/ ^ . J . Y o o c n

AUGUST, 1915.

Vol XXI. No. 2

E MAGAZIN• • • OF THE ■ • •

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

HERMES.

Ha v i n g secured from London the services of a Special Military Cut­

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HERMES. 41

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Signalling Handbook for Australian Mili­tary Forces. Including Morse System, Semaphore System, Use and Care of Apparatus, Helio., Telescope, Flags, Message Forms, Station Routine, Train­ing and Classification. Completely il­lustrated. Compiled by a Signalling Officer. 1/- (postage Id.).

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Junior Cadet Manual. Including the authorised Squad Drill. Physical Exer­cises, Miniature Rifle Shooting, First Aid, Organized Games, Swimming, and Life Sa\’ing. Second edition, revised. Cloth cover, 3/6 (postage 2d.).

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Booksellers to th e U n iv e r s ity

42 HERMES.

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The Magazine of the University of Sydney.

(Published Once a Term.)

V o l . X X I . . N o . 2 , AUGUST, 1915. A . v n p a l S u b s c r i p t i o n . 2 s .

The Call to War.

Amid all the fearful accompaniments of a world-wa'r, its ghastliness, its cruel­ties, its crimes, there is yet time for re­flection on a boon which it brings in its train to humankind. It has been called patriotism, but it is not that. Some have called it the impulse of duty, driving men to the physical justification of right. But duty implies a moral basis, and this is not charctcteristic. Rather is it an in­definite, all-absorbing, all-contagious pas­sion, which suffuses the souls of men, fires their imagination, and carries them into a heaven of exultation. The present war, ba.' ed on the strength of two an­tagonising principles, is swept along in

the whirlwind of emotion such as we de­scribe. That emotion finds its parallel in the devotion to every great cause, whe­ther it be an intellectual new-birth or the dawning of a great religion.

The greatest wonder of this war is the metamorphosis it has produced in our fellow'-men. Our dearest friends have changed from quiet professional or busi­ness men into the protagonists of a great cause. They have become soldier-mis- sionaries of a world-doctrine of liberty and justice which part of the, world has wilfully transgressed. We see the change in thousands o f. faces around us, not merely in those generous men to whom a

44 HERMES.

righteous purpose is a burning passion, but even in those whose mode of life in peace time had reduced them to the lowest depths of ignominy.

A year ago, a young man, let us say, dwelt amongst us, whom we all despised. He was a ne’er-do-well, impoverished, profligate. Life, so radiant in prospect to the young, was to him clouded, hope­less. Now and then a ray of sunshine had entered into his heart, warming the life-blood within him, onlj' to pass away and leave him in the night of his own mak­ing. There came a war, a great war, a war whose appeal penetrated the souls of men. His imagination was kindled. He heard the tramp of millions of men march­ing to danger, destruction, death, to the fulfilment of an inevitable destiny, gather­ing exultation out of pain, ecstasy out of sorrow. He would make one of them, and to-day we see him fighting, strug­gling, suffering, rejoicing in his manhood and his strength, and willingly giving the last meed of sacrifice to a cause which he cannot define. Yet that cause is vividly real. It has the beauty of poetry, the potency of truth. Under its influence a man becomes at once as fierce as a tiger and as gentle as a lamb. Nature seems to have changed her quiet tints into col­ours of savage grandeur. Over there on the horizon are rolling masses of cloud. Our soldier sees in them gigantic armies of men, surging in the smoke and fire of battle. Here is a little flower, type of modesty and gentleness. Before, it was a pretty thing, a symbol of external nature. Now, it is a poet’s treasure, pregnant with love and beauty. It re­minds him of friends, of home, and of country. Thus does Nature take colour­ing from the soul, which is itself enlivened by a power that transcends all things. It is this power that grips our men, and sends them forth gay of heart and light of step to scenes of endless peril. It is this same power that ennobles our women, strengthening them in the trials of an­guish and patience which will be their lot, and instils into them that sacred love which is the soul and life of every nation.

It is good in these times to look into ourselves and view the changes that have come over us. Our ideals have been in­

tensified, heightened; our selfish propen­sities lessened; our sympathies deepened; our outlook extended over a field of vision that embraces all humanity. VVe have formed a soul-kinship with the Gaul and the Slav. VVe have left oflferings on the same altar as the Belgian and the Serb. W'e have chastened our pride and thrash­ed our infirmities. A greater degree of dignity has entered into our public life, and man and master have learnt to appre­ciate better each other’s worth. Yet we have not put forth the fufl value of our strength. There is room for greater sin­cerity in our politics, and greater self­obliteration in the individual. Were Australia, like Belgiijm, directly under the whip and scourge of war, we would not wince. Our men have already on the heights of Gallipoli shown the mettle of their pasture. But the issue of this war is no national issue. It is a world-issue that concerns Australia as much as France or Russia or England._ The truths for which we are fighting are world- truths, spiritual truths, and if Australia fails to realise to the full the responsibili­ties awaiting her, she shall have wilfully courted moral oblivion.

To-day the appeal of the world is to young men. They are the hope and strength of our peoples, and on the spirit in which they honour that trust depends the destiny of the civilised world. On each man individually rests a responsi­bility w'hich he must neither silence nor evade. Some have personal responsi­bilities, even more sacred than personal service m the field, which it would he criminal to ignore. Others, only too will­ing to enlist, are bound dow'n by the fet­ters of parental selfishness. They must abide their time. But the great majority of men have a direct appeal, hammering insistently at their breasts, waiting for the only response which a good conscience can give. These men have a duty to the nation, to the world, and to the flesh and blood of which they are made. It is a duty which must be discharged: else, un­discharged, it will leave them mere ghosts of men.

As the sons of a great University, we must search into our hearts for a true knowledge of our position. We are bet­

HERMES. 45

ter placed than other men in our ability to recognise the spiritual significance of this great war. For years we have lived in an atmosphere of learning, sifting out the truths of life, partaking eagerly of that knowledge which would best suit ns in the service of our fellow-men. To-day the very structure of our civilisation is imperilled. And the peril is the sword of a gigantic, unscrupulous host which has the power of a great nation’s intellect be­hind it. For it is foolish to underrate our enemy. He has established a firm, victorious footing on both battle-fronts, and in the Mediterranean our soldiers with all their dash and heroism have not obtained, as yet, any decisive advantage. Our duty, then, is plain. We must ask ourselves: “ Have we, as a University,

honestly shouldered the burden?” In proportion to other institutions or bodies of men, we have done more than our share. But in view of the urgency of the appeal, of the tremendous issues at stake, we cannot deny that, speaking ab­solutely, our response has been poor. .And the reason is that we are not properly seized of the significance of the war. Let us only realise to the full the peril of our position, let only our imagination fly over stretches of sea to where the nations of Europe lie locked in a death-struggle, and we shall give an eager response. Mean­while. from Belgium, Poland, and Galli­poli comes an insistent, commanding voice. It is as though we heard again the words of the Athenian: “ Go, every man of you, into the ranks!”

Round the Common Room.

From the fact that half the class looked uncomfortable when the Professor re­marked there was no material heaven, de­duce ^he number of Divinity students taking Greek. By the way, will SocratesII., after corrupting the youth of Sydney, be driven to the—hem—hock?

* + *

.^re bargain sales conducted every day at ] o’clock immediately underneath the reading-room of the Fisher? The read­ing-room is now very near to a Common (or Garden Party) Room.

* * ♦

\Vhen the new cloisters have material­ised, will 'ectures begin at ten past, and end at ten to? What says the Satirist?“ Sed genus ignavum, quod lecto

t^audet et umbra.”“ He is indeed a lazy oyster,W h j loves the armchair and the cloister.”

* * ♦

Now that the repairs in some of the asphalt paths have been eflfected, it is only necessary to bring one change per day of socks (or stockings) during the wet season.

* ♦ *

Could not a blank cartridge be fired to let the audience know when any one item

in our organ recitals is concluded ? This would obviate much confusion and em­barrassment.

Why do all the girls blush into their notebooks during Mac’s literature lec­tures?

>(t * *

If Toddy wishes to retain his popularity with the fairer portion of his class, he should not scold them. If he would only take lessons from Lovell in the art of politeness, he’d soon see how all the grls would rush him after lectures.

* * *

What happened on the iron stairway leading from the Fisher Library that caused the authorities to set it apart for the use of women students only? We notice that since the alteration the Fisher is not so rushed as it used to be.' It’s awfully flat to meet mere males coming down when you are going up.

* ♦ ♦

Chris, J . Le Gay, and little L . H . A . have recently been absenting themselves from the University. Does this mean another deluge of poetry? Chris in par­ticular wears an air of caffeine and late nights.

4C HERMES.

Oh, our hide-bound anomahes! Col­lege men still tear their—h’m—clothes— on a spiky fence when they want to at­tend Union meetings at night; and dis­reputable park-loafers still climb from each side of the fence to the other. Why? Because they are excluded therefrom by a locked gate.

^ *

What has happened to the Law stu­dents these days? ’Tis seldom we see any of them at the ’Varsity, and it seems as if “ a recruiting campaign” must be initiated to keep alive the interests of Law students in the University.

Some remarks attributed to Professor Pitt Cobbett by his chroniclers are worth repeating as a preliminary appeal:

“ You may cut the lectures if you like, but never neglect the Union. A lawyer must learn to express himself on his feet. You should never neglect ‘ Union’ de­bates.” (“ Hermes,” May, 1910.)

* ♦

The war cloud appears to be hanging heavily over the University these days. Life seems to be as monotonous as the click of the stonemason’s chisel on the extensions to the Fisher. True, most of the senior and best-known men have dropped out by graduating or enlisting, and each week empty seats show that still more are receiving the call. Withal and despite the season, the atmosphere is heavy. In the Arts School flirting is dis­carded for knitting; the morning saluta­tion is intermingled with a discussion of the war cables. Luncheon is a hurried, silent affair, both in the Union and in the Refectory, save with the group of which “ the Colonel” is the centre. To Meds.I I I . to V ., duty and profession have be­come serious a'nd urgent terms, and the women, through their council, have in­stituted a series of lectures on the war: “ It is not now as it has been of yore.”

* * *

We beg to acknowledge receipt of the following contributions, which have been duly passed on to the Sports’ Union Lib­rary :—■

“Hints on the Proper Method of Treat­ing the Organism—Commandant (Dis- trict),” or “ After the Ball is just about

over,” by FI — shy, LL.D. (Univ. Bluflf).

“ Why I Follow the King,” written in collaboration with Dr. Gordon, bv Y .M .C .A . (R .P .A .H .) .

“ The Pantomime as Seen from the Green Room.” This book of poems com­mands attention, containing as it does such a masterpiece as : “What Chis. told me—How Bold Bad Bruce nearly fell.” Obtainable at Union or Oval.

“ Candid Impressions of the Absolute” ; Burton’s brand new “Anatomy of Melan­choly,” with an account of the Honk treatment.. Deals in telling phrase of the Great One, who stands on his dignity and tries to sit on all things else.

* * *

“ Hermes” hears from Adrian Stephen. Writing on June 9th from London, he says it is a grand place, with its strange sights and queer people whose “beautiful but blank faces” make him laugh. He has met H . B. Irving, William Archer, and Gilbert Murray, ja!ll of w;hom he found most hospitable and charming. “ But none of them takes any interest in plays!” He deplores the absence of i cynic with whom to discuss his SOUL. After wishing to be informed “ What is the rule in Shelley’s case?” he appends a word of advice to students, and an elixir for passing examinations—which we think wiser to hold over till December. We fancy whisky occurs in it somewhere. He concludes: “ Have just donned my uniform and received orders to proceed to Weedon.”

The same old Adrian! Cheero! Else­where we print his account of France as he saw it passing through to London.

Andy has invited all good citizens to follow the King and—incidentally—Andy. But why does his medical majesty lec­ture so industriously on the food-va!ue of the cursed stuff?

Now on the platform follow Andy By drinking ginger ale,

But at the Uni. when it’s handy Let other laws prevail!

Just catch a wink And you can sink

A good old lager-shandv.Oh. Andy! !

HERMES. 47

Now that Arty Mills—the dear old thing!—has carried his stethoscope to the front, the cables should soon tell us of a medical vaudeville at the Dardanelles. Arty shared with Andy the anomalous distinction of lecturing to audiences in whom the corneal reflex was never abolished.

« * •I speak out straight to stude and prof.,

Nor bluster stand nor blarney,E ’en bookies show respect and doff

Their hats to Doctor Barney.* * *

We notice the following example of ’\'arsity staff English in a polite circular from one of our prominent patriotic clubs:

I t is only by their becoming thoroughly effi­cient that the best use can be made of the ser­vices of the members of this Club in the serious turn in the military affairs of the Common­wealth likely to be taken in the near future.

* * *

Who cannot smile a trifle When Woody lugs a rifle?

Who doesn't like the style Of Chris’ latest tile?

Isn’t to quaff a wad At once to think of Todd?

W hat wogs does his hair convey,The hair of Jay le Gay?

Ik-(censored.)

If our readers will turn to our corre­spondence columns they will see two in­dignant letters. One (by Charlie Ham­blin, a Christian with a past) shows a con­siderable degree of intelligence for a scientist; the other (by “ Suaviter in Modo”) was written with a white-hot pen that would have burnt the paper but for the tears that rolled so passionately on to the nib. “ Suaviter” hints in a cunning sort of way that “ Hermes” is less Chris­tian than it should be. This is a libel which we emphatically deny. We hurl the cowardly lie in “ Suaviter’s” face, as Storie Dixson wouldn’t say. “ Hermes” is essentially religious. The Editor, Stib- Editors, and Staff join in prayer every day, that they may be spared the splenetic gibes of men like “ Suaviter.” Then there are the poets who must be spared us—but Spring has not yet come. We warn “ Suaviter” to be more true to his

name and manifest in the future some slight progress in courtesy; and not to drag Galileo, Darwin, and Luther into the dust of his argument. Finally, if “ Sua­viter” (poor fellow!) really believes that not less than 50 per cent, of the Aus­tralian people hold Principal Fraser’s view as to the iniquity of our White Aus­tralia Policy, doesn’t it seem strange to him that no political party, no social or­ganisation of any calibre, has made any effort to repeal a law that has now oper­ated for some 13 years? Perha'ps the 50 per cent, are dead, or still to be born, or is it that “ Suaviter’s” intelligence repre­sents, say, 49 per cent.? Dear, dear “ Suaviter,” why didn’t you send us your name? Is it C. B . I . ?

* * «

Seriously, we offer Principal Fraser an apology. Our correspondent in last issue was unaware that the Principal had been invited to criticise the White Australia Policy by one of our promment associa­tions. Accordingly, we recognise that our correspondent’s charge of “ tactless­ness” was unjust, and we apologise whole­heartedly. Although Mr. Fraser and “ Hermes” hold widely divergent views, we still remain, we trust, the best of friends.

THE U N E R .

The foamy waves are swishing As patiently we thud,

But O the wave of wishing That surges in my blood!

Along the ocean’s rim now,W’ith never-ceasing song,

I wish that I could swim now And shove the boat along.

My heart is crying, tireless,The word it has to say.

What need have we of wireless Who know a better way?

The slow craft plunges nor’ward ■And welters on the blue:

My thoughts are fleeting forward And swooping home to you.

Your magic love is tingling In every vein of me.

And you and I are mingling In spite of rolling sea.

Yet O that I could borrow That albatross’s flight!

To-morrow, love, to-morrow.Is our supreme delight.

J. LE G A Y BRERETON .

48 HERMES

The Immediate Responsibility of the War.

By G. A. WOOD, M.A., (Oxon), Professor of History at Sydney University.

[Owing to the kindness of Professor Wood, “ Hermes” is enabled to print this fine address in extenso for the first tim«. I t is a privilege which we appreciate to the fulL The Professor has generously consented to allow us to re-issue the text in pamphlet form. This will follow immediately— E d ]

In respect to - the war, there are two duties; to understand, to tight. I put understanding in the first place, because I am one of those who think th.-it to kill men in an unjust war is a deadly sin. If the British Government enters upon an unjust war, it is the duty of British citi­zens not to fight in that war, but to fight against that war until it is ended. There­fore, I say, the first duty is to understand the war; to understand it sufficiently to be able to form a reasoned opinion on the question, is it a just war, or an unjust war, a war in which we fight for God, or a war in which we fight for the Devil? In the case of this war not much study was necessary in order to obtain this degree of understanding. Never has the British Government waged a war so evidently just. From the first we understood the war sufficiently well to know that the duty of the day was to fight.

Problems Ahead.That is the duty which our heroes do

for us this day. We cannot enough wor­ship their glorious manhood. How little, in comparison, seems any duty that we, who do not fight, can do! Yet there are things that we can do, and we must do them. And the especial duty of those University students who do not fight is to understand. AVe understood from the first well enough to know that it is a just wa r, and that our first object is to “ crush German militarism. ” But that understanding does not suffice. Sup­pose our heart’s desire is satisfied, and the allied armies enter Berlin in triumph. Does anyone suppose that will end our troubles? If a man supposes that, I cill that man a Prussian; for he believes that military force will do that which military force cannot do. Military force is a

necessary weapon against those who use military force. But in relation to spiri­tual problems it is, as Burke says, “ a feeble weapon.” When military force has done all that military force can do, the insistent question will remain, What next? Certainly not the millennium! Never in the history of the world have there been such huge and complicated spiritual problems—problems insoluble by force—as those which will then face our statesmen, and face them with threats of utter ruin. If our arms are triumphant beyond our most golden dreams, there will still remain fear lest our heroes may have fought and died in vain. Disaster, more dreadful than loss of battles, may be caused by sheer lack of understanding.

Some will say—leave these problems of statesmanship to statesmen. They have fulness of knowledge, and fulness of experience. AVho are we that we should offer advice to Sir Edward Grey? The best help we can give him is to remain silent.

Strong Rulers.Now, I am one of those w'ho rejoice in

the belief that our present rulers are among the most capable and most hon­ourable Ministers who have ever ruled our Empire. I have especially in mind Mr. Asquith, Sir Edward Grey, and Mr. Lloyd George; and the greatest of these three is Mr. Lloyd George. I am en­tirely glad that, in this supreme crisis, our Empire is represented by these great, wise, and noble statesmen. And yet I hold the opinion that it is the duty of British citizens not only to support these statesmen, but also to criticise them. British Ministers hold power as repre­sentatives; representatives of the British Empire, the British democracies, the Bri­

HERMES. 49

tish ideals. And the greatness of our Empiie is largely based upon the fact that our rulers are both strengthened and guided by what I may call the critical support of millions of citizens who know that, in the sphere of practical politics, they are ignorant and inexperienced, but who know, too, that their whole lives are ennobled by active participation in our national ideals, and who are prepared to make the last sacrifice in order that these ideals may be maintained pure and triumphant. And the most independent and most strong-willed of our statesmen ■gladly recognise that they draw their strength from this critical support of the citizens,. Sir Edward Grej^ has been blamed for taking our democracies too little into his confidence. Whether that blame is just or not I do not know. It may be that our national policy would have been more strongly conceived, and more strongly conducted, had he spoken to us more frankly about our dangers and the necessity of arming ourselves to meet them. At all events, it is agreed, I think, that if Sir Edward Grey has erred at ail. he has erred in the way of excessive re­serve. And yet it was this most inde­pendent, most strong-willed statesman, who in the very crisis of the negotiations told the German Ambassador that “ our attitude would be determined largely by public opinion here.”

The responsibility, then, for our en­trance into war rests, not on our Minis­ters, but on “public opinion.” And we may be sure that the responsibility for peace, when peace arrives, will also rest on pub­lic opinion. Public opinion, in this con­text, means the publicly expressed opinions of British citizens all over the world. In the formation and expression of that public opinion each one of us in some very small mea'sure takes part. And I say it is the duty of each one of us to make sure, so far as his opportunities per­mit. that the opinions he expresses are at least founded on careful study, and built by careful thought.

The Diplomatic Documents.

Our first concern must be to study what, in distinction from the deeper causes, we may call the immediate re­sponsibility for the war. Why did war

break out in August, 1914? Our primary materials for the study of this question are books of many colours published by the various Governments in explanation and justification of their conduct. They have been collected into a single volume, which can be bought in the Sydney shops for 1/6, under the title “ Collected Dip­lomatic Documents Relating to the Out­break of the European W ar.”

These documents can be read, and read with deepest interest, by any citizen, without the assistance of a commentary. Most of us, 1 suppose, did so read them, simply because the text was published before the commentaries, with the ex­ception of the speeches of Sir Edward Grey and Mr. Asquith. And I think it a great advantage that I got my first im­pression on mind uninfluenced by elo­quent argument. When, however, we have read the documents, we shall do well to read some of the best of the com­mentaries. Many of them are written by men who are very highly qualified to act as interpreters. Mr. Holland Rose is as interpreters. Mr. Holland Rose is perhaps the English scholar who writes with greatest authority on the history of modern Europe from the time of Napoleon. Dr. Dillon is a writer who has singularly extensive and inti­mate knowledge of modern European politics. Among other books of this nature I would mention those by Mr. Beck, the American lawyer, by Mr. Hart, the American historian, by Mr. Gibson, an American student who writes with special knowledge of the Ba’lkans, and by my old college friend, J . W . Allen. Just thirty years ago Allen beat me for the Balliol Scholarship. I had at the time some slight doubt as to the insight of the examiners. After reading Allen’s book the last vestige of that doubt ha:s dis­appeared. I am inclined to think it the ablest of the books I have mentioned.

My Prejudices.

What are the main f^cts we learn from our study of these documents? I will speak in a frankly personal way, and will tell you the main facts which I learnt from my study of them. And cts a historian’s interpretation of documents is inevitably affected by the bias of the

so HERMES.

historian’s mind, I will first tell you the prejudices which I brought with me to the study.

As To Servia.

(1.) I felt a profound distrust in re­spect of the Government of Servia. I had in mind the fact that the King of Servia owed his crown to a most das­tardly murder; and I thought the Ser­vians shared the cruel characteristics which history—this at best was my opinion—has made common to all the Balkan peoples. There seemed to me nothing incredible in the Austria'n state­ment that the murder of the Archduke and Archduchess was the work of a Gov­ernment founded on the murder of a King and a Queen. It seemed to me also likely enough that the Servians had, as the Austria'n Government stated, engaged in schemes which aimed at the disruption of the Austrian Empire.

As To Russia.

(2.) Further, I distrusted the Govern- m.ent of Russia. It was the government of an autocrat, one who possessed abso­lute power, and who had used absolute power cruelly to suppress all endeavors to win for Russian citizens some small measure of the liberties that are to Bri­tish citizens the daily bread of the spiri­tual life. One thought of Poland, and of Finla'nd, of “ Red Sunday,” and of the Dumas; one thought also' of Siberia. And there were recollections of unscru­pulous actions in the Balkans, of robbery of Roumania, of insolence towards Bul­garia, of “aggressions” in Manchuria, of designs against our Indian Empire. Was it not likely that Russia was backing Ser­via in order to push her own pla'ns in the Balkans?

The Thought of France.

(3.) In respect to France, the preju­dices in mind were of a very different nature. How can one think without emotions of admiration and of affection of the glorious nation that risked every­thing for a'n ideal of humanity, the nation that by its gospel of liberty, equality, fraternity inspired every people in the world to noble effort for the uplifting of

mankind, the nation to which even the German statesman of to-day bears testi­mony that its “ peculiarity” is that it “ places spiritual needs above material ones” ? And yet lovers of France have felt that in modern French politics, the inevitable contrast between the idea! and the actual has been peculiarly sad. One thought of political “ scandals” that seem­ed to show not only a corruption of morals, but also an absence of efficiency. One thought of the French as a nation possessing splendid and lovable qualities, but qualities so different from the charac­teristic qualities of Englishmen that there must always be danger of misunderstand­ing and collision. For hundreds of years the hostile rivalry of Fra'nce and Eng­land had continued, broken only by short intervals of peace. And was not France’s present friendliness due more to French hatred of Germany than to French love of Engla'nd? The words printed on the hearts of all Frenchmen are Alsace, Lorraine. Was it not likely that French statesmen were working for a war of revenge ?

Austrian Feeling.

(4.) In respect to Austria the domin­ant feeling in July, 1914, was a feeling of sympathy with an empire the heir to whose throne had been murdered in brutal and senseless way. The public opinion of the whole world was ready to back Austria! in any demand for the pun­ishment of the crime, for the prevention of the recurrence of such crimes, and for measures necessary to secure the safety of the empire against Slavonic ambitions. It -became evident, indeed, that Austria was making demands that aimed much further than this, demands of an entirely unjustifiable character, that would have made Servia a vassal State. But while condemning these demands, it was still easy to believe that they were the out­come not of deliberate policy, but of the hot a'nger of the moment, and of genuine and not unreasonable fear of Slavonic aggression. Austria acted, so I thought, in a moment of just though blind indignation, and the whole world was anxious to make all possible ^low- ance for action taken in these circum­stances.

HERMES. 51

Germany in the ’80’s and ’90’s.

(5.) As to Germany, I shared the opinion, expressed by Mr. Chamberlain in a famous speech delivered in 1899, that there was a natural affinity between the kindred Teutonic peoples in England, in America, and in Germany, and that this natural affinity should lead to permanent alliance. That was, I am sure, the preva­lent feeling in England in the ’80’s and ’90’s; and it was a feeling I shared with special heartiness. Thirty years ago it was the way of Oxford students to spend iheir vacations in Germany. We walked and climbed in the Harz Mountains, and the Thuringen Wald; we lived with Ger­man families in the University towns; we attended the lectures of learned pro­fessors ; we fell in love w'ith gracious frauleins. 1 had in those days so much reason to believe that Germans are mostly human beings, that the belief still sticks in my mind in spite of all evidence apparently pointing to a contrary con­clusion. I -well remember that in the summer of ’89 the talk of my German friends was that their young Emperor had declared, in one of his famous speeches, that the German army and the British navy would, in close alliance, maintain the peace of the world. 1 re­member how we English students re­joiced with our friends in the exploits of their race, their heroic “ war of libera­tion,” their glorious achievement of na­tional unity. We shared in their joys and in their hopes. We sang with them “ Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles, uber alles in der W elt!” Germany was to be supreme over everything in the world, yet Britannia was to “ rule the waves” ; and there was to be firm and everlasting friendship between the two great Teu­tonic peoples!

It all seems so strange now'! Yet let us remember that only s' year ago Prince Bulow'’s statement was true: “ Ger­many and England are probably the only tw'O great European Powers who have never shed each other’s blood.” For cen­turies there hrfd in the main been enmity between England and France; for cen­turies there had in the main been friend­ship betw'een England and Germany. And surely we were not altogether wrong

in thinking that this permanent friend­ship must be based on essential simi­larity in respect to some of the most fundamental ideas.

Germany’s 43 Years’ Peace.

And why should not this permanent al­liance continue? There seemed no ob­vious reason why the new commercial rivalry of England and Germany should not be of an entirely friendly character. There was no inevitable collision of terri­torial interests like that which all but caused war between England and Russia in the ’80’s, or like that which all but caused war between England and France in the ’90’s. When Bulow published his book in 1913 there seemed nothing obviously untrue in his statements that “ Of all nations in the world the Germans are the people that have most rarely set out to attack and conquer,” that “ never in the course of history has any Power, possesssing such superior military strength as the Germans, served the cause of peace in an .equal measure.” Since 1870, Rus­sia, France, England, Italy had en­gaged in wars, generally considered by the world to be wars of aggression. Ger­many alone of the Great Powders had maintained an unbroken peace for forty-three years! And those Eng­lishmen who knew Germany best believed that Germany was perman­ently wedded to Peace. “ There is.” wrote Mr. Dawson in 1908, “ no more pacific nation in Europe than the Ger­mans. No wilful disturbance of the world’s peace need be apprehended from them.”

With these prejudices in mind, I inter­preted (lerman conduct in August, 1914. I believed that Germany went to war unwillingly, owing to the binding obliga­tion of the treaty with her ally; that un­willingly she declared war against Russia; that unwillingly she recognised that war against Russia inevitably meant war against France; unwillingly perceived that the [easiest way to France was through Belgium, and concluded that military necessity compelled the commis­sion of what the German Chancellor con­fessed to be “ a wrong.”

62 HERMES.

British Public Opinion.

(6.) In respect to Great Britain, I had trust in the British Government, in their wisdom, their honour, their patriotism, their hatred of war. But I greatJy feared lest their work for peace should be thwarted by those in' England who love war. I feared especially lest newspapers owned by wealthy individuals or wealthy syndicates, should stimulate and organise “ Public Opinion” in such a way that the Government might be compelled to de­clare a war which its own judgment con­demned. I considered that Great Britain ought not to make war on behalf of Ser- via, nor on behalf of Russia, nor even (though here there were doubts) on be­half of France. The invasion of Belgium seemed to me at that time the only just cause of war. Till that catastrophe took place I heartily hoped that the British Government would maintain its neutral­ity. Now, it was, I think, impossible to understand from the newspaper cable­grams the course which as a matter of fact the British Government had taken. It was evident, indeed, after the invasion of Belgium, that the war declared by the British Government was a just and neces­sary war. But there remained in my mind the suspicion that the British Gov­ernment had been influenced by those who regard war as a good thing, a'nd that it had not made every effort to attain some peaceful solution.

The Revelation of the White Book.I recall the opinions I entertained in

July and August, 1914, not because I think they were right opinions, but because I am sure that in some respects they were wrong opinions. And I recall them es­pecially in order to show how immensely important is the study of the documents we have now in hand. My opinions were wrong opinions, but I do not think they were unreasonable opinions, in view of the knowledge which at that time I pos­sessed. The British White Book did not, I think, arrive in Sydney till about two months after the war had begun. During those two months our knowledge came solely from brief and mangled cables provided by private enterprise. It seenis to me a great pity that the Bri­tish Government did not cable every w’ord

of the W hite Book the moment it was published. For when the White Book did arrive—two months later!—it came as a revelation;—a revelation of facts that should have been told_ to every British citizen at the first possible moment. In my own case, the reading of the White Book caused me to change my opinion in a very radical way. For the first time I was fully convinced that not only wa's the war “ just and necessary,” but that it was a war which had most truly been “ forced” on the British Government; that it was a war in which the British Government was fighting, not for Servia, not for Russia, not for France, not even for Belgium, but for the British Empire and for the ideals that are our spiritual life. In other words, it was in reading these documents that I found the clue to what had seemed the huge chaotic mystery of European politics. The rea­son of my mistake was that I had not understood the mind of the German Gov­ernment. As I read the documents I had at first the feeling that ?ll the Gov­ernments of Europe, all wishmg peafce, were being hurried into war by an unseen impelling Fate. As I read further, the suspicion grew to certainty that this un­seen power was not Fate, but was the will of the German Government. The war happened in August, 1914, because the German Government willed that it should then happen.

How Germany Willed War.Let me state the facts, clearly estab­

lished l)y the documents, that point to this conclusion.

(1.) The Government of Servia was anxious in the very highest degree to avoid war. Though the Austrian sfccusa- tion remained utterly unproved, the Ser­vian Government was prepared to buy peace by making every concession that could possibly be reconciled with the maintenance of independent sovereignty. I was amazed to read to what a depth of humiliation Servia was prepared to go rather than wage war. The Servian reply, said Sir Edward Grey. “ involved the greatest humiliation to Servia that I have ever seen a country undergo.”

fS.) The Government of Russia show­ed itself very anxious to avoid war.

HERMES. 53

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54 HERMES.

Again I was amazed to find how very far the Russian Government had been pre­pared to go on the path of concession. The Russian advice to Servia was to consent to any humiliation that could, in the opinion of the Great Powers, be recon­ciled with sovereignty. Russia was pre­pared to risk in a very serious way her prestige among the Balkan States. The Russian Minister justly claimed that he had accepted every suggestion made with a view to a peaceful solution of the dis­pute. Russia’s record in the negKJtiations is beyond reproach.

(3.) The same must be said of France. One’s suspicion was that France, even if she had not worked for a war of revenge in alliance with Russia and^Great Britain, might at least welcome the opportunity of such a war. One cannot read the documents without seeing that this sus­picion was unfounded. Al! Frenchmen have thought always of Alsace-T.orraine. There ha've been times, I think, when France would have welcomed war, in al­liance with Russia land Great Britain against Germany. But it was not so in 1914. The German |Secreta'ry himself admitted that “ he knew France did not want war.” The tone of France was heartily pacific. She was unprepared for war, shamefully unprepared. She was afraid of war, and she had good reason to be afraid. There is something tragic in the story told by the documents of the French Yellow Book, the story that reaches climax in the a'stonished, despair- mg cry of the French Ambassador, as the German Minister rejected proposal after proposal that pointed to peace; “ Do you wish for war?”

The British Government’s Big Fight For Peace.

(4.) The British Government made perhaps the most earnest and most skil­ful fight for peace that has ever been fought. And when their efforts to secure peace were defeated, they fought to the last ditch to maintain British neutrality. The White Book shows how they fought the fight for peace, inch by inch, holding to each position to the very last moment at which it could be held with honour. Grey made it perfectly clear that the British Government would not go to war for Servia, nor for Russia. So far as

Great Britain was concerned, Slav and Teuton would have been left to fight out their fight, unhelped, unhindered. Grey made it perfectly clear again that the British Government was prepared to work for some permanent arrangement that should guarantee all nations, including Germany, against aggression. “ If,” he wrote in words that cannot be too strongly underlined, “ If the peace of Europe can be preserved, and the pre­sent crisis safely passed, my own endea­vour will be to promote some arrange­ment, to which Germany can be a party, by which she could be assured that no ag­gression or hostile policy could be pursued against her or her allies by France, Russia, and ourselves, jointly or separately.” When Germany rejected proposal after proposal, Grey told the German Ambas­sador that if Germany could get any rea­sonable proposal put forward which made it clear that Germany and Austria were striving to preserve European peace, and that Russia and France would be unrea­sonable if they rejected it, I would sup­port it at St. Petersburg and Paris, and go the length of saying that if Russia and France would not accept it His Ma­jesty’s Government would have nothing more to do with the consequences.” The British Government, that is, went the length of incurring very grave danger of alienating her own allies. Even when it became evident that France would be drawn into the war. Grey again and again refused to promise assistance. It was not till it became evident that Germany, refusing even to put forward any reason­able proposal, would seek to crush France to the ground, that Sir Edward Grey warned Germany that “ we should be drawn in” . From that moment it was inevitable that Great Britain should enter the war. It is true that Great Britain was “ free from engagement” to help France. But it seems evident thit the prevailing party in the British Cabinet had come to the conclusion that Great Britain was bound, in regard for her own safety, to do so. And I think there are few Englishmen, kn'owing what the Bri­tish Cabinet knew, who would ha've come to a different decision. Yet even now so Strong was the feeling that Great Bri­tain should maintain neutrality, that the Govern-.Tient went no fwither than a pro­

HERMES. 55

mise to protect the French coast and French shipping. It was not till the Germans violated Belgium that the Bri­tish Government received that whole­hearted support from “ Public Opinion” for which it seems they deliberately wait­ed. I say, then, the British Government jnd the British nation were dragged into war inch by inch bj' a compelling neces­sity.

Austria’s Object Against Servia.

(5.) The documents prove that the ob­ject of Austria was not to make sure that murderers should be punished, and that future outrages should .be prevented. Had that been her aim, it could have been easily achieved. The universal public opinion of Europe would have backed the Austrian demand. Austria had only to produce the evidence, which she declared she possessed, before the conference Sir Edward Grey proposed, and she would have obtained all redress desired. Grey’s suggestion was that the Powers should guarantee satisfaction to Austria. But Austria rejected the proposed con­ference. She did not even publish the evidence. And there are reasons for re­garding an unsupported Austrian accusa­tion as unworthy of acceptance. It is clear that the object of Austria was to treat Servia in 1914 as she had treated Bosnia in 1909. This conclusion could be deducted from our documents. It is made a certainty by Giolitti’s revela­tion of the fact that in August, 1913, nearly a year before the murder of the Archduke, Austria communicated to Italy and to Germany “ her intention of taking action against Servia.”

Whether Austria thought that she would be able to work her will on Servia without war with Russia cannot, I think, be determined with certsfinty. In 1909 Austria had annexed Bosnia, and Russia, yielding to a German threat of wafr. had acquiesced. It seems possible that Aus­tria expected thzft 1914 would exactly re­peat ]909. The German Ambas.sador at Vienna stated that “ Russia neither want­ed, nor was in a position to make war.” and that France also was “ not in condi­tion to face war.” It seems to me pro­bable that both Austria and Germany really believed this, and expected to get what they wanted without fighting.

When it became evident that Russia, who had not dared to fight for Bosnia, would fight for Servia, the Austrian Govern­ment at the eleventh hour showed an in­clination to reconsider matters; and it seems certain that if the dispute had been a dispute between Austria and Russia only, peace would have been maintained. At this point the German Government declared war against Russia. Austria had called on Germany to rattle the sword in the scabbard. Germany rattled the sword; and, when Russia remained un­terrified, Germany drew the sword, and -\ustria' had to do the same.

The Clue to the Great Tragedy.

(G.) Thus our study leads to the con­clusion that the clue to the great tragedy is to be found in the mind of the rulers of Germany. As one reads the docu­ments the terrible conviction grows thit all efforts made to secure peace failed be­cause the rulers of Germany had pre­determined that all efforts should fail, that war should be. My first belief was that the immediate responsibility was with Austria, and that Germany had unwill­ingly been drawn into war by fidelity to Austria, as France by fidelity to Rus­sia. And this was the view insisted on by German Ministers in the course of the negotiations during the critical week. Again and again it was declared that the German Ministers had not even seen the Austrian ultimatum before it was deliver­ed to Servia. The Germa'n Secretary of State admitted, further, that he “ thought the Note left much to be desired as a diplomatic document,” and that Servia “ could not swallow certain of the Aus­tro-Hungarian demands.” The Ger­man Chancellor declared that he was continually urging the Austrian Gov­ernment to show moderation, and I am inclined to think it possible that he wrfs sincere in his statement that “ he was most anxious that Germany should work together with England for maintenance of general peace, as they had done successfully in the last grerft Euro­pean crisis.” And yet the conviction re­mains unshaken that the German Govern­ment willed war. The German Govern­ment is not the Chancellor nor the Secre­tary of State. The German Government is the Kaiser, ftcting with whatever ad­

66 HERMES.

visers he chooses to consult. That the Kaiser saw the Austrian ultimatum be­fore it was sent seems to me a thing cer­tain . That some German official, e.g., the German Ambassador at N'ienna, saw it and approved it, is no less certain. Any truth there may be in German professions of ignorance is truth of the nature of a childish and clumsy quibble. It is pos­sible that some particular officials may not have seen some particular document. The fact of importance is the fact, stated in the German White Book itself, that Germany promised Austria that she would approve “ any action considered necessary.” In view of this statement it is impossible to believe that the Austrian ultimatum was not shown to the Kaiser before it was sent. It seems to me in the highest degree probable that the Kaiser assisted in its preparation, and inserted those demands which as the German Secretary of State admitted, “ Servia could not swallow. If the German Chancellor urged moderation at Vienna—and no scrap of evidence has been produced in support of his statement —his advice must have counted for noth­ing with those who knew the mind of the Kaiser, and knew that Germany was pledged to approve “ any action consider­ed necessary.” As soon as the Austrian Government did show an inclination to moderation—an inclination so strong that peace between Russia and Austria would have been inevitable, if Russia and Aus­tria alone had been concerned—at that moment Germany declared war on Ru.s- sia.

The Definite Conclusion.The conclusion, then, to which our

study has led us is that war broke out in August, 1914, because the German Government willed that war should then break out. A peaceful solution of the dispute was practicable, and Germany deliberately rejected a peaceful solution, t’eliberatelv acted in a way that forced

war on Servia, Russia, France, Belgium, and Great Britain. And when we realise this fact we survey the whole story from a new point of view. A Great Power that deliberately chooses war, a war of this gigantic and frightful nature, is a' Power whose triumph would mean a huge retrogression in the history of civilisa­tion. It would mean the defeat of that principle of progress which slowly—how slowly!—has been raising the human race to a jjerception that Right is to be, preferred to Force. If Germany won, naked brute force would reign in the world.

Let us be careful to recognise that Ger­many is not the only nation that has preferred Force to Right. There is no nation in the world that has not done so. Our present Allies have done so again and again. We ourselves have done so again and again. But the criminal of to-day is the Kaiser. He to-day is the champion of Might against Right. And the duty of our day is to fight him, to fight him not only in the cause of our Allies, not only in the cause of our Empire, but in the cause of the R ight; and to light with determination that in the days when we triumph we will ourselves be true to the cause for which now we fight.

If we take as proved the ifact that Ger­many willed war, we shall be led on to undertake further studies. Why did Germany will war? In order to be able to answer this question, we should have to undertake some considerable study of the German mind. And, for myself, I should have to face the problem. How are we to reconcile two facts that seem to be certain: the fact that the German people possess qualities that we recognise to be most admirable, qualities that have made them our friends for centuries; and the fact that the Gemian Government has willed this great crime, and appar­ently with the consent of the German people?

HERMES. 67

Festival and Reunion.

In deciding on its programme for this year, the Undergraduates’ Association had a difficult proI)lem to solve. So far as the annual reunion was concerned, there was only one course open; last year’s function proved a unique event in the history of the undergraduate body, and, as was recognised in “ Hermes” and generally, showed not only the influence of the Union on our social life, but also, as was once deemed impossible, cJbm- mendable self-restraint and self-control on the part of the undergraduates. Con­sequently, it w'as rightly decided not !o give up Reunion, and to hold it in the Union Hall as on last occasion.

The question as to the advisability of holding procession was a different mat­ter. On the one hand, it is always an attractive feature of the annual celel)ra- tions, eagerly looked forward to by the general public, the undergraduates, and also, it would aj)])ear, by a considerable section of the teaching staff. (,)n the other, however, the war had altered things so much that the Association i)ro- bably felt that the time-honoured carica­ture of all things divine and human should for once be abandoned. This decision was fully justified by the event.

Procession once given up, there was no need to hold Festival in the morning, and that function was held in the Town Hall on the Saturday evening in the last week but one of Lent Term. Not even the most sanguine antici])ated such a pro­nounced success, and for once the whole of the Sydney ]>ress spoke in the same strain. It was decided to devote the en­tire proceeds of Festival to the Belgian Relief Fund, but it was the same annual show as ever in the variety of the pro­gramme, and, above all, in the healthy exul)erance of spirits, which was always noticeable.

For the first time, the Chancellor was present, and occupied a seat on the plat­form. Introduced by the president of ihe Undergraduates’ .\.ssociation, Mr. l-'vatt, Sir William Cullen referred in v.’ell-cho£cn terms to .Australia's res]>onse

to the call of Fmpire, and, in particular, to the notable efforts of our own .Vlma Mater. Miss Ella Caspers, with whom all present forthwith fell in love, and Messrs. Reginald Roberts, Frank Hut­chens, and Cyril Monk contributed items, while Mr. Lloyd soon overcame the dis­advantage of not being able to see the organ accompanist, Mr. Meikle, and the songs were sung with spirit, and very often in tune. It may here be remarked that, notwithstanding vague rumours as to the literary or artistic merit of a cer­tain song, the song committee, Messrs. ICvatt, Inglis, and Leahy, did their work well, though assisted, it is suspected, by .1 well-know'n member of the staff’.

Of course thei;e was a dramatic per- fcjrmance in which the pen of Messrs. Adrian Stephen, Leahy, and Kidston scribbled in harmony. The assistance of Mr. Placid Courtney in this matter was in\ aluable, and “ Hermes” is j)leased to present him with the usual---bou­quet. It is understood that a sum of aljout £43.5 has been forwarded to the Belgian Fund as a result, and, without anj^ extravagance, “ Hermes” consitlers that the whole function was a triumph of l)olicy and organisation on the part of the Undergraduates’ Associatit)n. .\t one stroke, official recognition, a con­siderable sum of money for a great and worthy ol)ject, and the whole-hearted suj)- ]}ort of all sections of the University were obtained, and the women must share in the credit as well as the men. Six montlis earlier, the latter end seemed imi)ossible. Certainly the li'lT) Belgian Festival will not reaclily be forgotten by .Sydnev Uni­versity.

Reunion was held on the 'I'hursdav preceding Festival, and it jjroved a most successful and enjoyal)le, if sober and restrained function. “ Hermes” stated last year that this function was then res­cued from the grave, and it is hardly likely, judging from this year's effort, that it will be likely to return to any narrow cell again. Noteworthy features Ilf the occasion were the voluntary dis-

58 HERMES.

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carding of the “weed” and lager of for­mer years-—a sacrifice that the record attendance realised was a sacrifice, but of which it did not complain. This is an instance of a great movement, but “ Hermes” will not go further than to say that the enjoyment of all was not af­fected. Secondly, the r^estraining in­fluence of the venue of the function on all present—an influence which no care­ful observer of our common life can fail to realise as being due to the Union. In the third place, “ Hermes” is pleased to record the merit of all speakers to the \arious toasts: One heard Mr. Percy Hunter with gigantic cigarette holder—a mighty globe-trotter before the Lord— tell of the praises of our Alma Mater, and brilliantly refer to the fact that his sons were being educated in England as a “ geographical accident” ; also the ^\'ar- den and Registrar in dignified and well- chosen words answer for the institution in the making of which he has helped so much, and Mr. Jivatt propose “ The Teaching Staff” in happy vein with his references to the work of the staff at the Censor’s office, in the Rifle Club, and to their help, so freely given, for the success of the Belgian Festival.

Sonny Holmes’ reply to this toast was a masterpiece in its way. The speech was delivered extempore, as the inevit­able Andy had failed to materialise, and in his own stead had forwarded an ur­gent telegram. The speech was only equalled in eloquence and fervor by that of Professor David, who proposed pro­bably the most important toast of the evening, “The Graduates,” with particu­lar reference to those at the front, Barney Utz replying briefly but tellingly. And so Reunion was added to the triumphs of the Undergrads’ Association and the the Union. Some years ago “ Hermes” had to make clear that the inauguration of the Union in its new home would not mean the decaying of th.e Association. What has actually happened has been a tremendous increase in the activity of the latter body, which has organised func­tions not one of which has been unsuc­cessful. It is very significant that six out of the .seven executive members of the Association committee are also direc­tors of the Union.

HERMES. 59

The Union.

Some iinportaiit changes of Union offi­cers ha\ e taken place since the last article was written for " Jlernies.’’ y\.s the re­sult of the bj'e-election in Alay, Messrs. Aspinall, Barnet, Noble, and Cooney were elected directors, and at the first meeting of the completed board Mr. J. C. Lam- rock was elected vice-president of the Union. Numerous changes have been made in the different committees of the board and house through the resignation of members, in most cases on account of their enlisting. An important matter is the temporary absence of the secretary, Mr. S. (.iritten, who w'as granted leave from 1st July in order that he might go on active service. Mr. Gritten’s absence is a >erit)us loss; there can be no two opinions among members ot the board, and all meml)ers, as to the whole-hearted manner in which he has worked for the Union since his appointment as secretary. A\'e are fortunate in that two experienced meml'ers of the board, Messrs. H . E\att and R. C. Inglis, are carry­ing out the duties of secretary for the immediate present, and at the last meeting of the board they w'ere elected joint honorary secretaries; Mr. J. S. F. Barnet was elected assistant honorary treasurer in Mr. 1‘Lvatt’s place at the same meeting.

At a special meeting of the board, mi May. it resolved unanimously that it wished to honour all Uni\ ersity men who went on active service, and it was decided to do this by electing them to honorary life membership of the Union. At the June and July meetings of the board the names of University men know'n to have left for the front were read, and they were unanimously elected to honorary life membership. The names of these mem­bers are ])osted on the Union notice board, and they will be included in a special membership list in the annual report. Members are asked to send to the secre­taries particulars of any omission from the list, as it is intended to submit addi­tional names for election at future nieet- intrs of the hoard.

In response to a very general request. Professor MacCallum consented to the printing of the notable address delivered by him to the Union in May last. Several members undertook the publication, and the address is now on sale; the profits are to be given to the Australia Day Fund.

Some months ago the board agreed tO' make a contribution towards the cost of furnishing the new' room of the Law Society in the Law School, and to grant a sum to be spent on magazines for this room. In return. Union members wht> do not attend Law' lectures are to be al­lowed reasonable use of the room. The room was opened for use on 15th July.

'J’here have been considerable delays in the matter of the additions to the Union, but the architects, Messrs. W aterhouse & Lake, report that tenders are being in­vited at present, so that a start may be made shortly.

As a result of the abnormal conditions caused by the war, it is practically cer­tain that the Union will exjjlerience a rather difficult time. During this term there has been a small but decided fall in receipts, and there is little doubt that very soon this will become much more marked,, as we may confidently expect that there will be a great increase in the number of our members who leave for the front in the near future. That the position of the Union will require careful considera­tion can be seen from the fact that the subscriptions amount to but two-thirds of the sum paid in wages during the year, so that w e de])end largely on the income from the various undertakings of the Union. The general increase m prices and the difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies are also direct causes of a fall in receipts. Tivery care is being taken to- overcome immediate difficulties and to- maintain all Union services at the highest state of efficiency, but members who stay here must be prepared to find that the Union, during the war, may not be able to do as much for them as it has done iir the past.

Oscar U. Vonwiller, President

«0 HERMES.

Through France in War Time.

(By Adrian Stephen.))

J.oiuliin, 18th May.

Hefdrc reaching Marseille.s I iiad de­cided tu gu overland t(j I ’aris—if that were reasonably practicahle. 'I'he only real stumbling-block was a passport.

At Marseilles the British Consul came on board and announced that no one could leave the ship without a “ permit" from him. W’e therefore—myself and Drs. Richards and Bridgeman—lined up to get our “ i)ermit.”

'I'hen we went ashore and hired one of the most dangerous vehicles I have ever been in. VVe literally had to hold it to- ^(ether. ()n the wharf a crowd of sullen Cierman prisoners were working trolleys. They pushed a truck into our vehicle—so that we had to jump to avoid being crush­ed. Richards’ coat was jammed by a buffer, and he had to slip out of it to get away. 'I'he driver cursed “ Les Alle- mands”—but nothing could be done, as we could not be sure whether it was an accident or not.

Wc dro''e on to a ])lace where we had <(ur photographs taken for the ])urpose of our pass])orts. While waiting we had cof­fee and strolled round. The town did not seem to feel the war at all. 'I'he only sign of anything unusual was the num­ber of soldiers—of all ty])es, colours, and nationalities—who filled the streets and cafes.

W'e got our photogra])hs and proceeded to the British Consul. Here of course we joined a long queue and waited two hours in the gutter. Eventually I got a “laissez- faire” from Marseilles to London. Then we went to Cook’s and booked our tickets. < )n again to the Prefecture of Police, where after an hour’s wait we had our passports stamjied and signed. My photo­graph was stamped almost out of all re­cognition. My face was a horrid mess.

W'e tore back to the boat, arranged about our luggage, took a kit-bag each, and raced for the train.

I breathed ha])pily when I found myself in a corner of a very comfortable (though full) carriage, clutching a pa.ssport in one

hand and a French dictionary in the other.• \s a matter of fact, i managed to make myself understood with surprising ease— though not without frenzied gesticulation.

For the first hour we had daylight, 'rhe country I saw was a revelation to me— such richness 1 had never imagined. It was like travelling through a huge or­chard. Here and there we saw little chalets hitlden among trees—the whole effect was beautifully artificial—toy houses in a toy landscape. (3nce or twice we pulled up to allow a troop train to ])ass. 'Fhey stoi)])ed alongside us, and we talked to the men as best we couid.

W'e told them we were .\ustralians ; but that conveyed nothing to them. 'I'hey would merely a.sk us if we were British. For the French, .Australia does not exist. After breakfast (chocolate and rolls), we tramped about the city for a while. (3f course, as a city it is superb, leaving Londi ii far behind from the point of \ iew of beauty and oiienness.

'I'he Champs fClysee was gorgeous, as the trees were in full bloom. We sat in a cafe and watched the endless rush of magnificent motors towards the .Arc de 'rrioni|>he. 'I'hen we saw Les Invalide.s— in my opinion the most representative building in Paris, as it shows up the senti­mentality and the unconscious theatrical- ism of the people. It accounts for their rttitude towards their soldiers, which is much more affectionate and sentimental than ours. They always refer to them as “ T.es enfants” or “ Nos vaillants soldats.”

Paris is feeling the war far more than London—naturally, as all her men are at the front; and as nearly all her famous buildings (Loux re. \’ersailles. Palais Royal) are hos])itals. In every street one sees the Red Cross flag hanging from windows—even the Japanese flag.

It is strange to come upon the black head of some Algerian solclier thrust out of a gorgeous bow-window with a back­ground of glittering mirrors and cha'ufle- liers.

Needless to say, the English arc very

HRRMES. 61

poj)ular in I ’aris, and the friendly glances one receives in the street make it good to take a walk. The Scotch kilts are " in the buoni.” The French call the High- kuulers “ tres droles” or " Les beaux gar- cons.” 'I'he streets arc sprinkled with wounded French soldiers—a lot of them wearing 'the new uniform, which is a sort of light l)lue colour, very “ comic opera” in my opinion.

At Les Jnvalides 1 saw two German bi­planes ca])tured by the French, and many guns, torn and shattered by shells and bul­lets. After one day my friends departed for London. lea\'ing me alone for two days. 1 went to the Consul and had my passport endorsed again, and also I got a “ permit” to visit Senlis from the Com- missaire of Police. Senlis is the nearest town t(' Paris which was destroyed by the Germans. I passed through St. Denis, which a little while before had been at­tacked by (iermans; and near Chantilly I noticed a little house sheltered by trees and surrounded by gray motors. Not far away seven aeroplanes lay stretched in a field. This was JofTre’s headquarters. f)f course, I was travelling on the main line of communication to the French trenches, and passed numerous trainloads of troops, guns, and waggons Old French reservists, clad in a nondescript uniform, guarded the whole length of line. At Senlis I went to a little inn, and had the best meal I have had since I left Syd­ney. On the doorstep I found a little French boy, with a military cap on one side of his head and a satchel over his shoulder. He insisted on “ guiding” me to the places of interest.

I saw ruined houses where people had been burnt, doors that had been splintered by bayonets, and all the havoc that the Germans had left behind them. I saw the cemetery where French soldiers had been buried. A huge tricolour drooped over it ; and all the graves had the inevitable epitaph. “ Mort pour la Patrie.”

The country around was gorgeous, so green that it seemed to an Australian to have been painted. Only where one saw a chimney-stack lonelv and jagged against the sky did one realise the ruin at the heart of things.

That night I went to the Comedie Fran- caise, if only to see the inside of this most

famous theatre. In superficial situations the French can act more naturally than the iMiglish; but handling big ])assions they become unreal. The author, Alfred Calus (a sort of French Pinero) made an endless speech.

On the way back I learnt that German Zeppelins were approaching Paris, and noticed that all the people were staring upw'ards. I looked up, and saw, at a tre­mendous height, right among the stars, two huge lights circling slowly, slowly round the city. They were guardian aeroplanes—the night watchers of the city. The Zeppelins did not appear.

From Paris to Boulogne was a sad jour­ney—hospital trains passed us at almost ever)" station. Some Englishmen cut a pitiful figure with their black stubble of beard showing up against white faces. Our passengers showered cigarettes and fruit into their laps, but they just looked up—too tired, too hopeless to move.

Boulogne is ]jrobably the saddest town in the world—a clearing house for the wounded. We saw row after row of Bri­tish Army Medical Corps motor cars, drawn up at the station.

The Channel boat raced its way to Folkestone—and thus—to England.

“T H ERE IS A SEA M A IDEN .”

There is a Sea Maiden No Mortal may draw near,

Her breasts are like the driven snow ’Tis death her voice to hear.

The songs that from her white throat flow Are mystery laden.

There is a Sea Maiden Like none that may be seen,

Tis death to see her bosom rise, Her locks of golden green

Hang loose about her; and her eyes Are slumber laden.

There is a Sea Maiden Whom thou and I must face,

’Tis death to kiss her red, red lips.And death is her embrace.

The tangled hair about her hips Is death’s sweet coil; and in her arms Comes peace from all the world’s alarms.

And in a quiet sighing breath Comes Death.

62 HERMES.

Why This Mystery ?Or. HIS BURIED PAST.

(Being the Still Further Adventures of the Cuth ber.: Family.)

By R. R. Kidston.

SYNOPSIS.

In our previous Chronicles* we told how Cuthbert wooed and won his Mildred, despite the machinations of the villain Ivanofif; how, in the sequel, after 20 years of matrimony, she fell under the spell of Ibsen’s plays and the Feminist chief Hippolyta, and figured in a das­tardly plot to dynamite the Great Hall—there­by saving her son Narcissus from exposure for cribbing at his final exam. The boy was only acting for a picture film, but stung by Cuth- bert’s unjust suspicion, he refused his father’s apology and went, as he poetically put it, “to live his own life.”

That was nearly ten years ago. Since then the Hall has been re-built, and the business of a great academy is again running smoothly. Time, however, has wrought changes, as our play will show. Cuthbert, sobered by the col­lapse of his theories of home life, no longer lec­tures on Domestic Science, but professes some­thing more substantial—the science of Law. He never alludes to his son, and has forgotten Mildred completely.

Narcissus still acts for pictures, but steals back occasionally to the scene of his student days— a Spartan soul whose pride is exceeded only by his love for the Law.

Hippolyta (still unmarried) is now a graduate and holds a position of eminence—

But that is anticipating the play.

ACT I.

Scene.—'I'he Billiard Room in the new Union Building. Under^rads (both se.xes) playing at the tables, or .sitting and standing al)out in groups, talking, smoking, &c. Hyppolyta in the back­ground as a wall-flower. .Attendant.s,

OPENING CHORUS.

Now prithee open not your eyes W ith that expression of surprise,

.^nd hide your blushes rosy That men and maids should meet like this Converse and cuddle, coo and kiss

So snug and cosy.

In days of old the Senate thought The precincts of the Union ought

To harbor men-folk only—.^n unimaginative crew Who found existence mighty blue

And very lonely;

*See "Love Laughs at Lectures" and “Soul and Suffragette” (by Adrian Stephen and R. R. Kidston), in issues of “Hermes”, November, 1913, and November, 1914.

Until a native from the West Of Europe, bolder than the rest.

Cried ou t: “Confound the exes.!The proper course I ’ve lit upon—We ought to have a Union

For both the sexes!

“And, if the Senate’s not too shy To let us give the scheme a try.

The way we'll quickly show ’em!Ring out the old, ring in the new.Ye jocund belles, according to

The ancient poem !”

The notion made an instant hit—A few turn’d up their nose at it—

But they were mostly wowsers.And now this building all may view.Where blouse and skirt can say, “How do? ”

To coat and trousers.

Marker: Ki—13.Player: Marker, the chalk I | He

cuts a hole in the cloth.} Oh, d-dear me!-A (iir l: Hush!A Small Attendant, wiith a tray:

Candy, sir? 'Pea or Sarto?A \ oice: O for a long sleever o f---

[.All the girls turn and look at him. He concludes hastily.] 'W' ater!

I There is one change for the worse in the Union since we last saw it. The Parlor Bar is run on strictly teetotal ]jrinci])les. ]

The Marker (monotonously); SO-13.The Player (huskily). Chalk, marker!

[He drives a ball off tlie table.]Fir.«t Girl: Oh, my eye ISecond Do. : There, dear—come and

put a piece of steak on it.Marker; 90—13.Player: I ’m so sorry.Second G. : It ’s nothing at all.

f'i’he First Girl says \nothing. but drives a hat|)in into him and goes out, feeling much better.]

.-\ttendt. (to Player); Cushion, sir?Marker: 08—13.Player (to Opponent) : Do you mind

if I forfeit, Gwendolyn? I—I—feel tired. [.Sits.l

HERMES. 63

Gwen: ( )h, all rijjlit. I have to s o now, anyway. [She reaches the door a.s Narcissus is entering.] See you at lunch, Theodore!

I She goes out. Narcissus stands like an oak, smitten to the core, gazing after her. Plainly a l3ad case.]

Hippolyta; Why, if it isn’t Narcissis- sus! [Comes down.] What are you doing here? Ha\e you come back?

Nar.: No—that is, yes. Who is that heavenly creature ?

Tlip. ; Where?Nar. ; Just went out the door. That

radiant vision, that—that---Hip.: Oh, her! That’s Gwendolyn

Harris—a friend of Theodore’s. Never mind her. Aren’t you pleased to see me. Narcissus?

Nar. : A friend of Theodore? That ass! [Seeing Theo.] Why, there’s Theo. over there. How glad T am to see you! Come and have a game, old man.

Hip. : Dear Theodore’s not playing. He’s not very well. [Sweetly:) I had no idea you two were such friends.

Nar. (disregarding her) : I say, old man—charming girl you were playing just now—Gw'en Harris, what? Intro­duce me sometime, will you—what?

Theo.: All right. [To H ip.]: He’s hard hit!

Plip. (coldly): Indeed?Theo. (realising his hlunrier): Per­

haps I ’m wrong. I oughtn’t to have said that. I ’m an ass.

Hip. : You are.Theo.: Think I'll go. [To Hip.]:

Leave you together. [Going.]H ip.: I w'as saying. Narcissus---Nar.: Coming to lunch, old man? I ’ll

gn w'ith you. Dine with me. what? About that intro., just a word---

[Takes Theo. aside and speaks in a low voice. ]

Hi]).: Snubbed!Nar. : You won’t mention about that,

will you?Theo. : I won’t.Nar. : She mightn’t like picture actors.Theo. : She doesn’t.Nar. : Just sav I am doing final Law'.Theo. : But you’re not doing final

Law. you know.-

Nar. : 1 shall be.lliip. (listening) : W hat is this plot?Nar. : I return to my course lo-mor-

row.Theo: Is it as bad as that?Nar. : It is. Come and dine with me,

what? I tell you she’s---I Exit w'ith 'I'heo. 'I'he others ha\ e

gone. Hippolyta fumes.]Hi]).: flah ! am 1 scorned?Marker (coming from a corner): Ymi

are.Hi]). : How dare you, sir? Go away!Mar. : Certainly, miss.Hip. : He scorns me—snubs me—me,

Hippolyta! O for a j)osse of my war­riors — my Amazonian tin-ha'cks — to teach the ingrate manners! Loved by me—and this is how he treats mv love! Oh. I—I ’ll---

Marker (from corner) : You -rhall be revenged!

Hip. : You again? \Miy do you keej) interru]3ting me? Who are you?

Mar. : One moment till I remove this disguise.

I He takes oi¥ a’ false nose, a pair of s])ectacles. a scratch wig, some crepe hair, brushes the powder ofif his face, moustache, and eyebrows, and appears as a certain swarthy Russian.]

H ip.: Ivanoff! A\Hiat are you doing here ?

Ivan.: A\’orking out my revenge on Cuthbert and Narcissus. ^^’hat can I do for you, lady?

Hip. : Do for Narcissu.s—or rather, help me to marry him.

Ivan.: You shall marry him. That is part of my scheme, my revenge---

Hip. : Your revenge?Ivan: Upon Narcissus.Hi]). : But how will you contrive it?Fvan (frankly) : I don’t know. [Look­

ing at her.] There are—diflficulties.

DUET—IVANOFF AND H IPPOLYTA.

Ivan: “My brain is afire with schemes I have but to select my p lan :

.^ny way that I chose I could S lav , I suppose.This blamele.ss and bright young man, For my brain is afire with schemes—

W ith schemes, and dreams.

Hip: “Could you fill him with sugar of lead? Ivan; Yes—or drop him deep down in a well.

64 HERMES.

Hip: Could you cause him to boil In a cauldron of oil?

Ivan: I have only my minions to tell.W ith the very first nod of my head—

lie ’s dead, soon as said!

"I could stick a long knife in his chest, Or grease his back stairs in the night;

But should I so do,Then the prospect for you

Would not be exceedingly bright.A groom with a knife in his chest?

Sorry jest, at the best!

"Were you to reveal his past To the lady of his desire

She would bid him adieu And a clear field for you

Would presently transpire—Were you to reveal his past

In the last picture cast!

Hip: "Were you to contrive a plotTo make him appear in her eye

As a rogue or a thief—It is then my belief

She would bid him for ever good-bye. Were you to contrive a plot,

Ivan: Yes, a plot—but what?

CURTAIN.

ACT II .

'I'h.-it eveiiini;-. Scene.—Profe.ssor C'ullibert’s .study. 'I'he Professor cor- rectiiifj ])apers for class exam.*

Cutli. (reading) : “ A can recover if he —if lie--1 can’t read this. [Count­ing the jiages.] JT, 18, If), 20---Seemsto lune a good grip of tlie subject—(it3 |)er cent. Next! (Takes another paper,]“ .\ cannot recover unless he---” Tut!tut! tliat won’t do. [Takes another.]Jones’ pa])er. Oh, he’s quite solid---[I'akies another.] '7.30. Must finish in in minutes. f(")pens a new batch.] Smith—He’s doiil)tful. Let’s see. Tut! cigar’s gone out. (Tears a page out of .Smith and lights his cigar with it.] “ Question I. I think—” Lawyers never think. Smith—N.S.

[Takes another jiaper and rings bell. Enter an .\ttendant. ] : Flanagan, .send this list down to Banks and get my opera hat and cloak, and let Paris House know. [Exit Flan.] T’ll finish these in the ntorning— [\-aguely]—or some time be­fore December. Now I ’ll---

‘ Our more serious readers should remember that here as elsewhere the scene is laid in or about A.D. 19.50. Consequently the action and setting are purely historical, and could have no application to the present day.

( ICnter Narcissus with a portmanteau. (

Nar. : I have returned, governor.Cuth. I said you would. Is your

s|)irit broken?Nar. : Nu, but since 1 left the Uni­

versity 1 have learnt wisdom.Cuth. : 'I'hen why come back’.Nar. : 1 am tired of wisdom, guv’. 1

only want to be respectable.Cuth.: You should apply for a pro­

fessorship, my boy.Nar. : Could 1 get one, guv’.?Cuth. : Why not? You are Scotch—■

•at least you’re as Scotch as I am. Haven’t you seen Glasgow and F.din- burgh ?

Nar.; Yes, governor—on the map.Cuth.; Very well. You shall begin

with a lectureship. By and by I shall retire—when I get old and unfit for my work. That’ll be a long time, of course, but then you may be elected professor in my place.

Nar. ; Thanks, guv’ . Is the work hard?

Cuth.; Nothing easier. [Hastily.] That is to say, it’s very difficult till you master it. But first you will have to finish your law exams.

[l-'nter Flanagan with hat and cloak.]

moment P'lanagan. Now, my boy, there will be a' final degree exam, in a few weeks. I have ju.st been setting the papers. By the way, Flanagan—those proofs over there—gather them up and burn theiTi, and tell the printer to go ahead.

Nar. ; Have you corrected them, guv’?

Cuth.; Corrected them, sir? I never correct proofs!

Nar. ; Then are they all right?Cuth. ; I flon’t know. .\sk the printer.

Now, my boy. you mustn’t keep me. Sit here and study. I ’m going to the theatre. Now, Flanagan. [Puts on cloak. &c.] Here’s a list of comjiul.sory cases—about ;J000 of them. You won’t be asked them all in the exam., but if you work them into your answers every line or so they spread out the writing and make the papers easier to read. Good-by, my boy. Flanagan, burn those proofs.

[Exit Cuth., via door.]

HERMES. G5

Nar. : Cases be damned! Flanagan, take my valise downstairs. I ’m going out. [Exit, via window.]

Flan.: lla, ha. [Removes disguise and appears as IvanoiY.] The thick ])lottens! |(iathers up the proofs and leers horril)Iy at Narc.’s portmanteau.] I have him in my power.

CURTAIN.

ACT I I I .

Scene.—College. Some weeks later, (iwen and her (iirl Friends at Su])per.

OPEN ING CHORUS.

‘‘The scene i.s now Gwen's room at College. Here is your chance, who thirst for knowledge. Whose curiosity is rifer.If women's secrets to decipher,

Is what you sigh for.

"What is this liquid that each maiden Quaffs? Some brewage mystery-laden Or potion anti-apostolic Prepared from substance diabolic

Or alcoholic?

“No. Man may patronise the brewers,W ith Dawson's, Dickinson's, or Dewar's,W ith counterlunch and cherry brandy—But we find coffee much more handy

W ith ,>!ugar-candy! ”

Diana: Listen, (Iwen—.such a funny thing-—

Millicent; Candy, ])lease.Rosalie; Me after you, Millicent.Mil. : Sorry, there’s none left. [Takes

the last lump.] I love Gwen’s candy, don’t you?

I)i. : P'ancy making Hijjpolyta secre­tary of the Union!

Crwen. : They must’ve been asleep.Ros. : Yes, indeed! That old hen

among the boys and girls!Siebel: 1'hey say she once had a

young man---Di. : Stop it! W'hatever was he like?Sie: It ’s a long time ago. They say

he was a law student.Ros: Poor fellow! Did he finish his

coursc ?Sie; No. .Mthough he was quite

clever—as men go—he gave it up in his final year—such a romantic story !—and went on the stage---

('iwen:; cheap actor? Ugh!Ros: How lovely! What became of

him-

Sie ; He disappeared. They think he went up in the big explosion—the Great Hall, you know.

Di: What a mystery !Ciwen; I don’t believe a word of it.Sie : Thank you so much .Mill: Where did you hear it all, Sibby?Sie : At the Law School. Banks told

me.Ros: Did he say the boy’s name?Sic; No, he wouldn’t. I a.sked him,

blit he just grinned and said it was a i-iaic secret.

Mil; Banks is an old gossip.Sie; A dear old gossip! I love Banks.D i; Lucky Banks! [Hums an air.]

What tune is that, girls?F.verybody (e.xcept one) : (Hir Miss

Gibbs, of course.Ros: Gwen’s very quiet. What have

you got there in the brown paper, Gwen?Gwen: It’s a little surprise for you,

girls. Guess!Ros : I know. Pearson’s Dream Book !D i; No, it’s a race game, silly.^lil;: I hope it’s more candy. I dote

on candy.Gwen: No—it’s this. [Unwraps a

photo of Narc.]Ros ; O-oh ! a young man .Sie; AVhere did you nab him. Gwen?D i: What’s his name?Mill: Are there any more at home— ?'jwen: ?Iis name’s Narcissus.Di: What a nice name! Is he strong?Ros; Can he smoke cigars? I do ad­

mire a man who can smoke cigars!Sie: When did he pop, Gwen?Gwen: He’s going to pop to-morrow.Ros: However does she know that?M ill: Pooh ! You are a fresher! [Ros.

subsides. ]Di- What’s he in?Gwen ; Final Law.Sie: No he isn’t. I ’m in Final Law.Ros: Perhaps he doesn’t attend lec­

tures. Is he very clever, (}wen?Gwen: \’ery. He doesn’t have to

attend lectures.Ros and Di; O-oh! He must be clever!Gwen: He’s the professor’s son, you

know.Mill; I should love to meet him.Gwen; You shall, dear—after we’re

married.Sie; Sly dog.

66 HERMES.

Ros. and D i: 'Fee liee !Ros (at cluor) : (iwen, Ciwen! here

comes Hippolyta.Sie: What, coming here? Tlie puss!(Iwen; Say I ’m not in.

[Enter Hi])polyta. ]

Why, it’s dear Ili])polyta, to be sure. I Kisses her.] How nice of you to come. Sit down, dear.

Sie; Why, it’s Polly, .so it is. What luck! (Kisses her.]

Hi]): Dear Siebel—Di—Milly. There, there. [Kisses everylwdy.] I just dropped round for a chat with (iwen. You don’t mind, do you?

Mil (taking the h int): Oh Gwen, dear, I ’m so sorry—I must go now. Good-by dear Polly! Coming, Rosie?—Di?— I The Four (jirls go out. ]

Mip: f)h. you’re not going? .Stop them, Gwendolyn. Well, well. (Settles in chair. Her eye roams round the room.] This is like old times—isn’t it?

(iwen: Quite. [Aside]: What .old times?

Hip: I came round, dear Gwendolyn— (She -sees Narc.’s photo. Her jaw snaps, but she says evenly] : Why, what a nice likeness!

Gwen: Ye.s—that’s a' gentleman I ’m about to be engaged to. Do you know him?

Hip : Ah ! The face seemed familiar. But you see, I have had so many suitors—

Gwen: That you find it hard to re­member mere acquaintances? Ye.s—.of course.

Hip: Acquaintances? Oh. dear no. I was once al)out to be engaged to this— gentleman, myself—unless I am mis­taken---

Gwen; You must be. This gentleman is about to be engaged to me, and I feel certain that he has ne\er been about to i;e engaged before.

Hip: Do you know him very well?Gwen; Yes—he has told me all about

himself.Hip: How long did that take?Gwen: Hours and hours.Hip: Ah! w'ith me it took weeks and

weeks. fSuddenlv.]: Has he told you about his past?

(iw'en (blanching) : His past?—my Narcissus have a pa'st?

Hip; Yes. [.VccusinglyJ Ask him why he doesn’t attend his lectures? A.sk him what he did with his time last year and the year before and the year beforethat and----

Gwen; Sto]>! Lea\e this room. I trust Narcissus absolutely. I shall not ask him. 1 don’t wish to know what he did. What did you say it w'as?

Hip; I sav nothing. Ask him ![Exit.]

CURTAIN.

[To be continued in next issue, if our readeis can bear the expense—no, sus­pense. In the meantime they will be interested to learn that Gwen does ask him. As for Ivanof? and the villainous use to which he put the exam, proofs, that, too, will be told in our November issue. ]

W AR.

A-gliding down the valley road A filmy spectre came,

Anon like inky mist it showed.Anon like crimson flame.

Now low before its hunched back Its formless headpiece hung,

Now high above the murky track Its shaky arms were flung.

The beasts that roamed the silent vale Stood in a clammy fear.

As on the night there rose a wail Too fell for mortal ear.

And now 'twas like the werewolf's cry. And now like a wild death knell.

And now in a madman’s sob ’twould die, Now rise in a shriek of Hell.

And ever down the valley road The Horror glided fast.

The grasses withered where it strode The streams dried as it passed.

The sweet wood-scents on either side Were smothered, as it went.

'Twas like as though the vaults lay wide Where rotting dead ferment.

A-down the vale were three rode .slow, Were prating of the soul.

Who spake a boast that man might know All that immortal scroll.

When straight upon the gaping three The shapeless nightmare bore.

Behind it lay a flaming sea,A .sea of blood before.

They moved no limb, they spake no word. They made no single moan;

Nought but the weird wild wail was heard— Their hearts were turned to stone.

Yet ever down the valley road The spectre mocking ran.

How little like their dreams it showed-- The naked soul of m an !

HERMES. 67

A Romance of The Fisher(Continued from last issue.)

Lin response to numerous inquiries, the heroine are independent of any living beings; prototype.—"Z."]

Vll.But meanwhile Circe in Philosophy

Discovered that her pen had sprung a leak; And hitting on the usual remedy

She straight began her handkerchief to seek, But found, to her intense disgust and pique,

The handkerchief her every effort mocking To resurrect it. So she swore (in Greek),

The pen was perfect; and it may seem shocking. But still the fact remains, she wiped it on her

stocking.

V III.

Awhile she hears the Prof.'s deep arguments "What's matter? Never mind. W hat’s

mind? Xo m atter!”As skilfully the point he represents

Or complicates—more often it’s the latter. But afterwards the words fell flat and flatter

On Circe’s wearied ear. Her thoughts then drifted

Back to the spiral staircase and the clatter O f falling Percy; and when she had sifted This incident, the veil of mystery was lifted!

IX .

Her bright new kerchief on the staircase murky, Her handkerchief initialled with a C!

(Or K. if you prefer to call her Kirke).So after Andy finished up at three By saying B was A if A was B,

Fair Circe straightway back her journey wound Unto the exit of the library;

B ut with success her searching was not crowned, And much to her disgust no handkerchief she

found.

X.

So going up into the libraryQuite absent-mindedly a seat she took,

The first there that was vacant; wearily She opened up a solid Latin book.Yet could not long in leaden Livy look.

But at the other students had a peep.Then all at once her lassitude forsook

Fair Circe: and her heart gave one long leap. For opposite her sat our hero fast asleep!

X I.

T p s ! this was he with whom she cj^me to grief, This youth enveloped in a midday dream!

And goodness me I there was her handkerchief. To get back which she must find out some

scheme.A t firsc she thought to stamp her foot or

scream,But then decided she’d let Percy oflf

More lightly; and it didn’t somehow seem Quite right to let the other people scofif A t her misfortune. So she coughed a pseude-

cough.

Author wishes to state that his hero and Percy is per se, Circe is as false as her Homeric

X II .

He had been dreaming of the oaken beams Whose lion-mouths groan tugging at the

spheres,Iron-girt, from which a subdued radiance

gleamsAt times, for visitors. Their horrid leers— I mean those of the lions, not the seers—

Soon mixed in Percy’s dreams yet more and more:

So that, when Circe’s cough came to his ears Combined in dissonance with his own snore.He thought the mingled sound an angry lion's

roar.

X I IL

So Percy woke up scared with chattering jaw, Expecting he was either dead or mangled;

But found, instead of lion's shaggy paw,A smooth white arm with golden wristlet

bangled.He, when his drowsy thoughts were disen­

tangled,Slowl)^ allowed his furtive gaze to rise

Along the arm up to the beauty-spangled Face of its fair possessor. His surprise You can imagine, when his own met Circe’s

eyes.

X IV .

Their introduction has been quite informal,But then there was excuse enough for that,

Because the circumstances were not normal.A moment in embarrassment they sat;Then Circe proved herself a diplomat

By saying “I t is very hot to-day.”And Percy answered, “By Jehosophat!

Here is your handkerchief.” W ithout delay He gave it up. She with a smile did him

repay.

XV.

Bewitching she repeated it was hot.And that the time was twenty-five past three;

At 3.15 she had, as oft as not,A cup of weak unsugared milky tea At table small in the Refectory:

And so it was high time that she withdrew.She spoke; he heard; she conquered. Eagerly

^’'acating his seat with no more ado,In trembling accent low he asked; "May I

come too?”

XV I.

She acquiesced and from the LibraryThey i.ssued—by the exit; soon they came

To the refreshment room, where suddenly I t struck them both it was a jolly shame That neither of them knew the other’s name.

So he informed her that they called him Percy, And if she liked that she could do the .same.

Whereat she answered he might call her Circe, For Mrs. Lycus was a stilted name for Dirce.

68 HERMES

X V II.

While he was wondering at this last remark, Fair Circe had already finished filling

Their cups; and seeing he was in the dark She told him she was not a bit unwilling (The waitress here asked Percy for a shilling)

To let him know her matutinal slumber In Latin I. was broken by the trilling

Of One Who loved his lectures to encumber W ith Mrs. Cicero, and other modern lumber.

X X I I .

Whereat he told her that beneath the clock Which hangs suspended in the Central Station

At 7.45 he'd join the flock Of Romeos in eager expectation Of meeting Juliets. This invitation

Brought forth from Circe the desired reply.She answered with the utmost animation,

“I t is not mine to pass such offer by;So on my being there implicitly rely.”

^tVIII.

And then he told her how to cook a star's law By methods well known to astronomers;

And how to tell a swiftly running car's law. Across whose path if hapless student errs,The dire collision his exam, defers;

How that he heard green smells in Chemistry, Faugh! sitting in that Lab .; but nought

detersHim zealous; he hears laws on Botany,And roams the rocky road of rough Geology.

X IX .

So spake the Scientist; the Artiste told Of English I. and of the massive tomes

She read for e.ssays, which were ever doled Out monthly; how she heard of sunny homes Smiling for ever, past whose noble domes

And gardens green with many a fragrant flower A faery-haunted stream for ever roams.

Whose murmurs musical have the strange power Of causing drowsiness within a single hour.

X X I I I .

Then Percy felt constrained his meal to hasten. For fear of his arriving there too late;

But Circe made him wait, his zeal to chasten. From ten past seven until ten past eight. He, thinking she had left him to his fate,

Began to curse his tender-hearted folly,And altogether got into a state,

Which was exactly opposite of jolly;Till Circe wrapped in furs dispersed his melan­

choly.

X X IV .

On her arrival off at once they wentBy Coogee tram down to the ocean beach,

Where unto her his willing arm he lent.And as they strolled there was no need for

speech,But (as he thought) their hearts spoke each to

each.Ah! had he only known false Circe's mind.

He would have fled from the enchantress’ reach,

Casting the Cyprian roses far behind,That Pallas might his brow with wiser ivy bind.

X X .

She told him this year there were Greeks in plenty.

That .>!he herself the lectures did attend;And when the class-roll came to nearly twenty

The Prof. began to wonder if the end Was yet in sight; but still the steady trend

Continued; then the Prof. began to rouse,And po.ssibly a few stray hairs to rend;

He must have sorely exercised his “nous," Counting how many more his lecture room

would house.

X X I.

And thus she gossiped on aye pleasantly Throughout the golden autumn afternoon;

And he was much surprised when presently The waitress said they must be leaving soon. So up they rose, and Circe as a boon

Allowed him to conduct her to the tram.“Are you quite free to-night at rise of moon?”

He asked, the while his head all dizzy swam; And Circe answered back, “Svipposing that I

X XV .

And so they walked by the loud-sounding sea. The moonlight flashing on the yellow sand

And waves that rippled on voluptuously In ecstasy of motion, even fanned By airy Zephyr's soft caressing hand.

The waves sang on; still at each mystic lull The night-hawk’s cry would on the breeze

expand—But in humility, for I am dull,I ask you, ladies fair, to say “Where was the

gull?”

X X V I.

And so they wandered on and on and on, While all the time the night advanced apace.

When the eleventh hour was past and gone. They turned about, their footsteps to retrace. Then he his oozing courage up did brace,

So that at length with soul-filled eyes ashine He dared to look his Circe in the face;

Next closer drew, and in her ear divine He whispered soft and low, "Circe, wilt thou be mine?”

"ZERO .”(To be concluded.)

HERMES. 69

Utopia -In Embryo.

'I'here are some duubts and queries whicli uccur with surprising frequency as each generation of students goes on its way—surprising, because the answers ougln long since to have been supplied, and the prcjlilenis suggested solved. No student—not even a third year Medical or an .\rts fresher—supposes that a Uni­versity can lie run without some regula­tions :uul some exercise of authority in liro])er quarters. But there is a certain smack of lligh School discipline about some of the laws which govern under­graduate life, and a certain tendency to su])pose that the most earnest purpose of every student is to evade, as skilfully as liossible, every chance of really acquiring knowledge. Is there any reason why, in a community of persons supposed to ])e eager for real education, the avenues to knowledge should be hedged in at either end by a bustling array of regula­tions as minute as thpy are tiresome. Is there for example, any really adequate answer to the question why lectures on the Arts side should be compulsory? It is quite conceivable that in Medicine and h'ngineering the complications of prac­tical work make it essential for students to actually see given demon.strations. But what possible ill effects could follow if attendance jn other departments were optional, as in the greater Universities of the home land? Students, the world over, know a man and recognise a scholar when they meet him—the lecture room of such an one would ne\er be empty. Un- <kr present conditions a good student— and this is an actual ca.se—may be repri- ntanded for “ missing one lecture, and being late twice,” that same student being a worker w't'i a sense of duty and a University prize-winner to boot. The argument ajiplies in ]>articular to Honour students in many subjects, whose stan­dard of work, say in text translation and ■criticism, is fairly high, and who enjoy it for its own sake. Whj^ should they be compelled to listen to practically word for word translation of pass work, which they can do more quickly and quite as

well with a good edition and a sound dic­tionary? Tiiere is no time in the courses for really critical study, or for literary appreciations, so hour after iiour must be spent in dreary translation for pass standard people.

To go to another point—is there any particular virtue in the present .system of Honour work on the Arts side, which de­prives our best students of the whole of their vacation in the hottest part of the Australian summer? It is useless to con­tend that the work might be done through the year—could ever student exist who dared approach an examination on work done three months before and not since touched? A plan by which Honour stu­dents might from their second year, or in their third year at least, be allowed to do a separate course would have many ad­vantages. An alternative suggestion is to follow the lines laid down by I' din- burgh, and demand a whole year’s more work from an Honour student. Let the Honour course be worth something more than the steady cram it all too often re­presents. Under the present system, a student who is preparing for a profession must wait until the end of March before entering any position—-and this, in teach­ing especially, is a serious disadvantage— while the student who intends to make no special use of his training, but wants to take Honours, must arrange to spend the whole of a hot summer right in town. What bliss to a worker who has done three years’ good work to feel that before entering a profession there would be at least a month of well-earned rest and quiet!

Last of all—does not the real cause of many of our troubles lie in too rapid ex­pansion? First year students are ]iaired in ; a])parently no age restriction holds them back—they are too young to realise the meaning of student responsibility and student ])rivilege — accommodation is overtaxed, and lecturers over-driven. Really earnest students are hampered by lack :if space on the Science side, lack of s])ecialised men on the Arts side. How,

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for example, can one professor in liistory cope with classes of a hundred or more— how can he know his students, direct their attempts at research, and really enter in some degree into their mental life? There is serious waste of valuable material going on everywhere—good students find, very early in their course, that they are ex- l>ected to “ do time” on unnecessary lec­tures, struggle along without any per­sonal touch with professor.s—and bear their burdens with a discouraging vista of future toil in Sydney’s best January and February weather.

If these matters could be rectified—if compulsory lectures were abolished, if some of the Government money could go to (leei)ening and consolidating the work of the University and lightening the labours of its most honoured servants so that they might exercise the profoundly important influence impossible at present —and finally if Honour students were al­lowed a freer hand—we believe that re­sults would be better both in the type and numbers of scholars sent out. We are devotedly attached to Alma Mater—

and Ijelieve in her firmly. But she is as yet Utopia in Embryo only.

Optimist.

THAT SLEEP OF DEATH.

The time was Winter, and the half-grown moon„ Hidden anon by clouds, was shining bright When, weary of my soul, I sought the light That men call darkness, and, alas! too soon 1 found it in the river dark and deep.Oh, why do living men say death is sleep?Let them but die! Oh, that eternity Of dreadful torment, even while I passed Breathless down through the air! and when at

lastI felt the cold dark water welcome me,I t seemed a cruel kindness, to extort From me with pain, what 1 unasked had

brought.

The moon is full by now, and from the sky Distorted by the waves, I see it gleam.The moon that trembles, imaged by the stream. Trembles not like my soul, whose piteous cry Is echoed by the wind, as low it moans.And bv the ripples lapping on the stones.

“L .”

HERMES. n

Imaginary Conversations.

THOMAS THE CLASSICIST AND Q. HORATIUS FLACCUS.

Thomas the Classicist is lecturing to a som­nolent class from X th Epistle of Horace.

Thomas: N'ivere naturae si convenien- ter o])ortet—if we must live conveniently to nature—Mr. Chidley’s idea, isn’t it So?

Mr. Horace is writing to his friend Mr. Fuscus about the joys of simple country life. Ill the next passage, he explains that the most suitable place—doma ])onendae—for the l)uiiding of a house, or a week-end resort, is tlie rus beatus—the Domain, isn’t it so?

i)o you remember how Mr. Words­worth says;

W ith deep devotion, Nature, did I feel In that enormous city’s turbulent world Of men and things, what benefit I owed To Thee and those domains of rural peace.

Isn’t it so? Primum area quaerenda —and first a backyard must be----

Horace [suddenly materialising] : Cease! Enough! I did not pen this script by Vacuna’s mouldering fane for you to dislocate to slumbering youths.

Thomas: Excuse me, but I cannot al­low this interruption. 1 have been here for too long to stand any infernal im­pertinence from you. If you don’t like my Latin lectures, go somewhere else. You are not forced to come here. Stop grinning. I won’t have it. As Mr. Goethe says: “ Bare not thus thy wolfish fangs upon me! My gorge rises at it!”

Horace: My good professor, pray calm yourself. Are you aware that you are addressing Quintus Horatius Flaccus, the great Latin bard?

Thomas [with a gasp] : Is it so? Horace: I chanced to be meandering

in the spirit on my way to call on Cicero for morning tea, when I heard a droning of familiar words. I must ask you as a personal favour to refrain from trans­lating my verse unless you can do it jus­tice. It will give these students such a mangled impression.

Thomas [confidentially] : They’re not listening. They’re all too .sound asleep.

“ They will awake no more, oh, never more,” as Mr. Shelley said.

Horace: (jood. But do you not agree with me that life in the country, on some sul)urban estate, is vastly preferable to city life?

Thomas: Most certainly. I always prefer the country to Sydney. I may ex­plain that I only lecture here during win­ter. In summer, I go away for the week­ends—Friday to Thursday, you know.

Horace: But why only in summer? Can you mention any place other than the country where the winters are more temperate?

Thomas: Not near Sydney, Mr. Flac­cus. 1 once went to Cronulla in winter. It was horribly chilly. But it’s much better in summer; very hot, in fact. Be­sides, I dislike rural fare. Commeatus— bully beef and ham sandwiches, isn't it so? As Mr. Sallust remarked---

Horace: Stop! I have no desire to hear it.

Thomas: 'I'hen there are dingoes in this country.

Horace: Are they birds?Thomas: Oh, no. A sort of dog that

howls. Canis ululabilis—isn’t it so? ■'Lo, here the gentle lark!” as Mrs. Melba would say; or perhaps it would be better rendered: “Whoops! Let’s do it again!”’ They always scare the ladies.

Horace: But surely the ladies afford you some consolation?

Thomas: That is so. But they always wa'nt you to hunt for ferns and s'taghorns in impossible places. They inveigled me down a steep bank into a horrid ravine, and I couldn’t get out again. I have been in a rut ever since. As Mr. Scott would say; “ Oh, woman, in our hours of ease.” Isn’t it so? Or I might quote the classic instance of Mrs. Milo keeping her hubby waiting in his motor car. As Mr. Cicero then remarked--- -

Sleepy Voice from Class: W' e’Il never get through Horace before the Exam, at this rate.

78 HERMES.

Thomas: Quick! The hour is nearly up, and they will all be waking!

[Horace fades away. | Est ubi—where is it—hieme.s—that

winters—plus tepeant—are warmer. Isn’t it ,«o? As Mr. Macaulay would say—etc. ad Hi), ad infin.

Jonathan.

MORE OPTIM ISM .

U N IVERSIT Y WITS.

fW ith apologies to Byron and other inferiors of the present poet.]

Poor profs., we see them fading day by day, Thin and now thinner wearing right away,Who, as the nightmare Muse each versy a.ss

stirs,Become the butt of funny poetasters, Whetstones ill-starred, on which each prosy

scribeSharpens his spluttering nib, and has a gibe; And all infected with the writing germ ease Their fevers on the profs, in leaves of

“Hermes";Immortal profs., who, e’er since its foundation Are always sung at each Commemoration,No wonder that a process of attrition Has worn away these Lights of Erudition!The sights that meet the eye are truly pitiful Their like can not be seen in all the City-full, Look! mighty Andy, faded to the dust Draggles his plume on spurs long gone to rust, ■And, while each, scribe his hat and checks with

tar inks.Floats round,—a lost attenuated larynx.A ribald song on censors, a faint crack I The last mean straw! then broke poor Jummy’s

back.His shadowy body loosed its fleshy bond, hence He vanished in a whirl of correspondence!Now Engineers just feel a faint warm puff,And weep for the remains of Barra’s bluff. Horatio’s steely suavity has frayed Till all that’s left is a Toledo blade;.\nd Charlie’s frown, aloof and scientific,Alone is left to tell of wear terrific.Francis and Mac. have long since gone com­

pletely.Poor genial Scots that faded all too fleetly! They .started much too small, the wearing in­

wardLeft nought but gas—w'hich bore them seraphim-

ward.We search in Tommy’s hoary haunts, and lol Naught but an echo whispers “Isn’t it so?”-And Sunny—once in weight no floating feather - Has faded from these precincts altogether;•And e’en the W'arden-Registrar wears down Till all that’s seen’s a floating bran-new gown. Break, break, our hearts! Ten thousand times,

alas!Such horrid things as the.se should come to pass. Ah! future generations shall no .small lack see Of equals of this past entrancing galaxy!

A .E .H .C .

Life is full of facts.I'^xperience teaches wise men. Fools

never learn.Most folks imagine that because they

can’t see the foam a man’s n(jt making a splash in the world. They forget their house doesn’t look out on the seaside.

If everybody made a j)oint of always mentioning all the objections to every cause of action jjroposed, nobody would ever do anything. All the time would be taken uj) objecting.

You can never be sure who your friends are till they’re buried.

I oncc knew a pair of men who were such good friends that they had lost all interest in each other.

.\nd I once knew a ]>air of lovers who got niarried—but that is a story which wouldn’t interest anybody.

T o m B ow ling .

SONNET.

I do not weep for Carthage, nor the slain Of Marathon. The pride of Rome lies low,

Her bravest legions left upon the plain;But oh, for this no tears of mine can flow.

Vanquished and victor fight eternally.And for the dead 1 cannot shed a tear;

Save where there lives in golden memory The names of heroes of some yester year.

For world-catastrophies I cannot weep—My life, it seems, holds more calamity,

So that I envy those who lie in sleep.And never knew nor wasted looks on thee.

Lo\ e unrequited tunes this mournful song— Thou lov’st me not, and yet my love lasts

long.R.S.L.

SUNSET AND DEATH.

Rest after wandering.Peace after strife;

O passing Sun king,So passeth life.

Soft up the eastern slopes Steals the still dark:

So softly steal away My spirit’s bark.

Slow from the western porch P'ades thy dim light:

So slowly fall on me Death's kindly night.

R ..N .K .

HERMES. 73

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74 HERMES.

Alumnus in Freak-Land.

Hero: ALUMNUS, an Arts student, who, be­ing a disciple of Lewis Carroll, draws more in­struction from his lecturers than from their lectures.

Scene: The Main Building of the University, inhabited by

TRICOLOUR RABBIT, a French instructor in a hurry:

Three GREAT POETS:i.—THE MYSTIC HATTER, a profound and

humorous transcendentalist, who wears a HAT!

ii.—THE GAY B R E R E H ARE, an athletic and bracing librarian, who DOES NOT.

iii.—A genuine "ANGLO-SAXON D O R ­MOUSE, with habits of promiscuous hibernation (infectious).

THE C H ESH IRE TOMMY CAT, a long-estab­lished Classic grin;

THE DUCHESS, a changeful and sudden per­son, who runs an establishment with the Tommy Cat, and the PIG-BABY, a Latin prose:

THE MOUSE, a loquacious and diminutive philosopher;

THE DODO, his experimental abettor; and

CRAD, A FROG FOOTMAN, obliging, but somewhat irrelevant;

—all of whom Alumnus meets, as well as

HORATIO, the immaculate CATERPILLAR, of Mathematical sarcasm:

THE GRECIAN GRYPHON , a “Laughing” and “Grief” expert;

MOCK-TURTLE, the cumbrous relator of his­torical moonshine:

THE K IN G OF HEARTS, Mungo I., indiffer­ently known as “The Genial” and “The Huge” ; and

THE QUEEN OF HEARTS, head keeper of order, warden of antiquated customs, regis­trar of misdeeds, of much apparent severity, but who does not always insist on the execution of her dire sentences;

—all of whom Alumnus fain would meet, but is prevented by a tragic accident.

[Alumnus, tired of exteriors, has souglit relief in the pages of “ Alice in Wonder­land.” He then prays the Shade of Lewis Carroll for the gift of seeing things as they are. The Shade gives him a magic pair of spectacles. After an end­less rising up a hill, he arrives at the University. ]

As he entered the portal, ALUMNUS caught sight of the scurrying figure of a RABBIT, dressed in a dark suit, with a red tie, and a, Httle light grey hat. By dint of hard running Alumnus was able to keep up with him, and hear what he said as he hurried along glancing con­tinuously at his watch.

“ Oh dear, oh dear,” muttered the RABBIT, “ my lecture, my class, what­ever shall I do! Oh, my high standard! how late it’s getting! Won't my class be heartbroken if I don’t turn up! Dear, oh dear! Twenty seconds late—I shall have to start lecturing from the door. There’s nothing else for it. And lecture five words to the second ! Oh my modern languages!”

By this time the RABBIT was in such a hurry that he did not notice a large sheaf of papers, heavily and tastefully or­namented with red ink, which flew out of his little bag a'nd scattered far and wide.

He dodged suddenly into a door. ALUMNUS attempted to follow him, but alas! he took the wrong turning, and the next thing he knew he was one of a crowd of creatures gathered around a little MOUSE, who was holding forth sententiously. “ Gentlemen,” remarked the MOUSE, clearing his throat shrilly, “ our most cherished ambition is to be­come thoroughly dry. As we are a large class, therefore, I would ask'one of you to be kind enough to close both doors and all the windows. I s'hall then proceed to be as dry as I can, whereupon it stands logically a'nd psychologically to reason that you will be affected accordingly.

. Ahem! as I said at the begin­ning of last lecture, you are doubtless aware that scientific knowledge did not obtain . . .”

A groan broke from one of the a'udience.The little MOUSE peered sharply

down.“ What did that gentleman say?” he

asked.One creature disclaimed guiltily having

made any remark.“ I beg your pardon ?” insisted the

philosopher, “ Speak up, please. I cannot he-ar.” Upon receiving a yell by way of reply he resumed his lecture; “ .

HERMES. 16

among primitive human beings.” No­body knew where he had got to, but as no one ever understood anything the MOUSE said, it didn’t vastly matter.

And here ALUMNUS became sunken in oblivion, nor did he regain conscious­ness till the sound of a new voice com­pelled his attention. It was the DODO. The MOUSE was gone, but apparently he had left his subject behind him.

Words broke in on ALUMNUS. “ . . . exertion, exercise, experi­ment," the DODO was saying intensely. “ The course which I have marked out is carefully limited to the subject. We shall not go beyond its bounds. And so we shall cover all the same ground again and again, and no one will ever get any­where. There is no beginning or end to such a subject as this. You are at it al­ways. And more, you will find that you supply your own prizes. Fresh delights are ever at hand to reward the search of your own minds.”

But this was too much for ALUMNUS, who broke himself free from the hypnotic spell with which the DODO was chloro­forming the class, and turned away dis­mally, only to catch sight of TR I­COLOUR RABBIT trotting slowly back again, looking anxiously about for something he had lost.

“ My class! My class! Whatever will it do? There won’t be anyone left for me to lecture to, if this kind of thing hap­pens. Phonetics and morphology! Where have I dropped those exam, papers; and my result list, my precious list, where can it be?” He caught sight of ALUMNUS. “ Here, attendant,” he cried, “ would you please find me my list, a list, any list.” And he hovered frantic­ally out of sight.

ALUMNUS set off to find somebody he could ask about TRICOLOUR RAB­BIT’S list. At last he came to a small room, and inside the door he fpund a FROG FOOTMAN who seemed to be there for the express purpose of answer­ing inquiries.

“ Please,” -asked ALUMNUS, “ where can I find TRICOLOUR RABBIT’S list?”

“ I shall stay here,” the FOOTMAN remarked with a courteous air, “ till to­morrow---” A telephone rang loudly.

The FOOTMAN took no notice; “ — or the next day maybe,” he continued in exactly the same tone.

“ How am I to get to see the list?” asked ALUMNUS again in a louder tone.

“Arc you to see it all?” said the FOOT­MAN. “ That’s the first question you know. ”

It was, no doubt, only ALUMNUS wasn’t pleased to hear it; he wanted thf list to appear some day. The FOOT­MAN seemed to think this a good oppor­tunity for repeating his remark, with variations. “ I shall stay here,” he said, “ on and off for years and 3 ears—I caught that from the Cheshire Tommy Cat,” he added.

ALUMNUS gave up all hope of the list.

“ W'ho’s he?” he asked.“ He? Oh, he’s a hidebound edition

of a combined quotation thesaurus and word-for-word Latin text key that lives down with the Ducihess,” the FOOT­MAN said slowly; then, vaguely, with a wave of the hand, “ You’d better go and see him .”

“ W'hy, how long has he been here?” asked ALUMNUS, his thought recurring.

“Oh ! aeons and aeons and aeons, longer than the memory of man,” replied the FOOTMAN distantly, and he fell into a brown study.

‘• ‘ Enquiries’ !” sighed ALUMNUS desperately, and turned on his heel to go and. find the Cheshire Tommy Cat.

He found him—sitting comfortably by the fire indulging in a large grin while the DUCHESS did the work. The DUCHESS seemed to like doing the work, and did it very fiercely, meanwhile singing the following ditty;

“Speak sharply to your little maids,And chide them when they giggle;

They only talk, the restless jades.To make one writhe and wriggle.”

Chorus;

(By the Cheshire Tommy Cat.)“Isn’t it so! So! So!"

While the DUCHESS sang the second verse, she was rummaging so frantically among drawers—full of her accumulated old Baby-Proses of past years, and mak­ing such a rustling that ALUMNUS could hardly hea’r the words.

7G HERMT5S.

"I speak severely to my class,Anri out of lectures shoo them.

Half treat their proses as a farce,The rest just never do them .”

Chorus:

• K-k-k-k! Isn't it! S o !”

The DUCHESS at last selected one Baby-Prose and flung it at ALUMNUS, of whom she had taken not the slightest notice up till then.

“ Here! this is for you!”Then with barometric suddenness she

became affable. “ I must go and get ready to play ‘ Discipline with the Queen,’ ” she confided.

Then, apparently fearing she had said too much, she resumed her haughty air, and swept out of the room without bes­towing another glance on ALUMNUS.

The latter had caught the Baby-Prose’s sense with some difficulty, as it was a queer shaped creature, with its evasive limbs sticking out in all directions, ft kept doubling itself up and contorting itself so much that AI^UMNUS began to suspect that he had spent the night be­fore on the razzle-dazzle.

However, he took it carefully outside, and was taking it away, when he discover­ed, on earnest examination, that the Baby-Prose had undoubtedly turned out to be a PIG . He felt, therefore, that it would be quite absurd for him to carry it out any further. So he set it down, and was just resolving to himself never to have any more to do with it when he caught sight of the Cheshire Tommy Cat observing him from above.

“ So that’s what becomes of the Baby- Prose, is it?” the latter remarked, “ f thought it would. liut it doesn’t matter. One is not forced to work here any more than one is to attend discourses.”

As the tone of these observations was extremely genial and discursive, ALUMNUS ventured to ask the way to the nearest dwelling.

“ In that direction,” replied the Cat, “ lives the MYSTIC HATTER, in that the GAY BRERE HARE. Visit either you like; they’re both mad.”

“ But I don’t want to go among mad people,” A l u m n u s remarked.

“ Oh you can’t help that,” said the Cat, “ we’re all ma'd here. I ’m mad. You’re mad.”

“ How do you know I ’m mad?” said ALUMNUS.

“ You must be,” said the Cat, “ or you wouldn’t have come here. ‘ Craze, craze, everywhere craze,’ as Mr. Wagner has remarked. K-k-k, Isn’t it so?”

And with that he faded gradually away till only the grin was left to ALUMNUS’ memory. That he remembered long. So ALUMNUS took the direction of the GAY BRERE HARE’S house, and soon came in sight of it. It had the dusty air of many tomes, and silence only—to—be —broken—by—whispering—females, so that his heart misgave him.

The entrance to the dwelling w'as label­led, “ The Poets’ Corner,” and there at a table sat three strange figures in the act of thinking poetry. The table was spread with pens and inks, light refreshments from downstairs, and dictionaries, espe­cially dictionaries, ordinary dictionaries and ones for rhyming, dictionaries of quo­tations and of synonyms, and many an other kind.

“ This is interesting,” thought ALUM­NUS, “ I ’ve never seen real poetry in the making before, though of course everyone indulges in vile verse.’”

THE HATTER had on a wonderful black hat, labelled “ Fire Sale, 1903, 4d.,” and a many-caped black cloak over his large person. He wore his raven hair long, a fearsome collar and a miracle cravat. He was a dark and gloomy per­son, and the general effect was of a melo­drama villain. He had the pose of a grim humorist.

THE HARE, and the DORMOUSE, a poet of domestic joys who answered to the suitable name of Leslie (and kept his hair cut), both peered through thick spec­tacles. The long, thin silver hair and peering stoo]) of the HARE proclaimed him a robust romantic realist, singing of the joys of a strenuous life. He was dis­cussing the merits of his school (exempli­fied by himself) with the . HATTER, whose being was redolent of the frail as­ceticism that marks the modernist, the transcendentalist, the dreamer. They both talked well over the head of the DORMOUSE, who mostly went to sleep.

When ALLTMNLTS approached, the HATTER fixed him with profound stare.

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78 HERMES.

“ Do you like conundrums?” he asked at length, interrupting the HARE, to whom he had not been paying the slight­est attention.

“ Some,” answered ALUMNUS guard­edly, remembering the Rind that is met in certain poetry. “ 1 give prizes for answered conundrums,” he urged anxi­ously. Then with an air of ma'gniiicent magnanimity he began to rummage in his various and capacious pockets. At length he drew something forth. “ The prize for this answer will be a stamp,” he an­nounced, “ a' used penny postage stamp of the present issue.” He smiled. A JO K E ! ALUMNUS, having deceived his cue, laughed.

“ This,” resumed the HATTER, “ is my conundrum : \\’hy must a spade never be called a spade?”

ALUMNUS promptly gave up. “Why?” be said.

“ The only questions worth asking,” replied the HATTER with massive toler­ance, “ are those whose answers Sre irre­vocably sunk in the oblivion of the in­finitude of unfathomable obscurity.”

He sank into silence. The GAY BRERE HARE was in the middle of a dissertation on the heinousness of not ac­knowledging quotations.

Gloom settled more heavily on the MYSTIC HATTER. He took a long, deep drink from a' huge jug of black cof­fee. A rumble. Something was coming. Could it be poetry?

“ Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!” sug­gested ALUMNUS. The HATTER gazed at him in ponderous reproof. It came:

“Shimmerir.g ghost, child of the eerie gloaming, ■whither? . . . and whence? . . . O half-incamate

soul?. . . . tray-winged vampire, why this frantic

roaming,gibbering . . . . toward some far . . . . uncertain

. . . . goal .? . . . (? )”

The DORMOUSE, who had been ru­minating continuously to himself, three- quarters asleep and totally inaudible, for some time past, ATOke up with a spasm.

“ Gibbering toward some far uncertain goal,” he echoed in a loud voice, “ that’s nothing. I ’ve often done that.” .A.nd having announced this with a benignant air of excessive witticism he fell suddenly

off to sleep again, murmuring constantly, “ Gibbering, gibbering, I maintain from Old English—no—yes—no, gibbering, gibbering . . And he kept on solong that the HATTER and the HARE, having threatened quite in vain to pinch him out of the time-table altogether if he didn’t stop, at length in desperation beg­ged him to tell a' story. He did so; but as it was only half audible, and as far as could be judged never got anywhere, they soon lost patience. So the HARE open­ed a large and well-thumbed Elizabetha'n dictionary, out of which he drew a taste­fully prepared manuscript; and finally he broke in:

“ Would you like to hear a beautiful drama by me. It’s called ‘ The Day After Yesterday.’ It ’s very tragic.”

“ It would be,” rejoined the HATTER. “ Doubtless it would be a very tragic, not to say a very pathetic effort.”— “ True pathos,” he added, with the air of revealing an important secret, “ can only be attained in my scenes of the city at night.”

The HARE was looking at him in mild and hurt reproach.

“ Poor retailer,” conceded the HAT­TER, “ if you must read, read one of your fragments!”

“ I always publish my small works wholesale,” he continued vaguely to no one in particular, “ chronically and chron­ologically wholesale, with an irrelevant title to every twenty or thirty. They look more imposing, and bamboozle the critics.”

'Hie HARE had meanwhile brightened up considerably, and was rummaging among his sheaves of papers.

“ I ’ll read you this,” he proclaimed, as he selected one, “ because it is highly re­commended by my friend the PH ILO ­SOPHIC MOUSE. It’s a panegyric of a Mr. Chid of my acquaintance, and his. So he read:

“Far down the street a drizzling rain Swept bleak across the shining ro^d;

On sheltered footpaths, sleek and sane The changing stream of people flowed.

Naked he stood with arms half dead,His vacant eyes on some far dream,

I breathless bent my wondering headAnd watched him from the footpath’s stream.

HERMES. 79

I stood and doted like a seal.He made my senses whirl with awe;

From cheek to footsole he could feel The quivering wind and drizzle raw.

A noise of tiny wavelets woke,I shouted him to more than sips,

And, as he drank, I made him choke W ith eager kisses from my lips.

The scented breath---”

R EV IEW .

But here ALUMNUS’ n^ve gave out. He turned and fled.

When he deemed himself safely es­caped he ventured to glance over his shoulder. The GAY BRERE HARE had abandoned his poem, and he and the MYSTIC HATTER were trying to put the DORMOUSE into an ink well.

“ Now for the Queen’s Discipline Party,” said ALUMNUS to himself.

[Alas for human wishes! As he runs the spectacles fly from his face and shat­ter to a thousand fragments against a stone. He finds himself an ordinary un­dergrad, retiring from the Fisher with such precipitous haste as to draw the mildly wondering gaze of three sober gentlemen, who are standing talking quietly within its inspiring cloisters.]

Avitor.

THE SHEPHERDESS.

In faint far pasture fields, where star flocks stray.

And dart their shining eyes into the void. Wanders alone a musing shepherdess.Pensive and paling as the hours pass.Her eyes are slumber soft, two sacred tears Stol’n from the treasury of angels’ sorrows;And like the playing of a dreamer’s thought Weaving a web of wonderment, she floats In trailing garments of transparent cloud Across the field of Heaven. Her limbs of gold Melt into motion like the swallow’s flight And on her breasts, full bared to all the world Dance errant beams from the celestial halls.

Rut as the traveller in a land unknown Trembles upon the forest fringe and fears To brave the dangers of its hidden depths,Dim thro’ the vapor of a growing cloud She hung a while in mist, then stole from view; And far across the sky the scatered stars. Missing her presence from the golden fields, W ith filmy eyes fell all a-sorrowing;And as they gathered to their mistress’ side, Were one by one hid slowly in the gloom.

“ The Round Table.”

The nineteenth number of “ The Round Table” is to hand from Messrs. Mac­millan & Co., Ltd., London.

The most striking article is that en­titled, “The Burden of Victorj^,” in which the writer discusses the position of the Empire aften ten months of war, and the steps necessary “ to make victory cer­tain.” Without taking in any way an alarmist view of the situation, we are urged to have no illusions regarding our military position.

After ten months’ war Germany has won a position which will give her the mastery of Europe if she can keep it at the peace. She has conquered Belgiimi. She occupies the most productive part of France. She has bombarded our shores and sunk our merchantmen by scores. She has gained a great frontage on the Channel and the North Sea, from which her destroyers and her submarines are able to operate with impunity and success. Her own territory is still practically unscathed.To overcome these weighty advantages Great Britain must be prepared to make enormous efforts. As a first step the Government should pass an Act “ author­ising it to make a register of the man­hood of the nation,” and giving it the necessary powers.

The British Government plunged into war without being able to consult the Dominions. And even now neither Great Britain nor Greater Britain real­ises that the final issue of the war may depend on the attitude of the 14,000,000 British subjects oversea. An informal conference should be held to discuss “ ways and means whereby a steady stream of trained recruits can be fed to the armies in France” from the Domin­ions. The consequences of failure to rise to the emergency are pointed out. and the article concludes by calling on every citizen to examine in his conscience how ihe national duty is to be discharged.

“ Hermes” has had occasion not long since to question the grammatical purity of a few of the articles appearing in “The Round Table.” While the present article has distinct political value and interest, a few vagaries of grammar still offend the ear.. “Our success or failure in the war is going to depend on whether we a'ct with resolution and foresight now”—such

80 HERMES.

a sentence as tliis brings to mind a criticism unce passed by Edgar Allan Poe: "A man’s grammar,” he wrote, " should be like Caesar’s wife, not only pure, but above suspicion ot im­purity.”

War and Industrial Organisation” is another interesting article which dis­cusses the attempts made to deal with the industrial situation created by the war. Three great mistakes were made, according to the writer, at the commence­ment. These were—(1; \\'ant of co­ordination between the different depart­ments of the Government; (2) lack of organisation of the necessary industries; and (3) the keeping of the nation in ig­norance of the seriousness of affairs.

The Prussian doctrine of the State is criticised, and the somewhat debatable statement made that the people most used to freedom will, in the face of a crisis, submit most readily to guidance.

A number of suggestions for making the industrial machine run smoothly are given, which now appear more urgent in view of the recent trouble in South Wales.

We enjoyed es]jecially the article en­titled “European Diplomacy.” This pre­sents a summary of the foreign policy of Europe during the last 44 years. Bis­marck’s great influence is described, and tlie diploma'tic system which he instituted. The gradual decline of that system and the growth of the German ideal of “Welt- politik” are shown, and the diplomatic ideals of England and Germany are con­trasted :

Germany, dissatisfied with the existing distri­bution of power and possessions, saw in Sir Edward Grey’s system not an endeavour to bring about world peace, but an attempt to strangle the growth of Germany, which was to take place at the expense of other and weaker States.

THE L ILT OF THE HOOF PA D D E R .

REST.

Fledglings when the eve is falling Seek the mother’s wing,

Sweetest birds on twilight’s calling Cease to sing.

Streams at sunset gently tremble Ere they fade in night.

Rainbows when the shades assemble Yield their light.

Cornfields slumber in the gloaming, Sickles must abide,

Let me end a wanderer’s roaming Rv thv side.

Trampin’ up the valley or thro’ plains of stumpy mallee,

Where the scrub is twice as thick as smoke in Hell,

W ith me old soot-coated billy, and me leather- waisted Tilly,

I can laugh at every collared city swell.

For I ain’t set movin’ onward by the everlastin’ John,

An’ I plants me foot down easy where it won’t get trodden on,

An’ no wowser comes and tells me that me chance of bliss is gone.

And I quite forgit that Eve and Adam fell.

Where there ain’t no motors hootin’, and no ferryboats a tootin’,

An’ me piller isn’t full of blasted fleas,

Where there ain’t no pub. expenses, an’ me walls is two-rail fences,

I can sleep as deep as Tophet’s cellaries.

An’ I waken in the morning fit to break a mountain nag.

An’ I eat a hearty breakfast from my soogee tucker bag.

An’ I whistle light and blithely as I pack me humble swag.

An’ the birds are callin’ “mornin' ” in the trees.

When the evenin’ breeze is blowin’ and it sets me log aglowin’.

An’ it wakes a host of fairies in the smoke.

An’ the scent of long lush grasses fills me senses as it passes.

I can sympathise with simple city folk.

For they can't hear God Almighty where there’s such a hellish row,

An’ they never hear the flute-voiced magpie singin’ down there now,

An’ they don’t know if the ’ump is on a camel or a cow,

An’ they couldn’t tell a blood horse from a moke.

When me travellin’ days are endin’, and I find the track a-bendin’

Round the foothills of Almighty’s Great Divide,

May me Maker find me ready an’ me tread be firm and steady

When I ’m makin’ for the country t ’other side.

An’ I ’ope that when I git there that me tramp­in ’ won’t be over,

An’ I ’ll see the road a-windin’ thro’ a field of scented clover:

An’ I ’ll always ’ump me bluey like a gay dare­devil rover

W ith me mates, who wandered off the track and died.

HERMES. 81

THE TALGAI SKULL AND OTHER MATTERS.

Ages ago—in the Pleistocene period, for the sake of scientific truth—a boy was born, lived, certainly, loved and fought, in all probability, and died conveniently, so that his skull was rolled in the course of time into the soft soil of the Dalrymple Creek Valley. There it was found by a boundary rider, and later sold by some­one else for much good money. So it came into the hands of persons skilled in skulls who can tell of the boy and his surroundings. The description suggests companions. He was an ugly boy, with flat nose, heavy brows, prognathous jaw, and snarling teeth. He lived in an ugly world of misshapen trees and shapeless animals. The very map was misshapen in those days, if we are to believe the geologists. The boy may have 'had a fire to cook his food, and warm his hairy body, and a stone axe to brain liis ene­mies. And he and his fellows, amid all disadvantages, struggled on in their divine instinct for the life and inevitable progress of the race. So after many lives and deaths, we were born into a fair world, for it is—or was—a fair world ; the human form and face became instinct with grace and beauty; trees, rivers, and mountains became beautiful, or man found in them the beauty that he desired, and art was born and the freedom that allowed delight. Yet when perfection was dimly to be seen awaiting us, a nation must rise in a mad endeavour to throw the world liack to the state of the Talga'i man, or worse—for he used a stone axe, whi(^h after all has certain possibilities of Romance. This attempt, plainly, cannot succeed in the end—there is no need of a' “ military expert” to point us this de­cision, nor even of one very expert in human affairs. This is comforting, so far as it goes, but the revolution causes suffering before it fails; so we endeavour, at the cost of all our pleasure, to quell it, not trusting to reaction to do this for us in the course of the next generation. That is the instinct that has come to us as our inheritance from the daw'n of life in the world; perhaps the instinct that cost the Talgai boy his life; at least, there is no one to contradict i t ; and perhaps

that is all we have in common with him. To come to affairs more definite, the Tal­gai boy has done two good things since his death : He has brought someone a con­siderable sum of money, someone who did not earn it, and the seller will be pleased at that; also he promises to make Dr. S. A. Smith as well known as his more famous brother; everyone will be pleased at that. And shortly, we imagine, we must be prepared to combat the opinions of learned Germans who will try to prove that the First Australia'n was a German, because he is rnore useful dead than alive. That is certainly a much more distinctly German characteristic that many others on which they have claimed the great men of other races as their own. C. B. I.

NATURE AND POETRY.

Often, with silent musing, have I watched The everlasting waves, that bow their heads As though in prayer before the infinite Blue sky—the vast, untrammeled throne Of H im who moves in sun and moon and stars, And moving, wakes harmonious murmuring. Too high for mortal ears, yet for the soul A portion of a splendour yet to be.

So rising, curling, falling, have I seen Another sea—a spirit deep and wide;So have I seen the spirit of sweet song Rise, tremble, fail, and bow itself in prayer Before the unseen majesty of Him Who wakens in the chambers of the soul.Tones high and strange and nameless melodies.

R .N .K .

LOST!

A tideless sea, an ocean floe . . .A memory of long ago.

Ah, happiness my kingdom, when My lips shall press thy lips again!

Thy golden hair athwart the day.Like sunlight where the clouds give way.

And dream of thee where’er I go . . .A tideless sea, on ocean floe.

An angry sea, the scudding foam—Ah, lost to thee, dear One at home!

A tideless sea, an ocean floe. . . .A memorv of long ago.

M AURICE TYBERT.

82 HERMES.

Clubs and Societies.UNDERGRADUATES’ ASSOCIA­

TION.

Since . the last report appeared in “ Hermes” both Festival and Reunion have been held, and both proved pro­nounced successes. A financial state­ment of the former function is appended to this report, and it must be gratifying to all who helped the Association to note the handsome sum which has been for­warded to the Belgian Fund. The num­ber of those helpers is legion, but some names should be noted. The Chancellor, the Warden, the chairman of the Profes­sorial Board, and members of the Senate and staff gave the function an almost official sanction. Further, the Women’s Undergraduates’ Association gave us considerable help, particularlx in the sale of sweets, in which they willingly ran the gantlet of by-laws and regulations The artists who took part in the pro­gramme itself, and to those who contri­buted towards the success of the “ dra­matic interlude,” we are very grateful. The committee and executive of the As­sociation had many anxious moments be­fore the success of the function was as­sured, and the labours of Mr. Inghs in particular should not go unrecorded. Our Belgian Festival was a very notable success, and the Association is very proud of the loyal support it received from all sections of the University.

Reunion was held on the Thursday evening before the Festiva:!, and the seat­ing accommodation of the Union Hall Avas fully taxed. It. too, was an enjoy­able and noteworthy gathering, and ac­knowledgment should be made of the help given to us by the speakers, Mr. Percy Hunter, Professors David and Holme, Mr. Barff, an^ Mr. Utz, president of the Sports’ Union, by the artists, and particu­larly by the Union, which had charge of many of the arrangements. For the first time for many years Reunion proved a fina’ncial success.

On Belgian Day in first term, the As­sociation instructed its representatives to assist the women undergraduates in their collection, and this assistance no doubt

helped in the reaping of the harvest, al­though the Women’s Undergraduates’ Association was entirely responsible for the great success of the collection.

In first term also, the Association was able to donate £10 to the Soldiers’ Club and £5 to the Hospital Saturday Fund. At the time of writing and up to Aus­tralia Day, July 30th, a weekly collection is being conducted by the members of the committee in order to help in the lat­ter movement.

Theatre night will not be held this year for obvious reasons, and there is no in­tention at present of holding the garden party.

At the suggestion of the Association, made towards the end of Lent Term, the Senate generously decided to give all undergraduates in all faculties, who de­sired to enlist for active military service, an opportunity of having their annual or final examinations at the end of second term. The response to this offer has not been satisfactory; but it is likely to in­crease. Meanwhile, no undergraduate can reasonably complain of the conditions under which the offer was made.

Following is a' copy of letter received from the secretary of the National Bel­gian Relief Fund:—

Challis House,Sydney, 5th July, 1915.

Dear Sir,—I am in receipt of your letter of the 5th instant, enclosing cheque for £400, be­ing the greater part of the proceeds of the fund raised in aid of the Belgians by the Under­graduates. I would like to convey to you the deep appreciation of the Executive Commit­tee of the efforts of your Asswiation and of the generosity of your members in so substantially assisting the cause of the Belgians. I am fully sensible of the hard work which has been entailed in the raising of this money, and it must be an additional source of gratification to you and the officers of the Association to know that the form your Commemoration took this year not only provided a handsome measure of relief of our stricken Allies, but also gave our townspeople a great deal of pleasure.

An official receipt is attached.Yours faithfully,PERCY HUNTER.

Joint Hon. Secretary.H. V. Evatt, Esq.,

President, S.U.U. Association,St. Andrew's College, Camperdown.

H. V . Evatt, President.

HERMES. 83

THE LAW SOCIETY.

The Old and the New.

The Law Society, which exists for the purpose of safeguarding the interests of Law students generally, is composed of all but a few of the present students and a' large number of practising barristers and solicitors—past stud'ents. The fresher, provided he have the necessary courage, patience, and skill, by turning up the calendar will discover that the society is described as an organisation to which he should of professional necessity belong. A perusal of previous calendars (1914, 1913, 1912) describes the corporate life of the society as occupying an ele­gantly furnished suite of rooms: a read­ing-room with the latest modern periodi­cals, and a common room in which are conducted numerous moots, &c. It is sad to note how even an official organ like the calendar will misrepresent condi­tions. The writer has vivid recollections of the Law School when in Selborne Chambers, and later when for a year it oc­cupied the “ top floor, Stott & Hoare” (to say nothing of the “ cellar” and the sooth­ing solitudes of the salon!) . To-day it is installed with full legal dignity in the University’s own building.

Once upon a time in its first position there may have been a suite furnished elegantly. That must have been many years ago. The writer’s recollections are of a' room astoundingly dusty, one that had very few periodicals or magazines and three decrepit old cane armchairs. During the Stott & Hoare stage there was no Law Society room at a ll; the clubable men had recourse to the “ green room” of happy memory.

In its early occupancy of its present home the University Law School w'as devoid of a society’s room, though the common room bore our inscription on its door and the calendar still roused the students’ interest in the suite.

“ Then came a' change, as all things human change. . . .” The winter of the Law student’ s discontent had passed, the Union sun shone forth. To­gether with other students of the ’Varsity, Union membership was compulsory. This cost the embryo lawyer £ l per

annum, in return for which the statistician assures us that the Union benefited by his visits to the extent of 1.5 visits per annum. No lawyer could stand this. Some considered that the Senate should be petitioned asking for exemption from Union membership for Law students. Others considered that there should be a branch of the Union within the Law School. At the time, however, neither of these suggestions was taken up by the general body of students. A further happy thought was conceived, which was that the Law Society should be resusci­tated, during which process its awakened members read the calendar. Their case was to prove the calendar true, and the outcome of this was an arrangement whereby the Senate and the Union were to co-operate with and assist the society to equip a room conforming to the calen­dar’s description. It was finally arra'nged that the Senate should contribute £40, the Union £22/13/3 towards furniture and fittings, and the Union a further £15 towards magazines, &c., for the present University year. The Law Society, of course, to supply any needed balance.

In return for the Union’s interest and aid, all members of the Union other than those attending lectures in Law are to have the right to reasonable use of the room, which, however, is in no sense a Union room, but the home of the Law Society, and under the absolute control of this body.

The Law Society itself by an effort among its members was able to raise and spend another £35, so that the total ex­penditure to date totals almost £100. Members to-day have reason for the plea­sure they are evincing at the new era into which their society has entered, and it really looks as if at last the society is to justify its existence. It should be remembered, however, that the society has been represented by a few enthusiasts and energetic workers, who have borne the heat and burden of the day. There still remains much to be done. The Uni­versity of Sydney is the greatest south of the line. Sydney is, in reality, the capital city of the Commonwealth. The University Law School each year shows an increasing roll of students. Among these are being trained no doubt many of

84 HERMES.

the future barristers, jurists, judges, legis­lators, and administrators of the nation. The University has done its share. W ill the critics and complainers now develop into workers and enthusiasts?

EVENING STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION.

We evening students have grown proud of uur Association, and have viewed with, pleasure the steady increase in member­ship. \"e have exerted, in spite of our many disadvantages, an influence on Uni­versity life, quite in accord with our re­sponsibilities. This has only been pos­sible by the loyalty and public spirit of the students who have so splendidly back­ed up the committee. An increased mem­bership means an increased usefulness. This year’s figures are so far a little dis­appointing, especially among the first year men both in Arts and Economics. It speaks well for us that the second and third year students, almost to a man, support us. The work of the Association is in the hands of a most capable com­mittee, and we look to the men to do their part to ensure continued success.

The Lent Term smoko held on Friday evening, 28th May, in the Union Hall, was fairly well attended, and was very enjoy­able. Toasts were honoured as follows:

“ The University,” proposed by our president, Mr. J. T. Wilson,^ B .A ., and responded to by the W'arden of the Uni­versity, H . S. Barff, M .A .

“ Success to Our Arms,” proposed by Mr. B .C . Harkness, B.A., responded to by Mr. Mearns, i volunteer for the front from our evening men.

“ The Freshmen,” proposed by Mr. W. T. Fraser, B.A., and responded to bv Mr. G. Dale.

good musical programme was pro­vided by friends, to whom our best thanks are due. We were particularly glad to have so many members of the staff with us on that occasion.

Three members of the committee of the Evening Students’ Association have volunteered for active service—Mr. H . J. Filshie, who was secretary; Mr. L . V . Horniman. Law representative; and Mr.G. F. Champion, representative of Arts IT. We will feel the loss of these men,

but rejoice that they have chosen the nobler part. Our best wishes are ever with them and with the many other even­ing students who are serving their King and country.

A movement has been started by stu­dents interested in literature to have an additional course of comparative litera­ture established, which might be taken either as a qualifying course in Arts or as a post-graduate course. A deputation waited on Professor MacCallum from the Evening Students’ Association, ind he viewed the matter very favourably, and promised his support. The sympathy of the Undergraduates’ Association has also been enlisted. A letter has been for­warded to the Registrar on the m.ttter, and his reply is hopefully awaited.

UNIVERSITY UNION LECTURE.

On Friday evening, :<!nd July, an ad­dress was delivered before the Sydney University Union by Mr. Meredith At­kinson, M.A., on “ The Meaning of Money,” with special reference to the present abnormal conditions. The Union president (Assistant Profes^r< O. U. Von wilier) was in the chair.

Mr. Atkinson, in the course of an in­teresting address, which was attentively listened to by an appreciative audience, traced the origin and developments of the barter and exchange of commodities from primitive times to the problems of “ high finance” which were recognised as determining factors to the successful end­ing of the present abnormal conditions.

Of special interest to the audience were the lecturer’s sidelights on the skilful handling of the Empire’s financial re­sources, especially in England and Aus­tralia.

The war has lifted Economics, the Cin­derella of University studies, into a posi­tion of prominence, and like other com­modities in great demand “ the price is likely to go up .” The greatest problems w'ith which Australia is likely to be faced both during and after the war, will be mostly of an economic nature, so that in selecting the chief of these for a scientific explanation Mr. Atkinson chose a sub­ject which proved of universal interest.

HERMES.

UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN UNION.

BO

Social Study departments of the Christian Union.

The C .U . this term, on account of the war, has been faced with a good many difficulties, and yet at the same time, by bringing the more vital issues of life to the fore, the war has supplied us with an added stimulus, and if one were to judge by the attendances at meetings (more especially those connected with the war), a greater enthusiasm on the part of mem­bers and others.

To mention the difficulties and so at­tack the unpleasant duties first, we have had to face the fact that the meeting of Study Circles is largely hindered amongst those having early exams., and practically an impossibility amongst the more ad­vanced Meds. Not only so, but our pre­sident. Mr. R . A. Noble, has been en­forced to resign by the stress of work ensuing on the adoption of “Short Course” methods. Mr.. G. F. Crans- wick was elected to the vacant position, and Mr. L . S. Dudley has taken Mr. Cranswick’s previous position as presi­dent of the men’s branch.

In spite of the war, howiever, the Mis­sion Study Committee has arranged a circle which is held weekly, and has turn­ed out to be a very successful gathering. For the Social Study department, too, the term has been extremely successful, as this committee has undertaken the ar­rangement of the war lectures fortnightly. Both of the lectures already given—by Sir T. P. A. Stuart on the “Follow the King Movement.” and by Professor G. A. Wood on " The Immediate Responsibili­ties for the War”—were very largely at­tended and enthusiastically received. As regards social activities, possibly a hap­pier arrangement still has eventuated in the women’s branch, seeing that they have collaborated by means of a com­mittee with the Women Undergrad­uates’ Association to arrange addresses and discussions and social work. It is interesting to note that both upon the men’s and women’s branches the respec­tive presidents of the Undergraduates’ Association (Mr. H. V. Evatt and Miss M. Collison) are the presidents of the

With respect to the usual weekly meet­ing syllabus, we can report an excellent programme, on which no comment is necessary (since any student may obtain a copy at any time), unless it is to make an expression of the obligation the Chris­tian Union is under to those members of the University staff who have consented to address our various meetings, and also to those who would have addressed them had they been at liberty. This year es­pecially we have been most happy in hav­ing so much sympathy and help from our own University stafT.

This term, too, we have had the plea­sure of the visits of two travelling secre­taries of the movement, viz.. Miss M. Herring and Mr. P. A. Wisewould, both of whom w'e take the privilege of wel­coming to our State, a welcome which through the kindness of the Union Board has taken a more tangible form in mak­ing Mr. Wisewould a member during this month. Under Miss Herring’s lead­ership, a retreat was held by the women’s branch, an event which has caused a great deal of enthusiasm in their activities.

The Evening Students’ Union is to be congratulated on the splendid syllabus they have printed for this term, and also for the number of circles they have regu­larly meeting in spite of the difficulties connected therewith.

As a final note we should like to bring before members two facts in connection with the war. They are, first, the fort nightly war intercessions held on alter nate Mondays. They are combined meetings for men and women, held in the Mathematics’ room during the last half of the lunch hour, and it is to be hoped that sC large number will join in doing w'hat they can in this powerful way for those students absent at the front, and for the whole trend of the war; second, the in­stitution of a Roll of Honour for our members who have left for the front. This latter fact is mentioned in order thit any names of those who may have been overlooked may be secured by the execu­tive.

86 HERMES.

The Evening Students’ Branch.Undoubtedly the high-water mark of

our activities was reached on 22nd June, when Professor Wood addressed about 70 men and women on “ A Historian’s View of Bible Study.”

Those who had the privilege of know­ing; Professor Wood were confident that the address would reach a high level, but the achievement was beyond even their highest expectations.

The lecturer treated Bible study from the historian’s point of view. He re­gretted that provision was not made in the University curriculum for the study of the Scripture, and he believed th^t it was only a matter of time when that want w'ould be supplied.

If, said Professor Wood, he were com­mencing a study of the history of Asia, he would commence with the lives and teaching of her great religious leaders. In the same way, no student could really understand the history of Europe until he nad studied the life and teaching of Christ, and to understand Christ one needed to study the history and religion of the Hebrews.

We were led in a masterly wa:y through the developing stages of the Hebrew idea of God. First the non-moral tribal view of the earliest days, of a God whose help was purchased by the offering of sacri­fice ; then the period in which the idea was of a' Grod of righteousness, who demanded righteousness in his w'orshippers; and finally to a God of love and sacrifice— prefigured by the Unknown Prophet of the ^ i le , the Second Isaiah—but most fully revealed in Christ, who was “ made perfect through suffering.”

The address was greatly appreciated, and was a powerful call to renewed study of the Bible from what, to many of us, was a new point of view.

DEBATING NOTES.

bers of that faculty, and to the members of the first years of other faculties, and of the Law School, who might reasonably be expected to take some interest in them, these debates apparently oflFer no attrac­tion. It seems strange that there should be so meagre a sense of their value in the minds of members of the Union. Occa­sionally, however, a ray of sunlight has been shed upon the scene by the appear­ance of a single lawyer in our midst.

Although the debates have been poorly attended, there has been no lack of speak­ers. Many of those with w'hom we have become familiar at former debates have continued to take every opportunity to use and to improve their powers of ora­tory. Messrs. Christopherson, Leonard, Kevans, Chauvel, Cooper, Sheed, Davy, and Hall have contributed to almost every debate. We have also to welcome a number of new speakers. Of these, Mr. Grimwade has made a very favorable im­pression on each occasion that we have heard him. He has a direct, vigorous, and convincing style, and possesses con­siderable powers of extempore speaking. At first he was inclined to undue loudness of utterance, but this fault has now en­tirely disappeared. Messrs. Cowburn, Barker, Blackwood. James, and Stafford have also addressed the meetings for the first time. It is to be hoped that the re­maining debates of this year will see not only a continua'nce of this keenness amongst the speakers, but an improve­ment in the attendances at the debates.

DRAMATIC SOCIETY.

The Union debates during Trinity Term have continued their somewhat pre­carious existence. The attendances hive been small, and composed almost exclu­sively of the “ faithful few” from the three years of Arts. To the other mem­

This society had intended presenting at the end of June a programme of local plays in aid of the University Patriotic Fund. Rehearsals made considerable progress and, after many diflticulties had been overcome, everything w-as going merrily. However, within a few weeks of the performance, the “ jeune premier” enlisted and the “ heavy lead” found that he would be unable to attend the per­formance. Unable to replace gentlemen so indispensable, the society reluctantly decided to abandon the production.

HERMES. 87

Convinced that it is impossible to awaken"interest in the drama' in war time, reahsing perhaps the impropriety of ef­forts directed towards any other goal than the abasement of Germany, this society has resolved to relinquish all activity as long as the war lasts, hoping for a bril­liant revival when the struggle is ended and men have turned their swords once more into pens and ploughshares.

THE GLEE CLUB.

The Glee Club is not getting the active support of a suificiently large percentage of University men to make it a complete success. Founded in 1870 under the title of the University Musical Society, it exists solely for the development of musical talent among students and the performance of public concerts from time to time. Hence it represents the musicall side of University life. This year it has shown a decided improvement, both in the numbers of its members and, more important, in the quality of their voices, so that the August concert bids fair to be one of the most successful yet held. Still, there is much to be desired. The “ Banner of St. George,” for instance, by Elgar, requires an extremely strong well- balanced choir to make it go with the lilt and buoyancy that the words demand, so, while there is still time before the concert, the committee earnestly requests any men who have voices, even bathroom voices, to come along and help to make the concert a' complete success. There is no reason why the University should not lead the way in really excellent choral music, instead of being handicapped by the lack of male voices!

An hour a week will not seriously in­terfere with the work of most of us! The practices are held every Tuesday a!nd Fri­day at 1.30, in the History Lecture Room.

It is hoped that every undergrad, will support the coming concert to be held in the Great Hall in Auigust. Most of the numbers will be of a patriotic nature, and part of the proceeds will be devoted to “ our heroes” in the Dardanelles!

CHESS COLUMN.

With this year’s Freshmen came a number of excellent chess players and, very often, the games are well worth watching. As the number of tables in the Games’ Room is not sufficient for those who require them, the Union Board has some tables on order, which will be put in the Common Room.

To the beginner we would like to make a few suggestions. The first principle is to develop the pieces quickly, and never to commence an attack with insufficient forces. If a player is able to bring more pieces into play than his opponent, it is obvious that he is stronger. If, in the middle of a game, he should not know the best continuation, he should survey the board to find whether any of his pieces could be placed in a' more favour­able position.

The beginner should get into the habit of playing with both colours, and never to touch a piece till he had made up his mind to move it. An opponent’s possible replies should be considered. When his opponent moves, one must try to dis­cover the object of the move, whether it is a direct attack or not, and so find a suit­able defence. A regular opening should always be played. One should be taken up till understood, and then another.

Though there does not seem any chance of having a chess championship, there has been one satisfactory result, viz., that the Engineering department in general, and the third year Engineering in par­ticular, challenge any faculty or year re­spectively. As this is their final term this year, an early reply is necessary.

The following opening has been called “ the king of all gambits” :—

The Evan’s Gambit.White. Black.

1. P—K 4 P—K 42. Kt—K B 3 Kt Q B 33. B—B 4 B—B 44. P Q Kt 4 B x P5. P Q B 3 B—R 4fi. Castles P - Q 37. P - Q 4 P x PS. Px P B—Kt 39. B Kt 2 Kt—K B 3

10. P—Q 5 Kt—K 211. B x Kt P x B12. Kt Q 4

88 HERMES.

And although White is still a pawn be­hind, Black, with his double pawns and cramped position, can hardly be con­sidered to have the better of the game.

Replies to the challenge may be sent to the Chess Secretary at the Union.

DON’T.

Is grammatical correctness of any mo­ment to-day? To take for illustration a single and growing example one might reply. No. Mention the matter to an authority on language or grammar, and he waives the error aside as being due to carelessness; or explains that it has crept into the vernacular of those who do not know any better.

i\n illustration is the verb “ to do.” auxiliary or otherwise for the moment doesn’t matter.

In strict correctness it should read, to do” . . . or “ not to do” . . . “ He

does . . .’’ in the negative should read “ he does not” or, abbreviated, “he doesn’t .” How, then, do we come to get a use so persistent and so grating as “he don’t” among those who ought to know better? Is it carelessness, is it conven­tion, or is this third singular “don’t” com­ing to be recognised or sanctioned by its sinister acceptance? It seems to be in general use in the American vocabulary, and is used in their writings and on pub­lic posters in such a way as to lead one to think that it is generally accepted. Most surprising of all, however, is its increasing use among English writers and novelists. Nor are all these merely men and women “with an itch” for writing. Oxford graduates may be found among the number, and the practice seems to be extending as may be seen from the works of some of our foremost novelists w'ho have not the excuse of not knowing better, e.g., Hewlitt. Benson. &c. The American acceptance may be explained ; should our own be tolerated? If slurring is permiss'ble. even to the extent of ig­noring basic rules of grammar, and is to receive a sanction from use based on custom without protest, where can the line be drawn, if at all?

Comix.

Correspondence.

IN D IA AND THE W H IT E AUSTRALIA POLICY.

Dear "Hermes,”—Apparently a contributor to “Round the Common Room” of your last issue is frankly discontented. He is annoyed by “the ama2ing temerity” of Principal Fraser in attempting to call into question that “great positive aspiration”—our White Australia policy —and hopes that “some day our distinguished visitors will become more considerate and much more tactful.” I t is a pity that your contri­butor did not take the trouble to follow Prin. Fraser’s observation on the subject. I t might be interesting to your readers to know that the remarks were framed in response to a request from the Christian Union that he should give us the Indian view of the White Australia policy. This he did, and we can hardly blame Prin. Fraser if this point of view does not coincide with our own. He admitted at the outset that he could not attempt to criticise the Australian views with his limited knowledge of our condi­tions and ideals. Surely, however, it is per­fectly legitimate and desirable that we should know how such a policy is viewed by other sec­tions of the Empire. If Australia is to turn a deaf ear to all comment from outside, regardless of the spirit in which it is made, so much the worse for Australia. So much the worse, too, for your contributor’s “diplomatic point of view,” which I venture to think is a fairly nar­row one. I t seems that the policy is in serious need of revision. In the same issue you pub­lish Prin. Fraser’s remarks on Indian national­ism. “W hat can India contribute to the life of nations? She is a power not a weakling, and her power will be either for or against us.” Is it not t h p a serious thing that we have framed an Alien Restriction Act which definitely tends to create and widen a gap between Aus­tralia and India? Is it not time that some effort w as made to modify a system which can exclude, as aliens, those who are willing to fight side by side with Britishers in the service of the Empire? Is it not a striking fact that the existing Australian legislation can, and does, exclude as aliens even our Indian brethren who have graduated in the great English Universi­ties?—I am, yours, etc.,

C. O . HAMBLIN.

THE W H IT E AUSTRALIA POLICY.

To the Editor of “Hermes.”

Dear Sir,—The wise and witty column, “Round the Common Room” of the last "Hermes” contains statements concerning Prin­cipal Fraser's denunciation of the White Aus­tralia doctrine which your correspondent ven­tures to think are not representaive of the views of those who know, though possibly repre­sentative of the views of "Hermes,” and even of University students in general. Your cor­respondent does not claim to be one of “those who know.” but has lived three-quarters of a not very long existence among those same en­

HERMES. 89

lightened people, who have learnt that the in­terior of Australia can never be properly colon­ised by "White Australians." The knowledge has cost them dear, as anything worth getting generally does. After long years of bitter struggle—heart-breaking, heat-killing, drought- devastating years—these men of the land, whose knowledge is thus first-hand and personal, have come to know that the only place the interior of Australia holds for the white man who seeks to dwell there, year in, year out, is a place not on the land, but in it. If Australia is only to be developed to her fullest extent b^ colored labour, is it not the highest patriotism to intro­duce it? The Indians are fighting side by side with Tommy Atkins and Gallipoli Bill for the British Raj. After this war it will be im ­possible to keep out our Allies. Race degener­ation will probably not ensue. The Indians are quite as anxioiis as we to prevent that. It is lucky for us that such a man as Mr. Fraser had "the amazing temerity” to tell us the truth, ably supported by such a man as Dr. Radford. Galileo, Darwin, and Luther also had “amazing temerity.”

Those University students who hope at some future date to have some small share in the guiding of a "White Australia”—such students, shall we say, as write the “Round the Common Room” pars for “Hermes”—would do well to make quite certain of all the facts, before de­crying as inconsiderate and tactless a man who tells the truth without fear or favor. ." uch men are. unfortunately for Australia, very rare among her leaders at the present date. It is a mis-statement, to put it no more plainly, to say that "the White Australia doctrine is dear to the hearts of 98 per cent, of our Australian people.” I t is part of the union policy—the anti-immigration policy, which believes that by keeping out new arrivals wages will be kept high. Let us have more truth and less politi­cians’ “tac t.” Principal Fraser’s view repre­sents that of not less that 50 per cent, of the Australian people. In addition to being truer than that evidently held by “Hermes,” it has yet anot’-er superiority—it is more Christian.

Yours truly,

“SUA\aTER IX MODO. &c.”

such nefarious schemes, since these men have the right of entering any gallery irrespective of faculty, and are expected to quell rather than instigate disturbances.

For the present let us congratulate the Meds. on their schemes which apparently misfired, and let us hope that in the future they will arouse some esprit-de-corps and purchase some suitable banners.—Yours, etc.,

“A SPECTATOR. ’St. Andrew’s College.

THE F ISH E R L IB R A R Y .

Dear Mr. Editor,—Don't you think—in the strictest confidence—it’s time the Fisher was reformed? I mean the Library, and NOT the Refectory, which I find quite admirable. No­body knows what's in the Fisher—and few know how to get it out if it is there. Three poor Honour students, depending on a very ex­pensive book for their essay, were told it wasn’t there. One was brave enough to scan the so- called catalogue, and to poke with a tim id finger in the shelves. Stil, it wasn’t there. So one managed to buy it—and the others couldn't, be­cause there were no more in Sydney. Now these three find there were two copies in all the time! Who should have known if the librarians didn’t? And those students stand to lose if their work goes in later than a patient Professor can bear. Couldn’t you do anything? Couldn’t anybody?

I am, Mr. Editor,“ONE OF THE T H R E E .”

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Contributors are again reminded that the Editor cannot publish any MS. which is not accompanied by the writer’s name, not nects- sarily for publication.

All MSS., if posted, should be addressed to the Editor, at the Medical School, or they may be placed in “ Hermes’ ” Box in the Main Build­ing.

Poets, “ Round the Common Room” libellers, club secretaries, and other contributors are asked to send in all MSS. for Michaelmas Term not later than Wednesday, October 6th.

BANNERS.

The Editor. “Hermes.”

Dear Sir,—It seems strange, to one present at our last and so-succesful Festival, that the Medical students should not have been able to provide banners for their various years.

The one and only emblem of glory displayed was a small and badly printed poster, which announced to all and sundrv a desire for Med. I I I .

This is incomprehensible. But one would not grieve over this surprising lack of enthusi­asm except that it deprived the Engineers of their time-honoured means of redress for the temporary capture of Eng. IV. banner, and who had therefore to content themselves with the mere recovery thereof.

I t seems, also, rather mean to detail members of the so-called Vigilance Committee to carry opt

“ Australian.”—Your essay on Adam Lindsay Gordon is too long for publication in “ Hermes.” Condense your argument and we will print.

“ Lac.”—We can see no literary value in "The Ladv Demonstrate,” nor after much searching into Webster can we discover the use of “ de­monstrate” otherwise than as a verb. Try prose —it’s safer.

“Cras.”—Sorry you don’t agree with us. More sorry still that your iengthy retort reached us too late for publication.

R . S. L .—“ Mood” and “ Song” not quite up.

S. J . F .—We have always striven to maintain some degree of morality in the pages of “ Hermes.” The poets are our greatest danger

90 HERMES.

in that respect. You ar« no exception. A deputation from Med. I II ., however, has asked MS to publish your feverish lines. So here goes;

A DREAM PHANTASY.

The winter moon poured forth its pallid light, Ihe stars were powdered over heaven s dome,

As sawdust o'er_a butcher’s floor; the night Reminded me of some majestic pome.

Xo winter wind blew festively my tile;Xature was perfect, man alone was vile.

For suddenly 1 heard an awful howl."Upon the green," said 1, "there will be wigs.”

A yell of anguish followed by a yowl,Like to the slaughtering ol many pigs.

The yelp of some poor female in distress!To such a cry my whole soul answered Yes!

Such screams 1 heard as made my blood con­geal.

I raced across a meadow deep in dew;1 saw a maiden uttering squeal on squeal.

And verily she made a hullabulloo."Fear not, fair maid,” said 1 (her hair was red), 'No power on earth can kill you once you're

dead.”

She looked at me and gave one sobbing sigh. She winked and smirked and giggled, tried to

leer.And then the truth was out. her mournful cry

Wafted strange scents of pewters and long beer.

A rustic pub near by suggested spree,"Come on, fair maid, ’ said I. "have one with

Quite calm she looked, quite stately and serene."Excuse me, sir,” said she, "I never drink.”

I ’d like to have believed—I'm pretty green;But still—well, all I said was “Strike-me-

pink I ”Then drawing herself up, her bolt she loosed With, "Anyhow, we've not been introduced.”

Then with a yell she turned and raced away.I followed fast, but she knew how to run ;

I thought perhaps the maiden couldn't stay: But after half a mile, well, I felt done.

She did a hundred yards in even time.(A lie, but still it serv-es to make a rhyme.)

We galloped up a hill and down a dale;She jumped a six-foot hedge while I crawled

through;She did a mile in four (another tale';

She jumped a ditch and I fell in the stew.She ran so hard I couldn't hope to beat her, And now, I think, I ’d better change the mstre.

As we raced quickly up a little hill I thought of Jack—I also thought of Jill.When suddenly she swung her arms on high. And told a tale of bitterest agony." I had a cat,” she said. “ a little cat;“Do not mistake me. it was not a rat.•‘A kitten it had been when it was young,“‘A cat it was—the nicest cat unhung.“'Full oft long epic poems it had sung

"Of love and war and many a slaughtered rat, "For oh! it was a marvel of a cat."And then it died; alas! why did it die?" "Perhaps from indigestion,” murmured I.She rushed at me, her hatpin in her hand.Her nose gleamed red, and I was quite un­

mannedI took to flight, like any other bloke.I caught the tram, and murmured, “Holy

Smoke! ”

" Brick."-- Please don t write any more poems.Be satisfitd with the fame of this;

" I heard a weird and classic yel'i, my limbs grew still with dread,

For in there came the queer ghost of Toddy on his head;

He talked to many a waitress, then he quoted Cicero

And " Me volt,” inquit, " ducere Malonius eo,”Convulsiveh" with both its feet the ghost bogin

to spar.And then it fondly kissed its toes ‘‘ ad te,

dulcissima! ”

I I . R . R . Grieve.—" Hermes' was t» have published Professor MacCalium's " Reflections on the War,” but willingly surrendered the privi­lege to the Red Cross Society. The latter body’ apparently delayed in printing the lecture, an i it was final'y issued in pamphlet form from the Union. We join with you in your hearty appre­ciation of the address.

THE LAMENTATION OF THE FEVER- STRICKEN.

Render. O Morpheus, the Light thou didst send to the far-off dreamland of childhood.

Rippling Light that ever before me fled o’er the field and the hill-side.

Beckoning Light that glanc’d in Zephyr’s arms o'er the lake-tide.

Borne to the deeps of thy shadows.

Shed o’er the dark and muttering folds of the phantom-teeming mantle of Fever,

•Music wreathen. river-cool, of shimmering opal tints of a dawning—

Wooing me yet through clinging night to the morning—

Voice of the soul of my youth-time.

“ERIS."

FR IEN D SH IP .

W hat is true friendship?—'Tis the tie that binds The half of perfect manhood to its twin—

The garden where Life, sad or joyous, finds.Amid the flowers of perfect understanding.

Beneath the trees of mutual sympathy,That peace, with which strong love, no speech

demanding,Enwraps her soul—and then she turns away Toils harder, sings more sweetly, breathes more

loveInto each fleeting moment of the day.

"AMIGA.”

HERMES. 91

Sporting.

As indicated in last issue of " Hermes,” this year sees little activity on the part of the various clubs. The football teams have done well against weak opposition, but went down badly to the fifteens from the schools. Rowing has taken place so far as regards the usual four-oar races, but little interest has been displayed. The hockey teams appear keen enough, but results have not been good; while the baseball nines have performed only fairly. The tennis tournament was suc­cessfully conducted, and “ Hermes” is pleased to record the keenness shown in that connection by some of the younger m en; the \ arious grade teams did well, but, for the first time for some years, no University team is actually champion of its grade. The Grounds Committee is pushing ahead with the construction of the new tennis courts, and the Oval itself appears at its best. It is rather strange, though, to see Soccer being played there on Saturdays.

Women’s sports seem to prove as popu­lar as ever, and hockey and tennis games have been played at the Oval. It is understood that the tennis teams have not once been successful. Still, there’s no knowing when the representatives of Alma Mater will begin.

CRICKET.

selection committee, J . C. Lamrock, H. V Evatt, G. W . Walker, F. M. Farrar, R . Bardsley.

HOCKEY.

About half the season is over, and re­sults so far are hardly as good as might have been expected, the 1st X I. having won 3, drawn 1, and lost (> games, four of the latter, however, being by the nar­row margin of one goal. Pike and Flynn have both made rapid strides since the beginning of the season, the stick work being decidedly clever. Another player who has come to the fore is Wilson as goalkeeper, and the team is unfortunate to lose him so soon, he having volun­teered for active service.

.\mongst the halves, Russ, the captain, and DaA’is are most worthy of note, hav­ing played a very solid defensive game throughout.

The annual meeting of the club has 1)een held, and the following ofFice-bear- er.-'. elected:—

President, F. D. Kent, M.A. ; vice- presidents, T. de C. Armstrong, B.A.,A. I. Blue. M.B., Ch.M ..H. T- R . Clayton,B.A., LL .B .. H. S. Utz.’B.A., LL.B,, H . S. Stacy, M.D., Ch.M., F. A. Todd.B.A.. Ph. D .. C. J. Tozer. M.B., and R. J . A. Massie, B .E . ; hon. secretary, G. W . W alker, B .A .; assistant hon. secre­taries—2nd XL, R. E. Denison; 3rd XI.,C. D. Holliday: Wednesday XI.. E. F. Rofe; hon. treasurer. B. B. Barrack; delegates to S.U7S.U.. H. V. Evatt,B.A., B. B. Barrack; general commit­tee, J. C. Lamrock, F. M . Farrar, W .C . McDonald, L. Best, R . Bards­ley, A. R. Muir, H. C. Leahy; provisional

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92 HERMES.

The <ind X I . ’s perfurniaiices have been creditable, seeing that they are playing first grade teams every Saturday. Hewitt and Grimwade in the forwards, and Harvey as centre-half, have been the mainstay of the team.

The club has been unfortunate to lose the services of Hutchinson, Dinon, and Hugher. Dinon has volunteered for ac­tive service, and is at present in Liver­pool camp.

The Inter-Faculty Match, Medicine V . Rest, which had lapsed for the last two seasons, was played on Thursday, June the 8th, and resulted in a win for the Rest by 5 goals to 3.

Players will be pleased to hear that old members in the person of Drs. Donovan and Harris are both with their regiments in Surrey, and expect to get off to the front in about a month’s time.

UNIVERSITY LAW SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the above society was held in the society's new rooms, University Chambers, on Wednesday, July 28. An interesting address on the “Aims and Objects” of the society was delivered by Mr. T. Rolin, K.C. The following; ofticf-bearers were elected for the ensuing year :—President, Mr. J. Garland, K.C., M.L.C. ; vice- presidents, Messrs. Tom Rolin, K .C..H. R. Curlevvis, A. J. Kelynack, T. R. Bavin, and F. R . Jordan; hon. secre­taries, graduate, Mr. \V. J. Sheppard, undergraduate, Mr. P. L. Summers; hon. treasurer, Mr. W . J. Carrol.

R .P .A .H . STAFF.

'I'he infection spread, and Gordon Craig's temperature went up ; he breathed. the wogs into Bobby Taylor, the ladies’ idol of beloved memory, and the military authorities did the rest.

And now Jock Morton is following the same trail, while old Mac (the veteran!) is steaming at devilish pace for the Dar­danelles.

Lord, how times do change! Let the honoraries go on “enlisting” at the same pace, and soon there will be none to keep the nurses in order. And the students arc not too brilliant at the game!

From Angus & Robertson, Ltd., we have received “The New Company Drill Simplified,” by Lieut. R. Stupart. No recommendation of ours is needed for this little work, as it has already run into a third edition. We are asked to state that the published price is 1/G (1/7, j>ost free).

FALLEN.

The quiet birds are all at rest.The sky grows grey,

A poet's dreams, a cynic’s jest Farewell the day.

The red sky scattered in the west Writes how he fell.

And lover’s dreams, and cynic’s jest Give him farewell.

'I'he U'ar has made ravages in the honorary and resident staffs of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The trouble started with the departure for the front of Hughie Poate, whose feverish energy never would let him remain quiet. And after Hughie followed the “Super,” Harry Clayton, who doubtless caught the germ from his brother, the redoubtable “Snowy.” Then the divine Arty him­self saw blood and left his “dear old things” at the Medical School to minister to “our heroes.” Now, wherever Arty goes, Flashy likes to go also, and vice- versa. So the two went arm in arm.

CONTENTS.Page.

Editorial—The Call to W a r ......................... 43Round the Common R o o m ............................. 4.5

The Liner: By J. Le Gay Brereton............. 47The Immediate Responsibility of the War:

By Professor G. A. Wood, M.A...........48-.t6Festival and R eun io n ..................................... 57The U n io n ......................................................... 59.Through France in War Time: By Adrian

S tephen ....................................................... 60Why This Mystery? Or His Buried Past:

By R. R. K ids ton ..................................62-66W a r ..................................................................... 66

A Romance of the Fisher (continued): By“Z e ro " .......................................................... 67

Utopia—In E m bryo ......................................... 6^Imaginary Conversations................................. 71University W i t s ................................................ 72Aluinnu.s in Freak Land: By “Avitor” . . 74-79The Lilt of the Hoof P adde r........................ 78Rev iew ............................................................... 79'The Talgai S k u ll................................................ SIClubs and Societies....................................... 82-87Don't: By “Comix” ........................................ 88

Correspondence.................................................. 88

Sporting .............................................................. 91

HERMES.

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