of time Ford's rallied, and Alston, after a wonderful run, obtained a try high up, but the place was again unsuccessful. Thus on the 1st day Ford's got a goal and 3 tries to nil.

2ND DAY.-Played on Big Game. Ford's, though they played with a very high wind behind them, were demoralised by the loss of Alston, and Way's began to drive them back at once. The ground being considerably dryer, Way's three-quarter backs were better able to get off, and twice Wainwright was only stopped from scoring by the good collaring of Davie. But Way's were not to be denied, and Peake, catching the ball well, got away unnoticed and obtained a try right behind. The place, a very difficult one, owing to the high wind, was well kicked by Routh. Ford's now played up better and succeeded in keeping Way's out till shortly before half-time, when Wilding, who had been well looked after by Nockolds, made a strong run at the bottom and obtained a try low down. The place, an impossible one, failed. Way's now kicked off with the wind, and for the rest of the time the game, which became very exciting, continued to remain in Ford's 25. By the watchful play of Jones and Dobie at half-back Way's were unable to get the ball out of the squash except on one occasion, when Wilding got in only to be shoved out behind. the call of time Ford's were thus left victorious after a very good and hard fought game by one goal and three tries to one goal and one try. For the winners, besides those mentioned, Mackworth played well forward, and Dobie was very plucky at half. For Way's Wilding was a tower of strength, and Atlay played best forward.

LOWER GAME COCK HOUSE MATCH.

WAY'S V. BAKER'S.

At

1ST DAY.-Played on LXXX, November 27th. Baker's kicked off from Lync's end with the wind and the ball was taken into Way's 25, but Way's forwards by their superior weight soon drove their opponents back into their own territory, where it remained until change; nothing very remarkable happened, tight squashes being the order of the day.

After half-time a change came over the game, and Baker's penned Way's till call of time, making good use of their three-quarters who made repeated rushes, which in turn were cleverly stopped by Routh and Wainwright. Harrison succeeded in getting a try low down, but the place failed, and time was called. Davies ii, Willis, Meeres, Peake and Clark forward, and Stayner, Harrison, Wainwright and Routh behind were good for their respective sides.

2ND DAY.-Played on Big Game, December 8th. Baker's started with the wind, and it was not long before Cooper iii, by some very smart play, got a try near the top which was not placed. The passing of Baker's behinds was now very good. Weston got a try which was disallowed, and Prest, after a fine dribble nearly the length of the ground, picked up the ball and ran in behind the posts, and placed it himself successfully. Way's made the most of their kick off, but were gradually forced back, and Har

rison soon got in right behind, and this Prest also turned into a goal. There was now some very neat play between Stayner and Cooper iii, but the latter was collared only a few yards from the line.

After change Way's seemed to play up harder, and drove Baker's back into their 25. Routh several times looked dangerous, but was always stopped in time by Weston. The squashes now got down into the regular Big Game Mud: the ball was then taken out 15 yards instead of being thrown in, and the game became a little more lively, but neither side scored before time was called; thus Baker's were left Cock House Lower Game by 2 goals and 2 tries to nil.

For the winners on the second day Batty was best forward, well backed up by Pulleine and Bankes; while behind, Cooper iii, Harrison, Prest and Weston were all excellent. For the losers, Routh, Peake and Hart-Smith behind, and Meeres, Aglen and Carey forward, did their best to avert defeat.