better fortune this year. The Honour list will speak sufficiently for the success of our work. Now for our institutions: we feel bound to regret the loss of the annual Prize-day festivities and of the Concert. Their celebration was perhaps impossible, but we hope an effort will be made to prevent their again falling through. On the first night of the Rugby Match a very successful triennial dinner was held, numerously attended and marked by several brilliant speeches. Turning from these matters to our societies, we have much to be glad and much to be sorry for. There seems to be a general good feeling on the part of old and present Marlburians to our Mission; and both in our last issue and in this we may see the munificent and hearty responses to appeals in support of it. We must also remember that this ought not to be an abnormal state of benevolence for a large society like that of Marlborough. We must continue as we have begun. We will not forestall the opinions that the President of the N.H.S. will shortly deliver in his report. We judge from the non-award of the Stanton Prize that something is wanting, energy or industry. The Art Society must indeed thank its President for the very spirited way in which he has advanced its cause. Few who were present at the conversazione will have failed to be struck with the great stride the Society has made in popularity. But here also we must remember that the success we have obtained must be maintained. A word or two for the Rifle Corps. We were not very successful in shooting, but there were several good individual scores and last term plenty of promising recruits were found. The Corps was and is still fairly popular, though not so numerous as in some years. There were a goodly number of Battalion Drills and Field days and altogether the results were satisfactory. We cannot conclude our review without again remonstrating with the school for their criminal negligence in letting the Debating Society die a natural death. Let us not harrow the feelings of O.M.'s by telling the tale of the catastrophe. Suffice it to remind the present Marlburians that last year they neglected a most important duty, and marred the records of our school institutions. Perhaps recruiting has been exaggerated at Marlborough; perhaps enthusiasm has been carried tco. far in past years and a reaction has set in; perhaps the large number of those who leave at Midsummer deals a heavier blow than of old, at any rate it must be confessed, unpleasant though it be, that O.M's who left in 1881 would find several just causes for complaint against the Marlborough of 1884. JOHN DE MAUNDEVILLE. THIS is an age of disillusions and disenchantments, and we are becoming accustomed to see modern science and research showing up the absurdities and untruth of all the pet theories and ideas of our childhood. So it is perhaps with more of sorrow than surprise that we learn that not only was Sir John de Maundeville not "the father of English prose," but that in all probability there never existed such a man. And this is proved forsooth by the assertion that a letter dedicating his work to Edward III. is "certainly spurious," that such a man is not mentioned by contemporary chroniclers, and that the name is erased from the tomb at Lièges univer. sally acknowledged by tradition as his. Well, well! Let the indefatigable grubbers after historical truth undermine our airy castles, they can. not take away quite all the romance from the world yet with all their grubbing. Anyhow, the work called "The Voyage and Travaile of Sir John Maundeville, Knt." remains, and this, whether written by Sir John Maundeville or the same person with a different name, will always prove one of the most fascinating books of adventure in our language. Let us give some account of the book. In the prologue he tells us that he started on his travels in the year of grace 1322. The primary object of his travels was to see Palestine, "the heritage of every gode Cristene man," but thence he went through every country whether known or unknown at the time. He travelled by an overland route as far as Constantynoble, through Almayne (Germany), Pannonye, Hungarie and Bulgarie. At Constantynoble he saw the real cross and the crown of thorns, of which he tells us certain new and interesting particulars, such as that the cross was made of four different kinds of wood, as recorded in the old monkish line : "In Cruce fit Palma, Cedrus, Cypressus, Oliva." From Constantynoble he went on to Ephesus, where he saw St. John the Divine's tomb, and through some of the Ionian Islands. In one of these he tells us of the " Doughtre of Ypocras, in forme and lykenesse of a great Dragoun, that is an hundred Fadme (fathoms) in length, as Men seyn," but he naïvely adds that he has not seen her. He goes on to tell us that she was transformed into this shape by the goddess Diana, and that "sche schalle so endure in that forme of a Dragoun unto the tyme that a Knyghte come that is so hardy that dar come to hire and kisse hire on the mouthe: And then schalle sche turne azen to hire owne Kynde and ben a woman azen." Strange to say she was still in the shape of a dragon when Sir John left, and in all probability is so still if this is really the sole condition for her release. At this period of his work he devotes a long chapter to an account of Egypt, and the power and wealth of its Soldan. Sir John seems to have been very intimate with this potentate, who allowed him to fight in his wars against the Bedouins, and offered him the daughter of one of his nobles in marriage on condition of his changing his religion. However, Sir John was not to be tempted even by so great a bait, and remained true to Christianity. Accurate and scientific definitions seem the fashion now, so we will quote one of Sir John's, that occurs in this chapter:-"A monstre is a thinge difformed azen Kynde, both of Man or of Best or of anything elles." At last he reaches Palestine, and is given unusual facilities for seeing all places of interest by the possession of a letter from the Soldan; and he certainly does seem to have made the best of his opportunity, for the number of curious relics he saw, and quaint stories he picked up, is something marvellous. Considerations of space forbid us to give more than one of these stories, that about the origin of roses. We give his own quaint words :"A faire Mayden was blamed with wronge and sclaundred; for whiche cause sche was demed to the Dethe, and to be brent in that place, to the whiche sche was ladd. And as the Fyre began to brenne aboute hire, sche made hire Preyeres to oure Lord that als wissely as sche was not guilty of that Synne, that he wold helpe hire and make it knowen to alle men, of his mercyfulle grace. And when sche had thus seyd sche entred into the Fuyer; and anon was the Fuyr quenched and oute: and the Brondes that weren brennynge becomen rede Roseres (rose trees), and the Brondes that weren not kyndled becomen white Roseres, fulle of Roses. And these weren the first Roseres and Roses, bothe rede and white, that evere any Man saughe." After seeing Palestine, which he considers to be a duty incumbent on every Christian man, he felt at liberty to go to other parts of the world. He does not seem to have seen much of Africa, though he mentions Libya and Ethiopia. Of Asia, however, he can give us many details, especially about India, and the two great potentates of Asia, Mango Chan, the ruler of Tartary, and Prester John, the Emperor of India. In his day diamonds were very plentiful in India, where they multiplied and got offspring, a happy knack which they now unfortunately seem entirely to have lost. His account of the different properties and characteristics of these diamonds is very minute, "to the end that thei that knowen hem not be not deceyved be Gabberers that gon be the Contree, that sellen hem." In Ceylon he drank of the Well of Youth, which had the repute of driving away all sickness, and says that he felt distinctly the better for it, though later on we learn that he had to return home "for Gowtes, Artetykes (whatever they may be) that me distreynen." Mango Chan seems to have been a very enlightened potentate, for he was a good Christian, had a well-organized court, with his jugglers, philosophers and swift messengers. However, Sir John cannot say much for the civilization of his subjects, the "Tartariens." Their fashion of cooking meat was primitive, to say the least of it, for "thei warmen and sethen here mete with Hors Donge and Cow Donge and of other Bestes dryed azenst the sonne." It is perhaps hardly surprising in these circumstances that "Princes and otheres eten not but ones in the day; and that but litille," and that he calls them "righte foule folk and of evil kynde." Prester John was also a Christian and an even He had seventygreater ruler than Mango Chan. two provinces in his dominions over which were kings tributary to him. His palace was something stupendous in magnificence and richness. Moreover, his subjects were not by any means so uncivilized as those of his neighbours, being mostly Christians. The rest of the book is taken up with some account of the islands of the Indian Archipelago. Most of the people,according to our author's account, were of "foul stature and cursed kynd." Some had lips which covered their faces when they went to sleep, others had hair all over their bodies except on the face and palms of the hand (here perhaps we have the missing link). In the epilogue we read that he returned home after thirty four years travel, having first written some account of his travels. In this account he tells us that he has not recorded half the wonders he has seen or heard of for want of space, and also (mark his generosity and consideration for others!) that something new may be left to other writers after him to tell, for he is aware of the weakness of human nature and "that newe thinges and newe tydynges ben plesant to here." People may believe him or not, as they like. For our part we cannot bring ourselves to believe that such a pious and good man would willingly relate as truth what he did not believe to be such: besides its perfect truth was vouched for by his Infallibility the Pope. So though we will not comply with his request to the reader to say a Pater Noster and Ave Maria for his soul, we leave him with the wish Requiescat in undisturbed by those ghouls who would destroy pace his personality. Football. THE SEASON 1884. It is never very pleasant work looking back on defeats, yet the chronicler of the deeds of our XV has this before him. We have however as gilding to this bitter pill, the fact that our forwards were always complimented by our opponents for their quick loose play, but in almost every Match we were overmatched, and not being too well off for threequarters to start with, we lost the services of the Captain in the second match of the year; but, as has been pointed out, the clubs we play have improved immensely, and play a far more scientific game than in former years. We may put against this that the football all through the school has become much more scientific; and can only wish our successors better fortune now that a higher standard of play has been set. The gloomy details of the season are appended. Nov. 1st, v. O.M's, lost by 2 goals, 3 tries, to 1 goal, 2 tries. Nov. 8th, v. R.A.C. Cirencester, lost by 1 goal, and 5 tries to nil. Nov. 15th, v. Clifton, lost by 3 goals, 4 tries, to 3 tries. Nov. 22nd, v. Keble College, Oxford, lost by 2 goals, to one goal, and try. Nov. 29th, v. Marlborough Nomads lost by 1 goal and try to nil. To turn for a moment to House Matches. Way's were a really good team and deserved the cup, though Hart-Smith's might have made a better fight if they had not been crippled. Baker's were strong forward, and gave Way's two days good work to beat them. Ford's did not show much at the beginning of the year, but came on wonderfully at the end. On the whole, they were all good games and the best House won. CHARACTERS OF THE XV. 1884. F. E. Bull, Captain (CAP. 1883). A thoroughly serviceable and fast three-quarters back; is very clever at getting away, and when once off makes the best use of his pace. A powerful place-kick. Unfortunately disabled for half the term. As captain has shown judgement and enterprise; and has kept his team well together in up-hill matches by his unfailing pluck. H.WOOLNER, (CAP. 1883). A thoroughly good heavy forward, does hard work in the squash, and backs up well. D. E. MARTIN, (CAP. 1883). A most useful for ward, plays a loose game well, getting the ball out quick, and using his feet cleverly. R. O. C. HUME, (CAP. 1883). Works hard in the squash, comes through well with the ball, stops a rush effectively, a safe collar. H. C. BETT, (CAP. 1883). A good middle threequarter with good pace, picks up safely and is a good collar, should kick more. C. R. LIAS, (CAP. 1884). A first-class half, knows his game and plays it well, never losing his head. R. W. ORD, (CAP. 1884). Comes out the squash quickly, and makes a lot of ground by good dribbling, backs up and collars well. pace and H. J. DAVIS, (CAP. 1884). Has lots of collars well, but is not as good as he ought to be from his inability to pick up. Has left. H. S. TYSSEN, (CAP. 1884). A fine dashing forward, follows up hard and runs well with the ball. Has left. H. J. COOPER, (CAP. 1884). A hard working for ward, knows how to play a loose game, stops a rush well, and is a good collar. Has left. E. ROBERTSON, (CAP. 1884). A slow but valuable forward, plays hard and makes good use of his weight in the squash. T. G. BUCHANAN, (CAP. 1884). A quick forward, plays the dribbling game well and can collar, a safe place kick. T. L. TRETHEWY, (CAP. 1834). A fast half with good collaring powers, backs up cleverly, but is too selfish. H. C. BUCKNALL, (CAP. 1884). A fair back, drops and punts strongly and a good place kick, but collars too high. Has left. A. T. KEELING, (CAP. 1884). A quick forward, plays up hard all the way through and can collar. O.M.'s. MARRIAGES. Dec. 15th, at the Cathedral, Bombay, Percival Arthur, eldest son of the Rev. Percival R. R. Sandilands, Vicar of Chudleigh Knighton, Devonshire, to Rose Emily, third daughter of Scholes Butler Birch, Esq., M.D., of 61, Harley Street, London. Dec. 18th, at St. James's, Paddington, George Montagu Butterworth, son of the Rev. George Butterworth, Vicar of Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, to Catherine Lucie, only daughter of the late Major Charles Warde, B.S.C. Jan. 6th, at Chipping Barnet, the Rev. W. F. Cobb, of Addlestone, Surrey, to Hettie E. White, daughter of the late H. J. White, of Barnsbury. Jan. 8th, at North Tamerton, Cornwall, J. Williams Hockin, Esq., second son of J. Hockin, Esq., Amersham House, Beckenham, to Caroline Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Rev. R. Chamberlain Smith, Rector of North Tamerton. Jan. 22nd, at St. John's, Hampstead, Alfred Henry Drew, M.A., L.L.B., of Singapore, only son of John Matthews Drew, of Broadclyst, Devon, to Maud Frances, youngest daughter of Major-General Agnew, of 6, Belsize Park Gardens, London. Jan. 27th, at St. Mary's, Nutley, Hants, the Rev. Alfred Tanner, B.A., C.C.C., Cambridge, to Anna Maria, elder daughter of the Rev. Sumner Wilson, M.A., Vicar of Preston Candover, Hants. DEATHS. Oct. 23rd, 1884, at Leithfield, New Zealand, accidentally killed by a fall from his horse, Edmund H. Ensor, Esq., eldest son of the late Rev. Edmuud Ensor, of Rollesby, aged 43. Nov. 17th, 1884, at Rawal Pindi, India, killed at Polo, Captain Henry Bayard Rich, R.E., eldest son of Col. F. H. Rich, R.E., of 17, Queen's Gate Terrace, Hyde Park, London. Dec. 15th, 1884, at Steelfield Hall, Gosforth, Cumberland, Cressett Thursby Pelham, aged 41. Dec. 16th, 1884, at The Haven, Bournemouth, Lewis Albert Way, youngest son of the Rev. Henry Way, Alderbourne Bucks, aged 44 years. Royal Engineers-Bt.-Major Stanier Waller, to be Major. Bt.-Major Arthur Robert Puzey, to be Major. The Liverpool Regiment-Lieut.-Col. and Col. Andrew Alfred Le Mesurier, has been appointed to command a Battalion. The Lincolnshire Regiment-Lieut. George Augustus Ivatt, to be Adjutant. East Yorkshire Regiment-Captain George Hamilton Johnston, to be Adjutant. The Royal Scots Fusiliers-Captain Arthur J. O. Pollock, has been seconded for service on the Staff. The Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers-Lieut. John James Purdon, to be Captain. The Dorsetshire Regiment-Captain Arthur Grey Tidy, to be Major. The South Yorkshire Regiment—Lieut. C. H. L. Baskerville has been seconded for service on the Commissariat and Transport Staff. The Gordon Highlanders-Lieut. Cecil F. N. Macready, to be seconded for service as Staff Lieutenant of Military Police in Egypt. Bengal Staff Corps-Lieut. Edward James Nicolls Tasken, to be Captain. Madras Staff Corps-Major Henry S. Elton, to be Lieutenant-Colonel. Lieut. DeLacy Dayrell Passy, to be Captain. Half-pay-Captain Henry Tomkinson, from the 1st Dragoons to be Major. Staff-Col. Sir Herbert Stewart, K.C.B., Major 3rd Dragoon Guards, A.D.C., has been appointed Brigadier-General on the Staff with the force on the Nile. Captain H. M. Jackson, has been appointed Aide-de-camp to Sir A. E. Havelock, Governor of Trinidad, West Indies. Captain the Hon. Alwyne Henry Fulke Greville, the King's Royal Rifle Corps, to be an extra Aide-de-camp to his Excellency Earl Spencer, K.G., Lieutenant-General and Governor-General of Ireland. Major-General Sir Henry Evelyn Wood, V.C., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., now commanding the Egyptian Army, to be a MajorGeneral on the Staff, for employment on the lines of communication of the forces on the Nile. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Col. Gerald Noel Money, C.B., Bengal Staff Corps, to be one of Her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms. PASSED OUT OF SANDHURST. H. W. U. Coates. G. L. B. Du Maurier. A. G. Chichester. N. C. Taylor. PASSED INTO SANDHURST. Reginald C. Clarkson. Alexander Cadell. Frederick T. Middleton. CAMBRIDGE. Theology, Class III.-S. Swann, Trinity Hall. Chemistry, Class I.-W. B. de Jersey, Pembroke College. General Examination, Class III.-H. G. C. Hardwick, Clare College. General Examination, Class IV.-J. E. Bryant, Trinity College. CALLS TO THE BAR. Lincoln's Inn-Arthur Turnour Murray, B.A., Oxford. Inner Temple-Francis George Montagu Mason, M.A., Oxford, and Thomas Graham Balfour, B.A., Oxford. ORDINATIONS. Deacons Arthur Cecil Stopford Gayer, M.A., Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Ernest Frederick Newman, M.A., Keble College, Oxford. Edward Taswell Richardson, B.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. Gerard S. Rogers, B.A., C.C.C., Oxford. E. T. Sankey, B.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. bridge. David Charles Firminger, B.A., Pembroke College, Cambridge. Arthur Foley Winnington Ingram, B.A., Keble College, Oxford. Edward Shearburn Marshall, B.A., B.N.C., Oxford. Edward John Norris, B.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. Richard Somerville Wood, B.A., Exeter College, Oxford. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS, &c. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has presented the Rev. Charles A. Jones, Mathematical Master in Westminster School, to the living of Dedham, near Colchester. Rev. A. C. S. Gayer; Curate of Royston, Cambs. Rev. C. P. Milner; Chaplain of Kelly College. Rev. E. F. Newman; Curate of St. Mary, Reading. Rev. P. A. Phelps; Rector of St. John-the-Bapti st, Bristol. Rev. F. Robinson; Curate of St. Mary, Charterhouse. Rev. G. S. Rogers; Curate of Bishopston, Gloucestershire. Rev. E. T. Sankey; Curate of Ashbourne and Mapleton, Derbyshire. Rev. E. H. C. Stephenson; Curate of St. Clement, Notting Hill. Rev. Alfred Tanner; Vicar of St. Mary's, Haggerston. Rev. A. O. Trotter; Curate of Hartpury, Gloucestershire. Rev. H. Westcott; Curate of St. Barnabas, Sunderland. Horace Alfred Damer Seymour has been appointed a Commissioner of H. M. Customs. W. P. Davis has been appointed House Surgeon at S. George's Hospital, and has recently carried off the Brodie Prize at that Institution. In Memoriam. Lieutenant Charles William Albert Law, 4th Dragoon Guards, was killed on the 17th of January in the battle near the wells of Abu Klea. Law was born in November, 1861, entered Marlborough in September, 1875, left at Christmas, 1878, and received his commision July, 1882. There can be but very few now in the school, who knew Law, not many who even knew his elder brother Harry, and yet the name is familiar to an unusual number of our readers, to many who never actually knew either of the brothers, for both were promin ent in all games, the elder in the XV, and winner of the Mile, the younger in the XI-both, on the Race Committee. "What! C. W. or J. H. ?" was the instantaneous reply once made to me by a Canadian, who certainly only knew them through the Marlburian. For me, it is impossible to think of one without the other, and the frank affection each felt for the other, the honest respect the elder never hesitated to express for the character of the younger, painfully add to the sense of personal loss which all must feel, who knew Charlie Law; not we only of his own House, but many of his contemporaries in all parts of the School. Popularity may not as a rule mean much, but the feeling for Charlie Law in all who knew him, whether boys or masters, was the instinctive tribute to a character singularly winning, manly, simple and unselfish. A hard-worker, yet always full of fun, with high principles, and a strong sense of duty, he was the very ideal of the material out of which our best English officers are made; and though I have no particulars of his death, and never may have, I know that the Lieutenant fulfilled the promise of his boyhood, in Africa as at Brighton, and that he fell as a Christian soldier should fall, doing his duty thoroughly, without a thought of |