FOR TERMS AND LIST OF BOOKS APPLY AT 21 BROAD STREET, OXFORD. The University FURNISHING WAREHOUSE, 1 BROAD STREET, OXFORD. WILLIAM BAKER Solicits Inspection of his Superior Stock of STUDY AND LIBRARY FURNITURE Of first-class, reliable manufacture and finish, conveniently arranged in one of the LARGEST PROVINCIAL FURNISHING ESTABLISHMENTS. For economic Artistic Effect in College Rooms, choice consignments are submitted of ORIENTAL DECORATIVE NOVELTIES In Folding Screens, Portières, Carpets, Rugs, and Mattings, and WALL DECORATIONS, Counterparts of which cannot be obtained in this District. For Blinds, Draperies, Curtains, &c. ANGLO-JAPANESE ART FURNITURE SCHOLASTIC AGENCY. OFFICES: 38 SACKVILLE STREET, PICCADILLY, LONDON, W. CONDUCTED BY MESSRS. ASKIN, GABBITAS AND KILLIK. UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF The Right Rev. the LORD BIShop of St. Alban's. The Very Rev. the DEAN OF Salisbury. The Rev. P. L. D. ACKLAND, Prebendary of Exeter. The Rev. J. H. GRAY, Fellow and Dean, Queen's College, The Rev. DR. HOLDEN, Athenæum Club, S.W. The Rev. CANON MACLEAR, Warden, St. Augustine's College, Canterbury. The Rev. D. MELVILLE, Canon of Worcester. And many of the Headmasters of our First Grade Schools. By applying to this Agency, University Men seeking Masterships in Public, Grammar, or Private Schools, are assured timely notice of the most suitable Vacancies. Terms, Testimonials, and References forwarded on application. A Weekly Newspaper and Review. VOL. VI. No. 12.] WEDNESDAY, February 8. O.U.R.U.F.C. v. Kent Rovers. Balliol v. Magdalen A.F.C. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1888. CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK. Balliol v. Keble R.F.C. [PRICE SIXPENCE. Exeter v. Christ Church A.F.C. (Christ Church ground). p.m.-Mr. Charles Warner's Company, Held by the Enemy, at the Theatre. 8 p.m.-The Blue Hungarian Band, at the Corn Exchange. 9 p.m.-Dr. Fairbairn at Mansfield rooms, 90 High Street. NOTES AND NEWS. THE 'Varsity crew is getting into shape. Robertson has come into the boat at 4, and Cross holds his position at 5. Both are strong men, and would have a chance of rowing in any year; this year they seem to be certainties. Holland has been rowing stroke this last week, but will very likely give way to Frere, since medical inspection has set at rest all doubts about the latter's physique. But it is likely that he will not row for some time, as the President does not care to repeat the tactics which nearly placed Higgins hors de combat in '82. The bow oars are very light. Burr seems likely to retain his place. Holland will row bow or 3 if Frere rows stroke, and the remaining place will lie between Bradford, Scott-Montagu and Young. A correspondent writes:"The new rule of the O.U.B.C. for boats turning at Iffley, seems to have merely systematized the old delays and inconveniences without making them less. This Term you may veniences without making them less. This Term you may see ten or a dozen torpids solemnly waiting in a long queue from the Isis haystack down to Iffley Lock, while each in turn paddles by short stages to the lowest point, is turned with the speed and dexterity of an average Torpid cox, often a helplessly clumsy fresher, and then goes up to the corner for another lengthy easy, while the coxswains in front are working out the problems arising from a side wind. Under the old anarchy each boat tried to outwit the others, and to turn as soon and as high up as possible, but under the new rule no boat is let off without suffering the maximum of inconvenience which the wiliness of all the others could before have inflicted on it." Last week's skating was very disappointing. On Monday the Iffley ice, except in the Skating Club's preserve, was quite played out by the gay morning skater, and the plain man who skates after lunch got nothing better than desultory hockey. On Thursday a good many went to Wolvercote, a place not to be reached on foot. But between this and Oxford the country is most difficult and ill fitted for cavalry, as it abounds in slopes and slippery ascents at a gradient not negotiable by Oxford cab-horses, so that on Thursday fares longing for skating were compelled now and then to get out and sit on the heads of their fallen cattle while the jarveys and pleased rustics did the disentangling part. At Wolvercote there were two ponds, neither very smooth nor well looked after, and the best ice on one of these was thriftily kept for next day by the proprietor, in the face of a southerly wind and a cloudy sky. When these at length brought a thaw on Friday and restored the Torpids, Desidia tardos et longo frigore pingues, to their employment, they had to go below Sandford to get afloat, and even then they had to deal with occasional icebergs on whose slippery surface mere human adroitness could not possibly get a "beginning." The University Volunteers should come forward to a man this year and join the marching column to Dover. At a time when the Austrian and Russian sentinels are scowling at each other over the sullen Vistula, and the head of the Standard is thrown up to catch the sniff of the war breeze, it behoves every Volunteer to tighten his belt and learn to form fours. These elements of strategy can be best acquired by patriotically combining with other Volunteers to drive the imaginary foe from the white cliffs of Albion. It is astonishing how soon an intelligent man can learn to distinguish his left from his right if he only applies himself assiduously to that study for four days. The year before last a gallant detachment fought its way to Dover. The severest trial on that occasion was being billeted in a barn with a hundred Westminster printers. This was probably the reason why only three cellent time with the Inns of Court, and saw capital work. Oxford men offered for last year. Those three had an exAt present only seven or eight have entered their names at the Orderly Room. Surely our degeneracy is not past all hope? A correspondent writes: "Why are so many football heroes rowing in the Torpids. this year? Can a man do more than one sport to perfection in one Term? Must not the sports suffer, or the man, or both? Yet many a face and figure familiar in the Parks are now toiling between Iffley and the barges, and they must leave their boats temporarily crippled when the big matches come on. You know, Sir, the respected names which it would be invidious for me to mention. We seem to be reverting to the state of things of fifty years ago, when we read that on the first night Balliol (e.g.) bumped Exeter, and on the second, Exeter, with an entirely fresh crew,' re-bumped Balliol. There used to be a characteristic gravitas about a Torpid crew that was not entirely due to a maximum of flesh and a minimum of conversation. Now if the con stitution of the College Torpids is to be practically at the mercy of the captains of the football clubs, had we not all The Torpid better go out in dingeys on the Upper River? by the seat on which he sat. I should like to see you explain man is losing that fixed consistency of character symbolised this." We are glad to be able to state that Mr. Moyle of New College has accepted the post of Treasurer of the University Moyle was Captain of the Winchester eleven in 1871 and Cricket Club. Old Wykehamists will remember that Mr. did considerable execution as a bowler then, and afterwards devoted lover of the game and an admirable man of business. on Cowley Marsh. Oxford men of to-day know him as a The Cricket Club is fortunate indeed in securing so able and genial a successor to Mr. Case. Newspapers have not ceased to trouble Oxford. Last week's Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, devoted a whole page of illustrations to University boating. A really remarkable page! The river from the artist's point of view is about as broad as the St. Lawrence, or Mississippi; we won't be particular within a mile or two. The whole boating population, except a few straggling pairs in the dim distance, has turned out to see "The Oxford Crew at work": the ancient boating dress is gone: long trowsers turned up a few inches, and caps with the peaks at the back, seem to be the fashion. There is only room for twenty-two men to appear in the picture, running by the side of the coach, but doubtless there were hundreds more behind. Two lovely damsels "A pair of dark blue partizans,”—very wooden, with the correct half-smile and fringe of barmaid beauty, are in one corner. Another picture is, "Out in pairs," that is to say, two of the "crew" in a light pair, apparently fixed seats with a coach behind. How like this is to real life all rowing men will at once admit! Only one small drawing is devoted to Cambridge, in which their boat looks considerably too small for them. How honoured Oxford ought to feel! a whole page in the Sporting Dramatic devoted to us, and only one wee drawing to our adversary! On Tuesday next Convocation will be asked to decide a question involving principles of no ordinary importance. St. John's College have appealed ad misericordiam, and demand the approval of the University to a change in their more. Terrible tales are told of the cost of science men: except Boden Professors of Sanskrit nothing is so expensive an academic luxury as the Museum student. The University contributes large sums to science, many of the Colleges support science scholars, a few maintain science laboratories, and most find the science fees a serious drain on their tuition funds. What is not so well known is, that the vast expenditure of the University and the Colleges does not suffice to provide adequate instruction; but it is the fact that science, or at least one branch of it, is the one School in which coaching is almost universal. It is not comforting to hear that ten men who found no lecture in Physiology provided for them, have been obliged to subscribe a modest sum per head to supply themselves with a lecture. Such is the management of University business; we spend £500 on a lodge for a care-taker, and we cannot find £20 a Term to pay a lecturer for lecturing on Physiology for the preliminary Examination. Statutes, which will have the effect of postponing their con- form, it is desirable that they should plainly express their tribution to the support of the Laudian Professor of Arabic. opinions. Without some external pressure, it is more than During the interval the burden will be thrown upon the Uni- likely that inter-collegiate jealousy will regain the upper versity chest. The plea advanced is, of course, agricultural | hand, and that we shall relapse into the old anarchy once depression. It is obvious that two questions are at once raised by the proposal: (1) How far are the difficulties of St. John's College due to causes entirely beyond control? Have not some of them arisen from the sinking of large funds from which the College expects a considerable future increase of revenue? We make no attempt to answer this question, but we maintain that a College must be held responsible for its administration, and that its future as well as its present condition must be taken into account. (2) The second question is, How long will it be before other Colleges take advantage of the same means of evading or postponing their obligations? In that case, how long will the University support the increasing drain upon its funds? It is obvious that the secret influence which induces many to give the proposal a favourable consideration is the idea that their own Colleges may some day wish to make a similar demand, and they would hardly like to have a previous vote cast in their teeth. This general revision of contracts marks a perilous advance towards the principle of socialism, and promises to offer a series of delightful opportunities to the politicians who love to declaim against the Universities in the House of Commons. Of course, Oxford has taken a prominent part in supporting the new Political Economy, but it was not generally supposed that it had such direct pecuniary interest in the abandonment of the old principles. We have no desire to prejudge the question which is to be raised next Tuesday, but we wish to draw attention to the importance of the issues involved, and especially to protest against a hasty and interested decision, which may have the effect of weakening the sense of the responsibility of governing bodies of Colleges for the administration of their revenues. In this connection we may call attention to another proposal which has recently been discussed, viz. the extension of the period within which loans must be repaid from thirty years to fifty. There is doubtless much to be said for the proposal. It is often hard that the cost of permanent improvements should be borne exclusively by one or two generations, instead of being shared by their successors who enjoy the benefits arising from them. But then, who is to decide what are improvements, and whether they are permanent or not? The "improvements" of one generation are too often the abomination of the next. The buildings which are built by one set of Fellows, the next may wish to destroy. There seems to be a general desire to accept the proposal as giving power, but to refrain from exercising it unless exceptional circumstances arise. But this is a hollow disinterestedness. If once the change were carried, it would at once be taken advantage of. The pressure of immediate interest would be irresistible. Corporations have proverbially tough constitutions. If they wish to have Statutes altered for their benefit, are they likely to refrain from exercising powers which the law confers upon them? The change may or may not be desirable, but it is foolish to maintain that it would be merely permissive. With the end of the present academical year the three years arrangement for combined examinations for College Scholarships will come to an end. It will be necessary to consider before long the question whether the system shall be retained, modified, or abandoned. Some of the colleges are dissatisfied, more neutral, and few are enthusiastic. The scheme was adopted at the request of the schoolmasters, and we believe that it has been of great advantage to their pupils. If they wish it to be continued in the same or an altered We hear that a powerful voice has been raised in Council against the imperfect Latin of the lists of Candidates published by the Proctors. By some grievous error the lordly Dionysius fails to get his due, and remains plain Denis, while newer names, mere Frank and Harry, blossom into the Latin style. We should like to suggest that if College Tutors cannot be counted on for sending the names in correctly, a dictionary should be provided at the charges of the University for the use of the Proctors. We have received the following communication, but dare not say to whom it seems to refer : "A certain delicacy has hitherto prevented my communicating the following fact, curious and distressing as it is, to your columns. I now yield to the urgency of my spiritual adviser, who has seriously blamed me for not instantly taking all possible steps to relieve a good man from undeserved and painful embarassment. Mancipium locuples eget aeris Cappadocum rex. There is one to whom all the University renders willing service, whose word can dismiss the most litigious Examiner, and humble the haughtiest Undergraduate. This generous and talented functionary has been seen in the Cornmarket-the tears are coursing down our cheeks as we write-without his robes of office, without a poker, without a bedell, surreptitiously selling a cow! Was that cow sold to relieve his College's distress, to pander to the presumable avarice of a yet uncreated Laudian professor? Were the robes let out for a fancy dress ball in London at two guineas a night? Was the bedell dismissed to save his wages? Was the poker in pawn? These sinister rumours are afloat: it is no use shutting our eyes to them. Men who know what it is to suffer and be silent will surely show their practical sympathy with this heroic self-sacrifice." The election to the Professorship of Political Economy is exciting a great deal of intelligent interest. An undergraduate has asked if it is true that Mr. Rogers of Billingsgate is standing. It is not true. What is true is that the Rev. W. Rogers of Bishopsgate has published a book of Reminiscences, but he is not a candidate for the Chair of Political Economy. We are at a loss to understand how such a rumour can have spread. It is not true either that Mr. Furnival is standing. He is a friend of Shakespere, Shelley and Browning as well as of spelling his own way, |