Both

This match was played at Preshute on Thursday, March 13th, and after a very fast game resulted in a victory for Cotton House by ten goals to two. houses were poorly represented, especially Preshute who lost the valuable services of Law, Hardwick, and others; while Cotton House mourned the loss of Thompson, Askwith, and Wright. During the first half-hour two goals were obtained for Cotton House by Scovell and Tulloch, and one for Preshnte by Bent.

After change Cotton House completely penned their opponents and no less than eight more goals were obtained for them by Ewart (3), Little (2), Druitt, Fairrie and Thompson 3us, while Turner obtained one for Preshute. For Preshute, Leverton was especially brilliant among the forwards, and Tracy and Womersley hit hard and well. For Cotton House Ewart was best, well backed up by Cunliffe 1us and Fox 1us.

COMMON ROOM v. SCHOOL.

This match was played on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 3rd, on the Common. The weather was most favourable, and the ground in excellent order: in fact, both were very much in contrast with the past experiences of this term. The School were deprived of the services of one or two of their best players, and the Common Room had a considerable difficulty in putting an eleven of any sort into the field. Before the match begun, in spite of the known

prowess of one of the Masters, the chances of war were regarded as considerably in favour of the School: and, though one or two over-confident champions of the School thought it probable that in half-an-hour their elder opponents would have had enough of it, a good game was confidently expected by most.

The Common Room won the toss, and chose to play down hill for the first half of the time. The ball rapidly worked down to the School goal, and in a few minutes Mr. Way scored the first goal for the Common Room. The goal, though apparently doubtful, was acknowledged; and the ball was hit off from the middle of the play. This success, gained so early and somewhat unexpected, inspired the Common Room to renewed exertions, which did not long remain unrewarded: for Mr. Leaf, whose play throughout was a perpetual marvel of pace and dexterity, secured a second goal for the Common Room. Soon after this a fine rush on the part of the School forwards brought the ball up to the Common Room goal, and after a struggle the formidable stick of Windeler was successful in sending the ball through. But this success was soon avenged by the indefatigable vigour of Mr. Way, and when half-time was called the score stood at three goals to one in favour of the Common Room.

The School now had the hill to help them; and it seemed as if they would more than recoup their losses. For some time the game resolved itself into a succession of ugly rushes upon the Common Room goal; but time after time luck favoured their opponents, and from even a few inches of the line, the ball disappeared to the side of the play, and the performance recommenced da capo. But once again, the energies of the School slackened, and their goal soon became in danger: till, after a very successful corner hit by Mr. Ford, a sharp struggle ensued, which ended in Mr. Leaf's obtaining a fourth goal for Common Room.

But the slope again told; the school resumed an offensive policy; and a good attempt at a goal by Peake was only thwarted by what appeared to be a good fluke. Soon after, time was called: and a very enjoyable game terminated in favour of the Common Room by four goals to one. The play of the victors was probably superior to that of the defeated, not

only as regards a few individuals, but as a team generally. It is hard to particularise; but Messrs. Leaf, Way, Bambridge, and Bain, were very good on the wings; Mr. Alford was always prominent among the forwards; and Messrs. Ford, and Horner, were very difficult to pass. The school did not play so well together as we have seen them play on former occasions; the hitting was too indiscriminate, and the passing was not well managed; and some more practice as a team together would certainly improve them. But Leach and F. S. Turner played well behind the scrimmage; Jones and Mahon did a great deal of conscientious work on the wings, and Peake was occasionally brilliant ; while Windeler was facile princeps among the forwards, and was well backed up by Leverton.

The names of the players are appended:Common Room.-R. Alford, H. D. Drury, N. Masterman, T. N. Hart-Smith (forwards). J. Bain, W. S. Bambridge, H. Leaf, J. P. Way (wings). W. J. Ford (back). H. B. Horner (back). C. Sankey (back).

School.-G. H. H. Evans, J. F. L. Hardy, E. S. Leverton, G. H. Windeler (forwards). H. M. Crookenden, C. W. B. Jones, E. Mahon, E. Peake (wings). II. Leach (back). F. S. Turner (back). A. B. Turner (back). .

Majority against 6

THE "BULL" CAP.

The competition for the above, the School 'drop' kick, came off for the second time on March 7th. It will be remembered that Mr. Bull kindly consented to have the Competition over again, owing to the ill success which met the attempts to kick last term on a very greasy and slippery ground.

The Competition was anything but spirited; however, a better result was attained than last term, and the winner, Tracy, secured the prize with a total of 68 out of a possible 120. The kicking took place on the Common.

SCHOOL PRIZES.

Clarke Geographical PrizesPhysical Geography :-A. Ll. Davies Hon. Men. H. L. Callendar Political Geography-H. S. Moore Ion. Men. A. W. Roper

Congreve Prize:-G. F. Ellison

A. W. Arkle, Open Scholarship at Brasenoso College, Oxford.

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

WHо does not know the celebrated request of Oliver Twist "I want some more"?

So thought the Editor as he gazed upon the contributions sent up to the Marlburian during the Easter term, and would fain go still further, pleading for better quality also. Not that all the contributions are worthless; far from it; but even the best are marred in some way, which proves an insuperable objection to their being inserted in the pages of the Marlburian. It is a pity that anyone should give time and trouble to the execution of a copy of verses, when he is at the same time fully aware that, in spite of their faultless rhythm, some personality, or other blemish will render their rejection inevitable, and when he feels that for this very reason he should not himself care to see them in print.

The first to which we turn, is of this nature. There is a good deal of "go" in some of the lines, and not a little humour, but again there are others so personal as to prevent the possibility of insertion. We quote the first few lines :

"And is indeed poor Marlborough so belated?
Really 'tis time she should be educated:

They have been pleased to pass the gravest strictures Upon the finest of a set of pictures." While farther on in righteous indignation the author exclaims :

"Do the duffers know,

The notion came from Michael Angelo ?"

We shall be glad to hear from "Basil" again, if he can find a better subject, and will affix his real name to the contribution.

seem.

The next poem on the list is by L. "On a vagabond," a very peculiar character indeed, it would Among other of those pseudo-luxuries, so common in song, so seldom met with in reality:~ "Has he not his ceiling painted

Far more naturally than a Lord's ?" "Possibly" thought the Editor "very natural, but hardly so comfortable; at least if his haunts are anywhere near Marlborough," and there recurred to his mind visions of over-coats, umbrellas, and the Field. To continue, this vagabond is also a hardy knave, for

'He has no need of hats and caps.'

This would lead us to suppose him to be impervious to the attacks of the weather; but he is not :

For, they say, when he's a cold
A kerchief he can always find.

'Y. Yes, by which 'modesty' owns he has won.' The next to come under our notice is a poem entitled " Oceala," in which there is much that is good, and some spirit, but the subject is rather confused, some of the lines do not run so smoothly as they should, and there is room for great improvement in the spelling; very little care would remedy these faults, and we recommend "Pute" to try again.

This closes the poetical branch of the contributions and brings us to prose. Of this latter there are three specimens. The first is a review of the Natural History Report from some person unknown, who makes remarkably free with the opinions of the Editor, and credits him with sentiments of which he is wholly innocent. We quote the following:"Next we notice the Entomoligal (?) and Botanical reports which are very perfect and careful in our opinion." This is, we fear, more than we can say for the account of our would-be reporter. If there is such a thing as an Entomoligal branch of the M.C.N.H.S., we confess our ignorance, we do not know with what subject it deals.

To continue "And finally, the weights and measures which seem to interest the School in general more than every else, are numerous and full of interest as ever." Another piece of carelessness, and another marvel. We presume that "every one else" was meant; and how the weights and measures which invariably take the same form, can be more interesting on one occasion than another we fail to see.

The second prose composition is by "Poot," and consists in a series of " plays" upon the names of fellows in the school, in respect for whose feelings we will not quote any particular sentence; suffice it to say that they are made to represent several trades,

and to recall to our minds the name of more than one town in Great Britain, to effect which end they are often put through a process of distortion and dissection, which leaves in the mind but a vague notion of what the original should be. In fine the author arrives at the startling conclusion that "Marlborough has several sons, e.g.," and thereupon, possibly with a view to filling up the paper, he proceeds to quote the names of all those in the school whose name ends with the termination-son.

We are now brought to our third and last prose contribution, an account of a tour in Switzerland; and here it may be as well to remind our contributors that Alpine Ascents are by this time somewhat hackneyed, and unless very pleasantly told, and enlivened by incident, partake more of the nature of a respectable guide-book, than of an article suited to the pages of a school magazine. This the author has not. remembered, and though his article has merit, it does not display the originality necessary to warrant a favourable reception.

Cor

With this ends our list of contributions. respondence has, as usual, poured in on every imaginable subject. The illumination of the Court clock has found more than one advocate; and the 'College cap' is not without a champion who undertakes to defend it from the danger of being susperseded by the billy-cock a rare bird,' against which is launched such a volley of defiance, as would overthrow the very staunchest of that feathered tribe, that ever crowed on his own dunghill. If the College Cap really is in imminent danger, we recommend our correspondent to apply in person to the authorities' who will doubtless set his fears at rest once and for ever.

Once more we must repeat the request which we put forward at the beginning. We want some more. The object of a school paper like the Marlburian, is not merely to issue a fortnightly chronicle of events, but to encourage members of the school to write good verse, and, what is far more important, good prose, an acquirement of which they will have no reason to repent in future years. In conclusion we must thank the school for what help they have given us this term, and trust that the holidays will produce an effusion from more than one fertile brain, and that we may not meet with the rebuff, which that hero received, who had the insolence to ask for ' more.'

THE ATHLETIC SPORTS.

THE Races are the great event of the Lent Term; they are an object of more universal interest than the various competitions in Fives, Racquets, and Gymnastics; they relieve the monotony of a somewhat slow term; they afford opportunities of shining to many who in ordinary school games are not particularly prominent; they are in themselves one of the prettiest sights imaginable; and perhaps not least among their attractions is the pleasing field of speculation which they open to all: and the Marlborough boy, while he delivers oracular opinions on the probable issues of the various events, feels within. himself all the complacency of a sporting critic.

But to enjoy the races properly, fine weather above all things is needed, and certainly this year we have been peculiarly unfortunate in our weather; indeed the experience of the last two years has suggested to many minds the advisability of holding our Athletic Sports in the Summer term, when they would not be subject, as now, to a perplexing mixture of March winds and April showers.

Our business, however, now is to chronicle the Races of 1879, and we will proceed to do so at once, reserving comments till later on.

The Trial Heats were fixed for Monday and Tuesday, March 24th and 25th; but the driving snow and bitter East wind effectually prevented any attempt to hold them on either of those days. On Wednesday, some fitful gleams of sunshine deluded people into the belief that it was a fine day, and so it was decided to carry out Tuesday's programme. The first event on the list was the Hurdle Race of 200 yards. In the first heat Peake alone started, and so had it all to himself, a fact of which he seemed fully aware, to judge from the easy pace at which he cantered down, allowing himself 31 seconds.

The second heat was more exciting,-Tracy, however, came in easily first, Gunner and Kitcat making a good race of it for second and third places.

In the third heat, Law and Leach ran each other very close, till just near the finish Law drew away, and came in first, with Leach a good second, and Bowlby rather a bad third. The time of these two heats was 24 and 26 seconds respectively.

Next came the Hurdle Race of 200 yards, under 16. This was chiefly remarkable for the total disregard paid by fellows to their heats: everyone

seemed to run when he liked, and the natural result was a most aggravating confusion, which might have been obviated had the starter compelled the runners to keep to their proper heats. There is nothing in the running which calls for special comment. Thompson had the first heat all to himself; in the second, Bagge and Richards were almost neck and neck, Bagge being slightly ahead. The third and fourth heats were practically run in one, Maclean, Fasken, and Challen getting places. The best time of these was the second heat, 28 seconds.

Arrived at the top of the Eleven to witness the Mile Race we experienced more fully the biting cold of the East-wind, which, combined with occasional falls of snow, made the number of spectators fewer than we ever remember it before. In the first heat, Chappel at once came to the front, and excited the admiration of all by the gallant way he trotted along, head erect and neck slightly arched, like some proud war-horse chafing at the curb; but, to carry on the same metaphor, the bearing rein was too tight for a long distance and after four laps he fell back being passed by Bengough whose long legs were doing him good service, by Hawkins who persevered pluckily though to all appearances labouring under a severe stitch, and lastly by Law who was penalised 40 yards and did not seem quite up to his usual form. Still all four kept close together, till Hawkins by a grand spurt passed Bengough, and came in first closely followed by the other three; Chappel just, and only just, failed to secure a place. (Time 5m. 25 sec.)

Then after some delay, owing to the reluctance of the pistol to be summarily discharged, the second heat started. Ravenhill led at first, but his pace was too good to last, and after three laps he fell out. Thompson who hitherto had been going with a long spanking stride, suddenly fell lame, and was reduced to a decided hobble, still he held on and was rewarded for his efforts by the first place; Adams who had been running very steadily through. out, coming in a good second, and Duncan, whose spurt was put on rather too late, third. (Time 5m. 37 sec.)

The third heat was a miserable sight, for only three fellows started. Askwith made the running for three laps, when he was overhauled by Swann ; he managed however to keep second, though closely