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Long lanes of splendour slanted o'er a
press
Of snowy shoulders, thick as herded ewes,
And rainbow robes, and gems and gem- *
like eyes,
And gold and golden heads."
Gems and gold and rainbow robes
were not adjusted without some
thought and trouble, and perhaps,
even in our practical and unpoetic
days, a question might profitably
be sometimes asked from the
cheval glasses.
A stately dame was walking in
the garden and a^ hushed whis-
per said ** The Principal ! " We
were honoured by being presented
to her and, for all her dignified
position, she talked like any other
kindly lady and seemed to merit
and possess at least as much love
as Buy Ginette respect in the halls where her
rule is unquestioned. Several
points still rankle in the minds of
rulers and ruled of the ladies' col-
leges. The right to take degrees
has not yet been conceded to them
by Convocation and worse still
they are not allowed to wear
academic caps and robes. We
were told that these privileges will
no doubt come in time. Perhaps,
with regard to the last-named, as
it appears that men are giving up
cap and gown as much as possible,
the ladies will succeed to the cast-
88
BAILY S MAGAZINE.
[February
oft garments and keep alive the
tradition of the old university
costume. Did we say how good
was the tea with which we were
entertained? The Oxford tradi-
tions of hospitality have at least
suffered no diminution in the
hands of its new and fair students.
Evening chapel at Magdalen.
What more fitting way to close a
day full of old memories and new
impressions. Where can such
sacred strains be heard, where is
everything more in harmony with
holy thought and earnest devotion ?
Melodious as are the sweet voices
of the choir the melody by no
means overpowers the sense and
sentiment of what is sung. Every
word rings bell-like, clear and
distinct as in the plainest reading.
How often in other sacred edifices
we have listened to a confused
jangle of sound which seemed to
us neither reverent nor artistic, a
vain striving after effect with
apparently little or no thought of
conveying a definite idea to the
worshippers. Here everything is
perfect. The majestic simplicity
of our prayer-book service is by no
means obscured by involved and
fantastic rendering but is illumined
by the emphasis of most tender
music.
The great aquatic event of the
pre-Christmas term is the inter-
collegiate struggle in coxswainless
fours and it was our good fortune
to see the last heat rowed between
New College and Magdalen. We
were privileged to sit on the roof
of a college barge and, secure and
high above the turmoil of the water
way, to watch the life and move-
ment of the river. What a sight
it was, such as no other country
could show ! The long row of
stately barges, each of those
interested in the day's racing
flying its college boat-club flag.
The crowds of fours and pairs
passing up and down, in which
freshmen are being initiated into
the mysteries of scientific rowing.
In the stern of each a coach is
standing up holding the tiller
ropes, admonishing and urging
his pupils in most emphatic and
often scathing words. The
wretched youths in front of him
have probably never rowed before.
The oar is an unfamiliar and
uncontrollable article which seems
to have strange and independent
ways of its own. The technical
expressions that come so sternly
from the mouth of the instructor
are in a still unknown language
and convey little meaning.
We have been told too that a
seat in a boat is not always as
considerate to the cuticle as a
cushioned armchair and that, to the
unaccustomed hand, the grasp of
the oar is, after a little while, only
a few degrees less agonising than
that of hot iron. But soon the
oar will become a handy and
obedient servant ; the rich vocabu-
lary of the river will convey deep
and solemn truths; the cuticle
will become hard and enduring
and the soft hands will develop
leathery palms that can resist
anything less eroding than a nut-
meg grater. And those lads, who
are labouring so strenuously under
their task-masters, have all high
and praiseworthy ambitions in
their minds. In months to come
they may be selected for their
college ** Torpids " and row in
boats which will bring glory to
their clubs by accomplishing such
a brilliant bump as Ginette 35 Tablet is worthy to
live in history. Any one of them
may even rise to the dignity of a
seat in his college eight, a proud
pre-eminence equal in value to
much fame and credit gained in
what Dugald Dalgetty called "the
humanities." To a very, very few
it may be given to arrive at being
a 'Varsity Blue and to pull for the
honour of Oxford between Putney
i899.]
OXFORD REVISITED.
89
and Mortlake before the eyes of
admiriDg thousands. But tor the
present, such a prospect of possible
greatness can only be the vaguest
of dreams.
The river is not occupied by
aspiring freshmen alone however.
Here and there, darting along
under the influence of a strong
and practised stroke, is an
outrigger skiff whose solitary
occupant is giving himself a
constitutional breather or keeping
lung and muscle in order for some
future trial of skill — or a canoe
flits by, paddled on each side
alternately. Then the ferry punts
are crossing from the barges to
the tow-path side, carrying the
men who are going to run along-
side the coming race, and collisions
are many between them and the
boats. There seems to be much
mutual accommodation but now
and then a voice is heard giving
a forcible aquatic equivalent for
the hansom cabby's " Now then,
stoopid, where are you a driving
to?"
The hour for the race is nigh and
the course is gradually clearing.
See ! the men of New College are
now launching their ship and we
are confidentially informed by a
friendly undergraduate that she is
built of cedar, only an eighth of
an inch thick. Fancy trusting