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is sacrificed by the choir during the last three weeks of the Christmas term. Anyone could see that the labour expended on and by the choir had been

enormous.

As a perfect choir should, it seemed to be an instrument responsive to every indication of the conductor, and under Mr. Bambridge's hand gave an interpretation of a very dramatic piece which left little to be desired. At the opening, where the music is preparatory of horror, one could almost realise the darkness of the night and subdued impatience of the men. Then came the stealthy advance, the accompaniment giving the idea of power as yet restrained but ready to set to its work, and then a burst of sound where the key changes from C minor to E minor, at the words "Charge! we're upon them." In the third verse, where the raid is over, the music indicates the joyful return of the tired riders and the boastful way in which "each one is telling his prowess o'er." One of the most characteristic features of the piece was the chorus, "Merry's the life of the Border Knight." This is set in the key of C Major, into which the music changes from the key of C minor, in which the majority of it is written. It always seems to us that the change from minor to major is a change to a style where the music "numeris fertur lege solutis," but we have never found the change so appropriate to the subject as here. Nothing could more effectually represent the free lawless life of the Borderer. The choir seemed to feel the inspiration of the music, and if there is a fault to be found with them, it was that they yielded to an irresistible inclination to hurry the chorus through. The Concert was brought to an end by the Carmen and Royal Anthem, which call for no remark.

The performances of the choir struck us as being the most prominent success of an evening in which we had the opportunity of hearing really good music in various forms. When one considers that this result was in no small degree attained by incessant practice it may serve at once as an admonition and encouragement to the various House Glee Clubs who will be training this term. May they all be as successfal as Mr. Bambridge's choir last term and we shall have a musical treat in store for us.

THE YEAR 1883.

VIEWED as a whole, the past year has been one of great and exceptional progress. It is not often that we have to chronicle a royal visit; but the presence of the Duke of Albany at our prize-giving last year gives a permanent interest to 1883. Rarely too has Marlborough to record the visit of an archiepiscopal dignity, or such a celebrated musician as Doctor Stainer. And yet a further cause for congratulation to our school is that we were granted the unmixed blessings of a whole holiday and an extra week.

The external history of the College is also eventful. The indefatigable workmen, removing the antiquated and tottering old modern school, did at length leave us absolute masters of a really handsome and architectural block of new buildings, superior in every respect to their predecessors.

And now to go into detail, and take the principal events of the year chronologically. The races stand first, and produced some capital contests, though of course slightly marred by our bête-noir, bad weather. We believe that the time of some of the contests was exceptionally good.

Confirmation brought us a no less distinguished visitor than His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, who supplemented our pleasure on that occasion by asking for a whole holiday, which was granted, and allusion to which will be made hereafter.

The house-singing competition was, in the judgment of Doctor Stainer, pronounced to be good: as also the solo-competition, where our tenors earned especial honour.

Our racquet representatives were fairly successful, both against Wellington and also at Prince's. The new racquet court seems destined to turn out some really first-rate players.

No one will forget the whole holiday: the finest day in the year, without cloud, ethereal or otherwise. Cricket parties were organised, including a successful one to Bath, where no less a club than the Lansdown had to succumb. Also several parties of adventure and exploration, all, especially that to Silchester, going off capitally. The beauty of the day and the feeling of freedom left bat few disposed to haunt the College.

The cricket was really successful; and we produced an extraordinarily good batting eleven and

the best School bowler. The Cheltenham match was a brilliant success, and so, we venture to say, would have been the Rugby match had time permitted.

But before the latter event came the brightest of bright days in the year. The Duke of Albany was really coming, and we could only regret the unavoidable absence of the Duchess. No one will forget the sumptuous decorations, both in Town and College, which caused the re-production of antique and curious ribands and streamers long laid by. The kind and hearty manner of the Prince, his eulogium on the School, and, above all, the announcement of the extra week of holiday, which his kindness procured for us, taxed all our powers of expressing our feelings. The honour list was long and distinguished, and the dinner, graced by many distinguished members of our Council, a great success, though Prize Dinner was a pseudonym.

Here

Then followed the Holidays, cheered by the length of which we returned with zeal to football. we were not successful, but at least we were unlucky, and frequently the victims of accidents and the freaks of an umpire's imagination.

To pass to the Concert, it was, we believe, allowed to be a success. If the choir were less well balanced than usual, the instrumental music was very good.

A few words now for our institutionsThe Art Society has extended its arms to embrace Literature, and some very good papers have been read. There was also a conversazione, which called out the artistic taste of several of the friends and supporters of the society. But on the whole, this society has, in spite of the energy of the new President, failed to meet adequate support from the School.

The M.C.R.V.C. has, we believe, fared well; and all who inhabit the Alley will testify to the zeal and enthusiasm with which the fife-and-drum band has performed its work.

The Brass Band has a practising room of its own in the Wilderness, where it mingles its notes with the owl and the nightingale.

The Natural History Society has at last obtained a really good Museum; its minor sub-divisions are also of increasing popularity.

School Entertainments were few and select.

Of the Health of the School we may say it was good; but a cloud is cast on the year by many

sudden deaths and losses of friends both young and

old.

And finally Oratory thrives, and every public man from the least to the greatest, from Mr. Gladstone to Mr. Henry George, is in continual danger, ne declamatio fiat.

O.M.'s.

MARRIAGES.

Dec. 11th, at St. Mary's, Chidham, Sussex, Edward Falconer Lynch-Blosse, of Cardiff, son of the late Dean of Llandaff, to Edith Caroline, daughter of the Rev. G. A. Walker.

Dec. 12th, at All Saints' Church, Headley, Hants, Harry C. Bond. B.A., Oxon, of Bromley, Kent, to Constance G. de la Motte, fourth daughter of P. H. de la Motte Esq., of Twickenham and King's College, London.

Dec. 20th, at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, by the Deans of Westminster and Windsor, the Rev. John Shearm Thomas, Bursar of Marlborough College, to Evelyn Lucy, daughter of the Venerable Archdeacon Farrar, D.D., Canon of Westminster.

Dec. 20th, at St. Saviour's, West Croydon, Frederick Dutton, of Gresham House, Old Broad Street, Solicitor, youngest son of the late F. S. Dutton, C.M.G., to Beatrice Aimée, second daughter of Col. Charles Bridger, of No. 19 Tisbury Road, West Brighton.

Jan. 22nd, at St. George's, Hanover Square, Captain George Philip Townsend, 4th Battalion of the Essex Regt., to Jane Charlotte Bazett, widow of the late John Wright, Esq., of Hatfield Priory.

DEATHS.

Dec. 26th, at Ospedaletti, San Remo, George Trenchard Pickard-Cambridge, Bengal Staff Corps, eldest son of the Rev. E. Pickard-Cambridge, Warmwell Rectory, Dorsetshire, aged 26 years.

Dec. 28th, Alfred William Arkle, of Brasenose College, Oxford, son of W. B. Arkle, Oxton, Birkenhead, aged 23 years.

UNIVERSITIES. OXFORD.

CLASSICAL MODERATIONS. Second Class-A. D. Innes, Oriel College. Third Class-A. Druitt, New College.

CAMBRIDGE.

ORDINARY B.A. DEGREE.

Political Economy-Class I.-F. M. Lucas, Trinity College. Chemistry-Class II.-H. J. F. Van, Cavendish College. Law-Class I.-J. G. Q. Besch, St. John's College.

NAVY.

Royal Marine Light Infantry-Capt. Eustace Edward Godfrey Bird retires from the service.

ARMY.

Royal Engineers-William Henry Goldney, to be Captain. The Gordon Highlanders-Capt. H. Harding Mathias, to be Major.

Staff-Lieut.-Col. and Col. Henry James Buchanan, C.B., to be Deputy Quartermaster-General in Ireland.

4th Brigade, North Irish Division of the Royal ArtilleryCapt. John Minitt Tabor, R.A., to be Adjutant.

PASSED OUT OF SANDHURST.

A. B. Thruston.

O. Beeton.

PASSED INTO SANDHURST.

*E. D. White.

Arthur G. V. Chichester.

Guy L. B. Du Maurier.

Neville Cracroft Taylor.

Henry Wise U. Coates.

* Passed direct from the school.

PASSED THE PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF THE INNS OF COURT.

Francis Montagu Preston.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

ORDINATIONS.

Deacons.-Edward Shearburn Marshall, B.N.C., Oxford, Thomas David Charles Firminger, Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Edward John Norris, Trinity College, Cambridge.
Priests.-Walter M. H. Milner, Queen's College, Oxford.
Edward N. Dew, St. John's College, Oxford.

PREFERMENTS, &c.

Rev. Charles Dendy Blakiston; Vicar of Linslade, Leighton Buzzard.

Rev. T. D. C. Firminger; Curate of St. Crispin, Bermondsey. Rev. E. Southwell Garnier; Rector of Quidenham-cumSnetterton, Thetford, Norfolk.

Rev. E. S. Marshall; Curate of St. Paul, Tottenham.

Rev. E. I. Norris; Curate of Wokingham.

Rev. George Henry Perry; Vicar of St. Mathew's, City Road.

Rev. L. S. Wainwright; Vicar of St. Peter's, London Docks,

The Rev. John Mee Fuller, late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, Vicar of Benley, Kent, has been elected to the post of Professor of Ecclesiastical History at King's College,

London.

Occasional Notes.

THE whole school returned on Friday, January the 18th.

On our arrival we found that the alterations of the chapel, about which there had been so much talk last term, had already begun. Operations have commenced by the removal of the whole of the Eastern wall; its place has been temporarily supplied by a screen. The building operations are not yet of a nature to stop the usual services and will not be, we believe, till after Midsummer.

THE Common Room has sustained the loss of Mr. Knight; in his place P. H. Madan, Esq., has come as mathematical master.

HOCKEY, when not succumbing to wind, snow and rain, is still the orthodox game, in spite of the attempts made last term to substitute association football in its place. That interesting game, however, is sometimes resorted to as a pleasing variety. Baker's is still, as of old, the only house which is not attracted by the charms of hockey.

THE trial heats of the Races have been fixed for Monday and Tuesday, March the 24th and 25th; the finals for Friday and Saturday, March 28th and 29th.

SHARP'S (Mitre) have undergone a change of housemasters. As was announced last term, Mr. Sharp has given up his house through ill-health and his place has been taken by Mr. Leaf.

THE annual confirmation, which usually takes place during the Easter term, has been fixed for April

the 2nd.

THE race committee remains the same as it was last term.

WE beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of the following contemporaries:-Melburnian, Elizabethan, Our School Times, Fettesian, Rossalian, Reptonian, Cheltonian, Meteor, Reading School Magazine, Thistle, Cinque Port, Hurst Johnian, Barrovian, Tonbridgian, Camden School Record, Carthusian, Haileyburian, Laxtonian, Wellingburian.

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

SIR,-Now that we are suffering from the present rain and bad weather, I should like to ask the authorities, through the medium of your valuable columns, a question that has long burdened my mind, wherefore should there never be "prayers in classrooms" on Sunday mornings? There is sufficient reason for middle and evening chapel on Sundays, when the

services are more or less full; but that reason does not hold in regard to the morning service, which as far as I can see could pass off just as well in classrooms as anywhere else. But why on Sunday mornings should we have to traverse the Court through any amount of rain? Why at that time above all others should we have the exclusive privilege of getting wet ? I may also mention that it is more difficult to avoid getting wet in going to chapel than at most other occasions, For umbrellas are practically useless, if you have any regard for them; in the confusion of the ante-chamber they often lose their presence of mind and have a curious tendency to walk away with other people.

Apologising for taking up so much of your valuable space, I am, yours, etc.,

ANTI-C.

To the Editor of the Marlburian. SIR,-Now that the studies at the bottom of B House appear to be going the way of all flesh, could not the space, where they used to be, be converted into a room for the especial purpose of keeping and drying flannels? There is not very much room to spare in any of the lavatories for this purpose; and a room of the kind has long been a grevious want. May I be allowed to hope that this opportunity will not be missed.

Yours., etc.,

N.T.

To the Editor of the Marlburian. SIR,-Without wishing to add needlessly to the heavy labours of Mr. Preston in regard to the new Museum, I should like to draw the attention of your readers to the existance of a want. We all feel immense gratitude to the energy which has provided the School such useful recreation; but would notthat recreation be rendered still more useful by the publication of a short catalogue descriptive of the contents of the Museum ? Mr. Preston it is true delivered a lecture this term before some members of the Natural History Society to explain how the Museum could be most profitably used; but only a small number of the School were present; and the majority of those who walk round the Museum on Sunday mornings have, I fear, a very scanty idea as to the nature of the objects that they see in the various glass cases before them; they remark that some objects are beautiful and that others are not, but beyond this they do not go. A catalogue of the character which I suggest would do something to dispel this ignorance, would excite curiosity, and finally, I should think, if I may appeal to baser and more mercenary motives, would pay. I am, Sir, yours, etc.,

OLD MARLBURIAN SCHOLARSHIPS.

B. & B.

I suppose that all, or nearly all, of your O.M. readers have heard of the O.M. Scholarships, but I am sure that the words to most of them must hitherto have been vox et præterea nihil. The School List published at Christmas always contains a list of Subscribers' names, with a brief account of the foundation and application of these Scholarships, from which the following facts may be gathered.

On the 29th of January, 1861, there was a meeting of O.M's in London brought together presumably by the spirit of that period, when the School was already full of vigorous and manly life and energy, and of that promise for the future which has since been so largely realised, but still contending with difficulties, of which insufficient endowment was not the least. The O.M's present at this meeting resolved, as a means of emphatically expressing their abiding interest in the School, to open a Fund, to be known as the "O.M. Scholarship Fund," to be maintained by subscriptions, usually of 10s. 6d. per annum, and donations, and to be employed in founding a Scholarship or Scholarships to be held by present Marlburians by the gift of their brothers of the past.

Since then there has always been in the School an O.M. Scholarship or Exhibition thus endowed: at present here are three Exhibitions, one of £50 per annum, tenable for three years given triennially for Classical subjects, and two, each of £25 per aunum, for Modern School subjects, one of which is vacant annually. But the Fund is inadequately supported. A glance at the list of subscribers' names will show that many of the early contributors have remained firm in their support, and that the older generations of O.M's still welcome this opportunity of showing by tangible proof that the interest of the School is always dear to them.

But where are the younger O.M's, who, after all, might support this Fund most appropriately and gracefully for a year or two after leaving School ?

Sir, I know that their devotion to the School is even greater than that of their predecessors, and I feel sure that the lukewarm spirit in which this Fund has lately been supported is due not to indifference but to want of information or recollection. Yet more than 1000 circulars were sent out in 1882, and again in 1883 by the present Secretary of the Fund, S. T. Fisher, Esq., 4, Park Prospect, Little Queen Street, Westminster, by whom contributions are gladly received at any time. I am, dear Sir,

Your obedient servant,

G. H. DAWSON. The following is a list of the number of subscribers with the total subscribed at three different periods in the last eighteen years :

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To the Editor of the Marlburian. GENTLEMEN,-In acknowledging the receipt of the sum collected for his testimonial (£16 9s.) Serjeant Purdey has asked me to make known to all subscribers his gratitude for their kindness.

May I just briefly, once more appeal to the school to support the Rifle Corps a little more heartily? I feel that the appeal is not made to ears entirely deaf, for last term there was a decided improvement both in the number and size of recruits. I hope I am right in thinking that this is no delusive sign of returning vigour. This term it is especially important for the credit of the corps, and therein of the school, to get fellows who possess thews and sinews. These qualities as a rule imply nerve; and nerve is what we want in shooting at Wimbledon. There must be a fair number of fellows, who for some reason or other cannot hope to distinguish themselves in games, but who might without a very great amount of trouble, win fame with the rifle. It is not a very hard thing to get into the VIII. Let me cite an instance of what perseverance and enthusiasm did last year. I have been told on the best authority that of the VIII. sent up to Wimbledon by a Public school, considerably junior to Marlborough, barely one member had handled a rifle before the preceding Christmas; and yet they came very close to victory.

I have run on beyond my intention. With many apologies Yours faithfully,

G. W. RUNDALL.

To the Editor of the Marlburian.

DEAR SIR,- The subject upon which I am writing is one that deserves the attention of Marlburians generally and has most thoroughly the interests of Marlborough at heart.

It is the Marlborough Nomad Football Club. This club for some reason or other, rightly or wrongly, seems to be unpopular and in disfavour with the authorities at Marlborough, and it is my object in writing this letter to point out a few simple statements of fact which are worthy of the attention of those interested in the best welfare of the College.

It has been stated, perhaps with some degree of truth, that the conduct of the Nomads was not as orthodox as the Masters might have wished.

Mr. Editor!

This surely was in the past :- the chapter is finished, a new volume is begun, and with some degree of confidence I ask the readers of your excellent publication if there was anything objectionable or discreditable in the conduct of the team who recently visited you.

The answer I freely give in anticipation, and it is emphatic. No!

Then arises the question. How is it that reports and rumours decidedly detrimental to the interests and work of our club are continually reaching us from Marlborough? We think that certain persons, remembering the past, continually place it in prominence, in a manner calculated to crush the future. In order properly to consider the position of this

club it is necessary to state its present position and upon what basis that position rests.

Our club in the past has included the best athletes that the school has produced, and has always united amongst its members representatives from either university.

But then as the mint cannot go on producing sovereigns unless the raw material, gold, is supplied, equally the Nomads cannot continue in their present proficiency if Marlborough does not supply its contingent of new members.

It is fair to ask, why it is that our recruits have been scarce ?

Is it because our club does not do credit to the school? Is it that our society is avoided by other schools, or by the crack football clubs of England?

Or is it merely that Marlborough has an idle prejudice against us?

My natural modesty prevents my answering these questions; but it is fair and right that a few statements of fact should be brought to the notice of all those who watch the interest s of this School.

To be brief: the Nomads have played with all the leading Metropolitan Clubs; they have met the Military Academies at Woolwich and Sandhurst; they have defeated the sailors and lowered the colours of the soldiers; they have carried the name of Marlborough victoriously into the great trading districts of the north, playing Manchester, Huddersfield, and other big towns; at all these places and at several Schools they have been most warmly received at first, and welcomed again.

I venture to think that these matches, to which reference has been made, are likely to increase rather than lessen the good opinion which the public hold of Marlborough.

Are these invitations which we receive, these matches which we play, suggestive of the rowdyness and bad conduct with which our members are charged?

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I venture to think not, and without any hesitation I assert that no one has the better interests of Marlborough at heart, nobody is more anxious to further the interests of the School than the club to which I belong.

That club cannot continue to exist unless Marlborough supplies it with new members; and I certainly think that present Marlburians should consider the welfare of a club that does credit and honor to the school.

It may be thought that I am writing merely in the cause of the Nomads; this is not so, as through an accident it is never likely that I shall play football again, and it is under these circumstances that I have ventured to ask you to publish this letter, which is written, as I most sincerely believe, in the best interest of all those concerned in the school of which I am so humble a member.

And lastly let me add that the club was never more popular or better conducted than at present, and all Marlborough boys joining our ranks can be assured a hearty welcome and a thoroughly enjoyable game of football.

Yours sincerely,

ROBERT M. YETTS.

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