Sadder and w iser w e became, as w e th ou gh t o f th e R a d ica l and h is le tt e r ; n ot sadder because th e L ev ee is abused, n o t sadder be cause h e washes to destroy a th in g “ th a t has ex isted fo r g en eration s,” b u t because th is proposal o f a change is tak en in hand b y an in d ivid u al w hose apparent kn ow led ge and experience o f L evees is so sh o ck in g ly lim ite d , and because his id eal assem bly is so ab su rd ly inferior to th e one he abuses : w iser w e becam e, fo r w e little th ou gh t th a t an in dividu al— w hose w ritin g proves h im o f som e im portance, w hether h e is a “ sw e ll o f the first w ater ” or n ot— could have trifled w ith a grave su b ject in so friv o lo u s a sty le . H e h as, a t any ra te, v en tilated th e m atter, and h as said Some o f th e old stu ff about “ ancient cla ssics a n d -m o d e m g am es,” w hich w e have often noticed goes dow n w ith th e low er or ders o f th e com m u n ity. H e has done v ery little else, besides com m ittin g several gross errors, one o f w hich is th e groundless sup position th a t a great p a rt o f B ig -sid e p lays no F o o tb a ll, excep t in Second T w en ties. H e also le ts us k n ow h is ideas o f h o n o u r ; he w ou ld ju s t ly deem it an honour to atten d an a ssem bly o f H o u se T w en ties and E leven s ; « b u t he considers it a bore to atten d a L evee as a m em ber o f th e h igh est and m ost im por ta n t d ivision o f th e Sch ool. “ B rin g togeth er 1 8 0 m em bers o f the U p p er S ch o o l,” he w ould sa y , “ and y ou have d u st and r o w ; b rin g tog eth er 2 0 0 a th letes, and a ll is q uiet and o rd e rly .” H e has an a lm ost childish idea o f th e w orth o f an audience o f athletes. W e th in k it n ot out o f place to su gg est a few rem arks upon the su b ject, h op in g for com m ents and im provem ents upon them from correspondents. I t is eviden t, first, th a t th e L evee is too la rg e. W h e n th e U p p er S ch ool w as first con stitu ted as th e g overn in g b od y, it w as m uch sm aller th an it is now : now w e w an t som e sim ple arrangem ent, and as the division betw een th e U p p er and M id d le S ch ool is g reat, so is it great betw een th e Y t h and th e form s b elow . I f w e too k the Y I t h , X X , and Y t h as our L ev ee, and 'te n w ere elected o u t o f th e L ow er Y t h , w e should n ot have a m uch m ore com plicated one th an w e have now . W e w ould , how ever, adm it any m em ber o f th e X I w ho w as n ot already adm itted b y th is arran g em en t; and w e w ould exclude everyone w ho had n ot been a certain tim e, say a y ear, in the School. O ur L evee w ould , b y th is m eans, num ber about 1 1 0 , w hich w ould n ot b e too m an y, and it w ould include m ost, i f n ot a ll, o f the influential m em bers o f th e S ch o ol. W e w ish to add one or tw o rem arks upon th e R adi ca l’ s le tt e r : w e w ish to rem ind him , th a t a ll ordinary A th le tic prizes are £ 1 , unless there is an express arrangem ent th a t th ey sh all be h ig h e r : also, th a t it is usual to g iv e a second prize as#an understood th in g . T h is is for his private inform ation, as h e seem s a little ig norant o f these m atters. W e also b eg to su g g est th at it is n ot th e m aterial, b u t the w o rk in g o f th e Levee w hich is “ a farce th a t th is farce is th e resu lt o f th e fickle nature w hich is th e p a rt o f ev ery great assem bly, and also o f th e carelessness in to w hich those w ho attend th e L ev ee have fa lle n ; th a t argum ents m igh t ju s t as easily be produced, i f th ey w ould on ly rouse them - 2 THE METEOR, selverf and tak e th e trou ble, b y th e U p p er S ch o ol, as b y th e E leven s, and the T w en ties. W e publish a letter from an O ld R u gbeian Correspondent upon th e m atter, and he prom ises us a sketch o f som e reform s th at m ig h t be effected in th e L ev ee, fo r our n ex t num ber. Reform is th e order o f the d ay. R eform has occupied th e atten tion o f P arliam en t since th e b egin n in g o f th e session, and R eform is fa st c u ttin g its w ay into our gam es and education. B u t it is th e R eform in our gam es w hich w e propose here to discu ss. I n a form er num ber w e proposed an altera tio n in the Steeple-chases. F o r years it has been fe lt, th at our Steeple-ch ases w ere n ot real Steeple-ch ases, th at th e running w as too great a stretch for lu n gs and le g s, alth ou gh th e course w as n ot v ery lo n g . N ow th a t the cou rse has been changed, and th e Steeple chase has been ru n, w e m ay view th e change in its proper lig h t. N o one w ho w as present la st w eek could have h elped n oticm g th e im provem ent. M a n y indeed w hen th ey saw th e course for th e first tim e, looked upon it w ith th e g reatest horror, th in k in g th ey w ould b e h alf-d ead before th ey reached the goal. B u t the resu lt proved quite the contrary. T ile runners them selves did n ot find it n early su ch a p u ll as th ey had expected. T h e course m oreover affords a m uch better field fo r good w in d and good ru n n in g, and n ex t year w e sh a ll expect to see a la rg er en try , since w e b elieve m an y w ere deterred from ru nn in g th is year from th e dread o f th e new course. W e are v ery g la d our proposal has been acted upon in th is case, b u t another R eform has tak en place, w hich w as b ro u gh t about b y one o f our C orrespondents, and a t w hich w e m u st express our regret. W e allude to the new D ou b le R acq u et and D ou b le H an d -fives T ies. O ur reasons are those expressed b y “ P h ilo - R u g b y ” in our la st. A lm o st a ll the pairs w ho have entered are in th e sam e H ou ses, and the b est player m ay often w eak ly choose one in b is ow n house, n ot second b est. Njpw w hat w e should propose as a rem edy is th is— th a t th e S ch ool D ou b le R acq u ets and H an d -fives should b e draw n as before ; th a t there should b e a C hallenge Gup to be com peted for, in D ou b le R acqu ets and H an d -fives, b y tw o chosen m em bers out o f each H o u s e ; th a t the H o u se R a cq u ets and H an d -fives should be p la y ed o ff th is T erm , therepresentatives chosen and th e proposed Cups played for n ext T erm . T h e advantages o f th is w ould be m anifold— th e chance fo r th e C up w ou ld b e th e sam e as it w as b y th e old sy stem , and th e H ou ses w ou ld have a chance o f com p etin g against oth ers, as is alm ost th e case in th e p resen t one. A g a in , it is v ery hard fo r one o f th e b est players, su pp osin g h e is th e only g o o d one in h is H o u se , to b e prevented from g o in g in , because a ll th e oth er good players in th e S ch ool pair w ith others in th eir ow n H ou ses. W e k n o w ourselves o f m any o ld R u gbeian s w ho have spoken con tin u ally o f a C hallenge H ou se C u p , and w ho w ould m o st g la d ly subscribe to it. In our la st num ber appeared a n a rticle upon th e O ld R u gbeian F o o tb a ll M a tc h , an d th e su b ject su gg ested to us th e opportunity o f a few rem arks upon O ld R u gbeian s as a cla ss. In sp ite o f th eir h a v in g been praised in im m oderate term s since R u g b y w as first kn ow n , w e cannot help b estow ing a little m ore eu lo g y upon th em . I f a few o f th em g o a w a y fro m here, an d th in k no m ore o f th e p la ce, th ese are th e w orst specim ens, and g en erally th ose w ho have n ever risen from th e lo w est r a n k s ; th e m ajority retain, for m an y y ea rs, som e a ll th eir life, an in terest in th e d oin gs o f presen t R u g b eia n s. T h e y com e dow n here, w hether to p lay fo o tb a ll or crick et, to see ath letic gam es, or w h atever b e th eir reason, from a ll parts o f th e w o r ld ; th ey p a y th eir m on ey w henever th ey are asked , scarcely k n o w in g w h at th ey are to p a y fo r ; and w herever th ey are th ey u nite in a k in d o f fello w sh ip , w h ich arises on ly from a % iu tu a l advantage— th a t th ey are O ld R ugbeian s. W e sh a ll com e to th is hap p y sta g e som e tim e o r other, and w e m ay as w e ll see th eir goodness, th a t w e m ay fo llo w in th eir step s. B u t w e have one o r tw o com plaints to m ak e. O ne is, th eir perpetual a n x iety to gru m b le, w hich w e den y to b e th e p rivilege, a s som e assert, o f ev ery O ld R u g b e ia n : th ey h ave a w a y , esp ecially th e y ou n ger ones, o f com in g here in th e fo o tb all season and d isco verin g th a t th eir H o u se X X is n o t-th e b est th a t could be chosen, as i f a d a y o r tw o ’ s experi ence cou ld teach th em as m uch as a m on t h * o r tw o has ta u g h t th e head o f th e X X ; so in th e crick et season, th ey w rite and p oin t o u t fa u lts in th e choice o f th e X I , and other little errors. Som e have a w a y o f deploring th e gen eral aspect o f th in g s, and w ondering w h at th e place is com in g t o ; also o f sa y in g th a t it w as n o t so in th eir tim e. A n O ld R u gbeian in th is form w e object t o ; because w e feel sorry th a t h e is disappointed in the THE METEOR. 3 place. Som e few O ld R u g b eia n s, how ever, w e h ave to com plain o f for break in g then- w o rd . I t w ould be q u ite absurd to recount th e instances w e rem em ber a t leav in g -b rea k fa sts, h all-su p p ers, & c., o f the w orth y people w ho have vow ed th ey w ill com e dow n several tim es every y e a r ; th ese, w e find, seldom com e dow n a t a ll. W e w ish O ld R ugbeians to understand th a t i f th ey feel bound b y any tie s to th e S ch ool, th ey must com e dow n, and esp ecially th ose w ho have still sch ool-fellow s le ft h e r e ; th a t th ey o u g h t to m ake every effort to com e here upon every o cc a sio n ; and w hen th ey com e here, le t th em be careful n o t to --------; w e ll, w e w ould a lm ost a llo w th em to gru m b le i f th ey w ou ld com e and see us as often as th ey can . A ll w e h ave to say is th at we w ill n o t gru m b le, w hen we are O ld R u gbeian s. We are b o y s ! y e s, w e are undoubted ly b oy s, b u t w e are rea lly m ade a lm ost too conscious o f th e fa c t in our dealin gs w ith th e trades m en o f th is flou rish in g tow n . W e are treated w ith c iv ility , perfect c iv ility g en erally, b u t it is w ith a c iv ility th a t is ak in to kindness, w ith a tou ch o f condescension. A n d th is treatm en t tak es different form s. W e have th e tradesm an jo c o se , w ho w anders from th e su b ject o f th e article w e are interested upon in to p u n gen t w itticism s o r p e tty scandal. A lso th e tradesm an pom pous, w ho is evid en tly too good for th e place, and has p robab ly liv ed in fo n d hopes o f “ b ette rin g h im s e lf” for y ears and years. H e gen erally ends his sentences a b ru p tly , w ith ou t th e w ord sir. B u t th e m ost dangerous class o f a ll is th e w h ited -w a ll tradesm an, w ho in variably, per haps slig h tly lo ftily , prom ises th a t w e sh all h ave w h at w e order im m ediately a t th e v ery la te st, b u t w e call again in a w eek , again in a fo rtn ig h t, and i f w e are lu ck y w e g e t w hat w e w an t in a m on th or so. A n d w e bear all th is. W e suppose because w e are too g oo d - natu red to do w h at w e clearly ough t to d o ; th a t is, to tre a t any specim en o f th e first class rath er d ista n tly , and a t th e first sign o f w andering to p u ll h im up sharp. T o treat a n y specim en o f th e second class v ery re sp e ctfu lly , a d d in g th e w ord “ s i r ” to our answ er to any sentence o f h is w hich om its it , and to tre a t any m em ber o f th e th ird class a t th e second offence to a P .P .C . card. A N O L D R U G B E I A N O N “ A R A D I C A L .” W e had alw a ys piqued ourselves on bein g tolera b ly advanced and p retty consistent R a d ic a ls ; b u t w e confess th at our brother’ s le tter in our la st num ber fa irly threw us into th e shade. T h e su b ject, how ever, is so im portan t th at, even a t th e risk o f low erin g our character in our b rother’ s eyes, w e w ish to sa y a few w ords on h is am u sin g and revolu tion ary su ggestion s. W e m ay observe, a t th e outset, th a t on one p oin t w e fu lly agree w ith our correspondent. I f it can be in con testab ly proved th a t B ig - side L ev ee has done its w o rk , th a t it w as founded during a period o f d isorganisation, and has becom e an effete and decrepit m em b er o f an order o f in stitu tion s w h ich has lo n g passed a w a y ; i f it can b e show n th at fo r th e la st tw en ty years it has been slo w ly degenerating from bad to w orse, and no lon ger represents th e opinions and interests o f th e S ch o ol, th en , w e say, b y a ll m eans sw eep it aw ay. T h e q uestion, therefore, resolves its e lf in to th is— is B ig -sid e L evee w orthy o f th e rid i cule and contem pt o f th e S ch o ol ? D oes it carry m easures opposed to the w ishes and in terests o f th e "S ch ool P and w ou ld it b e possible to replace it b y another b od y m ore respectable and m ore efficient ? A s our cor respondent is so firm ly convinced o f th e irre trievable depravity o f B ig -sid e L ev ee, w e sh all presum e th at he has said a ll th a t can b e said a gain st i t ; nor do w e th in k th at it w ou ld be possible to find a m ore effectual m ethod for tu rn in g him from th e error o f h is w ays th an b y m eetin g h is argum ents fa irly . H is first argu m en t, th a t “ g reat num bers o f its m em bers have little in terest in , and less know ledge o f, th e m atters w ith w hich th ey have to d e a l,” can only be called an ar gum en t b y courtesy. W e cannot d ig n ify it w ith a loftier nam e th an a sw eeping and un founded a sse r tio n ; and u n til it has been supported b y th e stron gest proofs, w e shall tak e th e lib erty o f d isb elievin g i t ; a t th e sam e tim e , w e cannot b u t express our aston ish m en t th at such an assertion should have proceeded from our brother R a d ical. H a s he fo rgo tten w hat party it w as th a t asserted th e indifference o f th e w ork in g m en to th e fran chise ? W e earnestly beseech h im to tak e heed to h is steps, le st he should in due tim e (b y m ista k e, o f co u rse,) find h im self in the lo b b y w ith M r. D isra eli. T he second argu m en t is m ore plausible— “ W h e n m em bers o f B ig sid e Levee do atten d, th ey v ote fo r m en, and n ot for m easures.” T h a t th is is often th e case w e fu lly a llo w ; b u t w h at then ? Is th is a fa u lt w hich you can ever g e t rid o f ? I s it n ot a fa u lt inherent, to a greater or less 4 THE METEOR. degree, in a ll assem blies ? I s it n ot a fa u lt inherent in th e suprem e L eg isla tiv e A sse m b ly o f th is cou n try ? W i ll “ R a d ical ” ven tu re to assert th a t no L ib era l m em bers fo llow M r . G lad stone sim ply because h e is th e leader o f th e L ib era l p a r ty ; and th a t no C onservative m em bers fo llow M r. D isra eli sim p ly because h e is th e leader o f the C onservative p a rty ? O ne question w e should lik e to a sk our cor respondent— Is th is a fa u lt from w h ich his id eal assem bly w ou ld b e fr e e ? D oes he m ean to assert th a t a H o u se T w en ty w ill n ot fo llo w th e C aptain o f th e H o u se T w en ty , and th a t a H ou se E lev e n w ill n ot fo llow th e C ap tain o f th e H ou se E leven ? I f h e does, w e cannot congratulate h im on his know ledge o f hum an nature. T h e th ird argum ent is, th a t no reasons are g iv en for o r a gain st a proposal. T h is is non sense ; our experience o f B ig -sid e L e v ie s is a t le a st as great as o ur brother’ s, an d w e con trad ict bfm fla tly . I f som etim es no rea sons are g iv en , i t is g en erally because no reasons are needed, because th e L ev ee is in possession o f a ll possible inform ation on the su b ject. S h ou ld “ A R a d ical ” need reasons, h e can rise and in sist th a t th ey sh all be g iy e n ; or i f he b e n ot “ a sw e ll o f th e first w a ter,” h e can su rely persuade som e friend o f h is w ho does support th a t proud charac ter to fill h is place. W e w ou ld rem ark fu r th er th a t as to “ speak in g w ith a hope o f su ccess,” th is objection is com m on to all le g isla tiv e a ssem b lies: th e H ou se o f C om m on s, in th is resp ect, is in as w oeful a p lig h t as B ig -sid e L ev £e. B u t w ill our correspon den t’ s ideal assem bly b e free from th is objec tio n ? W i ll th e b otto m fello w in “ R a d ica l’ s ” H o u se T w e n ty speak “ w ith as m uch hope o f success ” as th e H ea d o f th e S ch ool, or the w in n er o f th e C rick ? A s to “ R a d ica l’ s ” fo u rth argum ent, w e are n o t sure th a t w e have fu lly understood h im ; b u t, as fa r as w e can gath er, h is objec tio n seem s to b e th a t F o o tb a ll R u les are de cided b y B ig -sid e L ev ee, w h ile B ig sid e L ev ee rea lly know s n oth in g about F o otb a ll. H e re , again , our b rother in du lges in a sw eep in g statem en t, w hich a m om ent’ s calm con - sideration w ou ld refu te. W e m aintain, in opposition to our correspondent, th a t B ig - side L ev ee does k n ow q u ite as m uch about F o o tb a ll as is necessary. I t contains alm ost a ll th e b e st Caps in th e S ch ool, alm ost a ll the b est B elo w C aps, a lm ost a ll th e fello w s w ho have been lo n g est a t th e S ch ool, and w ho, th erefore, have played F o otb a ll lo n gest. T h is is a m ere question o f sta tistics, and w e d efy o ur correspondent to refute u s. T a k e, fo r instance, th e S ch ool H o u se T w en ty o f la st H a l f : D av en p o rt, S o u tter, F ie ld , R in g - rose, P o ole, and G w atk in w ere a ll m em bers o f B ig -sid e L ev ee , o f th e b od y “ w hose opinions are n oth in g w o r th !” o f th e b od y o f w hich “ everyone speaks in rid icu le and d is g u s t!” T h a t there are m em bers o f B ig - side w ho tak e no prom inent part in F o o tb a ll, and kn ow little about it , w e are ready to a d m it; b u t again w e sa y th is is a fa u lt com m on to a ll le g isla tiv e assem blies. T h e H ou se o f Com m ons passes tu rn p ik e b ills and canal b ills, th ou gh probably n in e-ten th s o f th e m em bers kn ow n oth in g about either tu rn - pik es o r can a ls. A n d , w e w ou ld a sk , is th is a fa u lt fro m w hich our b rother’ s id eal assem bly w ou ld b e fr e e ? H o w w ill h e ensure th a t “ th e H o u se E lev e n s,” “ th e w inners and seconds o f S ch o ol p rizes,” and “ th e C om m issioned O fficers o f th e R ifle Corps ” sh all “ k n o w som eth in g about ” F o o tb a ll ? A n d now w e tu rn to th e con structive schem e o f “ A R a d ic a l.” W e confess th a t w e perused th is schem e w ith m in gled sen ti m en ts o f deep sorrow and overw helm ing sham e. H a s our brother fo rgo tten h is n a m e ? A le g isla tiv e assem bly b ased en tir e ly upon fa n cy fra n ch ise s! our w ou ld -b e John B r ig h t le a v in g th e T o ry leader o f th e H ou se o f C om m ons m iles b e h in d ! B y th e tie s o f our com m on brotherhood, b y th e m em ory o f our com m on hopes and our com m on aspirations, w e beseech our brother to forsak e th e dow nw ard paths o f ignorance and in iq u ity . M a y Ins repentance be speed y, and m ay it b e sincere ! A n d m a y our w ords ten d to fu rth er th e w ish ed -fo r con sum m ation ! W e th in k , w ith a ll good R ad icals (in to w h ich class w e cannot, a t present, adm it our correspondent) th a t every legisla tiv e assem b ly o u g h t to be based upon a sim ple p rin ci p le. S u ch a principle w e find in B ig -sid e L evee. I t is probable, v iew in g th e m atter abstracted ly, th a t th e U p p er S ch ool w ill contain th e b est F o o tb a ll p layers, and th e b est C ric k e te rs; th e b est R acq u et players, and th e b est F ives p la y ers; the b est A th le te s, and th e b est runners a t H are and H ou n d s. I t is alm ost certain th a t it w ill contain th e sharpest fello w s in th e Sch ool, as w ell as th ose w ho have been a t R u g b y lo n gest, and have h ad m ost experience o f School affairs. T h e reason w h y it goes dow n no low er th an th e U p p er Sch ool is obvious. T h e authorities o f th e S ch ool have th ou gh t fit to m ak e a d istin ction a t th a t p oin t betw een fa g s and THE METEOR. 5 n o n -fa g s, and w e have follow ed th eir exam p le. W h a t is q u ite as im portant, b u t w h at “ A R a d ical ” en tirely overlook s, th e U p p er S ch o ol pay a subscription double o f th e sub scrip tion o f th e M id d le and L ow er School. I f th e id eal assem bly o f “ A R a d ic a l” is to be established, th e w hole financial system o f th e S ch ool m u st b e altered. W e assert, th en , th a t B ig -sid e L evee stan ds upon a sim ple and in te llig ib le p rinci p le, th e p rincip le o f m en tal and ph ysical sup eriority, o f su periority in a g e and ex perience, as w e ll as upon th e p rincip le th at th ose w ho p a y m o st sh all have th e la rg est share in le g isla tin g fo r th e com m on w eal. T h a t su ch an a sse m b ly . contains anom alies w e fu lly ad m it. B u t w e contend, in the first p lace, th a t th ese anom alies are v ery s lig h t ; an d , in th e second p lace, th a t an E n g lish m an is th e la st person to declaim a gain st anom alies, fo r anom alies have existed in ev ery E n g lish in stitu tio n since th e b egin n in g o f h isto ry. W e contend , therefore, th a t th e principle o f B ig -sid e L ev ee is a sound prin cip le, a prin cip le m ore consonant w ith th e sp irit o f o f our R u g b y in stitu tio n s, and th e spirit our E n g lish in stitu tio n s th an a m ore u n - anom alous p rincip le w ou ld be. B u t w e are prepared to m eet our correspondent on his ow n grou n d. W e are w illin g , for th e sake o f argu m en t, to a llo w th a t th e principle w hich w as so m ercilessly rid iculed b y one o f th e greatest E n g lish statesm en, th at “ Each fair burgh, numerically free, Should choose its members by the rule of three,” is th e tru e prin cip le. A n d even , ta k in g th is lo w g rou n d , w e are ready to prove th a t the id eal a ssem bly o f “ A R a d ic a l” is fu ll o f anom alies, and th a t it w ould b e im possible to con stitu te any assem bly w hich sh all n o t teem w ith anom alies. W h a t, th en , is th e con stitu tion o f “ R a d i c a l’ s ” a ssem bly ? A ll H ou se T w en ties— 1 8 0 ; a ll H ou se E leven s— 9 9 ; th e W in n e rs and Seconds o f S ch ool P rizes— 2 0 , s a y ; th e C om m issioned O fficers o f the R ifle Corps— 3 ; th e W in n e r o f th e C r ic k ; th e H ea d o f th e S c h o o l; and th e S ch ool H ou se B elow Caps— 1 7 say. W e m ay rem ark, parenthe tic a lly , th a t “ A R a d ica l’ s ” sarcasm about d u st and row is rather unhappy. I f th e present B ig -sid e L ev ee, con sistin g o f 1 8 5 fello w s, creates “ d u st and row ,” m uch m ore w ill “ R a d ica l’ s ” L ev ee, con sistin g o f about 2 7 0 . A n d now le t us exam ine “ R a d ic a l’ s ” L e vee. T h e first question th a t su g g ests its e lf i s : considering th a t th e num ber o f fello w s w ho p la y C rick et is about th e sam e as th at o f those w ho p lay F o o tb a ll, w h y should the la tter have 1 9 7 representatives, and th e for m er on ly 9 9 ? H ere is an anom aly w ith a vengeance. T o c o n tin u e : th e num bers o f th e R ifle Corps are about 8 0 , and th e num bers o f F o otb a ll players about 4 8 0 : the R ifle C orps, therefore, o u g h t to b e represen ted b y 3 3 m em bers, and n o t b y 3 . H ere is another anom aly. A g a in , there are about 2 5 fellow s in th e School w ho run H are and H ou n d s. I f w e com pare th is w ith th e num bers w ho p lay F o o tb a ll, H are and H ou n d s o u g h t to be represented, n ot o n ly b y the so lita ry w inner o f th e C rick , b u t b y a t least 9 m ore. T h is w e m ay call anom aly num ber 3 . A s to the w inners and seconds o f School p rizes, w e g iv e th em up in despair. W h y th e A th le tic s should have special representa tiv es a t a ll, or w h y th ey • should have th a t precise num ber, w e are to ta lly unable to see. S till m ore perp lexing is th e introduction o f th e S ch o ol H ou se B elow C aps. W h y n o t the School H ou se Second E leven P W h y n ot th e w inners o f the S ch ool H ou se H a n d - fives and R acqu ets ? W h y n o t th e holder o f the. School H ou se H ou se-b ag s ? F u rth er, le t us look a t “ R a d ica l’ s ” Levee fr o m ,a n o th e r p oin t o f v ie w . Is th e second fo r th e C rick a less sw ell th an the bottom fellow in “ R a d ica l’ s ” H ou se T w en ty ? I f n o t, w h y should h e be excluded and th e other a d m itted ? I f h e is, w h at is “ R a d ical’ s ” stan dard o f m easurem ent ? H o w m an y seconds for th e C rick are equal to one fello w in a F irst T w en ty ? O r how m an y fellow s in a F ir st T w en ty are equal to a second fo r th e C rick ? A g a in , w h y should the vote o f a B elow Cap be w orth as m uch as th e vote o f a Cap ? A n d w h y should th e vote o f a B lu e- band be equal to the v ote o f a X X I I . fellow P A n d w h y should th e vote o f a X X I I . fellow be equal to th e vote o f an X I . fellow ! T here are, therefore, in “ R a d ical’ s ’ ’ schem e, about a dozen g la rin g anom alies. A pretty- fa ir num ber fo r a L evee w hich is con stitu ted upon th e ru le o f three principle ! “ B u t,” says ‘ R a d ic a l,’ “ is there any con nection betw een ancient classics and m od em gam es ? ” W e w ill answ er his question b y a n o th e r : Is there any connection betw een ancient classics and m od em fa g g in g ? W h y should a “ sw ell o f th e first w ater ” be liable to c a n y coats sim p ly because h e does n ot k n ow G reek P W h e n “ R a d ical ” has answ ered our question sa tisfa cto rily , w e w ill endeavour to answ er his. 6 THE METEOR. Som eth in g m ore w e had to Say, b u t w e w ill reserve it for another tim e. W e hope on som e future occasion to replace th is n egative defence b y one m ore positive. B u t one th in g w e th in k th at w e have proved. I f B ig -sid e L evee be indeed p lagu ed w ith th e great plagues o f w orthlessness and in cap acity, our C orrespondent has n eith er discovered the causes nor th e rem edies o f th ose p lag u es, nor has he devised an assem bly w h ich sh all be exem pt from th eir influence.